While I’m not a fantasy-person, stories by Neil Gaiman somehow just manage to connect with me in ways that other authors simply usually don’t manage to. It all started two years ago when I read “American Gods” and then watched “Good Omens” and finally read “Norse Mythology”. All of these had me hooked right away and made it surprisingly hard to do anything else until I had finished them.
Anansi Boys is no exception here. The book takes place somehow in the same universe as “American Gods” but with a few exceptions isn’t related to the events taking place there nor requires any prior knowledge. The main protagonist ist Charles Nancy, aka “Fat Charlie” (who isn’t fat), who works at an agency in London when he learns that his estranged father has died. He still travels there and connects with Mrs. Higgler, a friend and neighbour of his father, from which he learns that he has a brother (Spider) who, after being contacted by talking to a spider, appears in his life and turns the same (and the one of his fiancee Rosie) upside down!
What follows is a wild ride with a bit of magic, a bit or murder, lots of travelling from London across the Atlantic Ocean, and quite a bit of African mythology around the importance of stories and songs and how they influence human behaviour! Compared to “American Gods” this story is not as dark or complex and doesn’t reference nearly as many deities but was exactly the book I needed right now! While it’s not up-beat, it always has some positive vibe to it and is even hilarious from time to time!
Alongside very few books “Anansi Boys” is one that I’d like to read again in the future when time permits!
Over the years I've written quite a few reviews 🙂 You can find them at /reviews/.
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