Review: Anansi Boys

Title:Anansi Boys
Author: Neil Gaiman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This may be set in the same world as American Gods, but it's almost the opposite kind of book! Where American Gods was disturbing (fascinatingly so), Anansi Boys is light-hearted, clever, and fun.

I found myself chuckling and laughing every few pages, and I could not for the life of me put this book down. I'd say, "One more chapter, and then I'm going to sleep."

Yeah, that didn't happen.

There's so much energy in this book - I don't know how else to describe it. You pick it up, you laugh, you laugh some more, the story flows on and you go along for the ride. I loved the spin on Anansi and the animal spirits, and how it mixed the real world with the fantastical one (reminded me of Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith in that regard).

The story is basically about Fat Charlie discovering - after his father's untimely yet hilariously absurd death - that his father is the trickster god Anansi and that he has a brother named Spider. Spider is the one with the god powers, and Fat Charlie is just an average guy bumbling about and trying to make a living for himself. Once he inadvertently invites Spider home, Spider starts taking over Fat Charlie's life - his house, his job, even his girlfriend. Fat Charlie decides enough is enough and makes a bargain with a God to get rid of his brother. And we all know that such bargains can't possibly end well...

This book is nothing short of entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised after reading the much darker American Gods. I highly recommend it!