2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

Please make sure to mark your spoilers by typing "[spoiler]" at the start and [/spoiler] at the end but replacing the []s with <>s.

I have a theory that your enjoyment of this book will be strongly influenced by how much Neil Gaiman you read before you picked it up.

Please let me know how your previous familiarity with Gaiman affected your reading of this book.

Phil wrote: "Please let me know how your previous familiarity with Gaiman affected your reading of this book. "

Not at all.

I finished the book yesterday and initially gave it 3 stars but after I thought about it a bit more, upped it to 4 stars! This is my 2nd book by Gaiman and being familiar with his writing definitely prepared me for this book. I have a feeling that this is the kind of book you need to read twice to really appreciate. Many ideas and characters are woven into the story, and some of them are subtle. Even just thumbing through it now, I see passages that are more than part of the story; like the italicized description of the casino which ends with Wednesday "following the money" to make the waitress happy.
My library has this book as "Young Adult," and maybe it is if you think about the story, but so much more going on. The more I think about this book, the more "grown-up" it becomes.

Briefly, my thing with this book was that I had read so much Gaiman before this that it felt like more of the same, and I was underwhelmed.

Shelly wrote: "I have a feeling that this is the kind of book you need to read twice to really appreciate."

Could be. I read it twice as well. The first time, I thought it was kind of meh and rated it three stars; this time, I thought it was great and rated it four (and a half). I don't know if it was the second reading, my general perception and understanding (I'm older now—the first reading was years ago), or that I read the tenth anniversary edition with the author's preferred text (12K more words).

Whatever the reason, I'm glad I gave it another shot.

I just finished. Overall, I appreciate what Gaiman tried to do in this book, and I'm sure I'll be processing bits of the book for days. I liked Gaiman's writing and the interludes and asides that explained the story and gave reprieve from the rather dragging main narrative. The ending was interesting, and I'm really glad there was a bit of resolution to the whole Lakeside matter. However, I felt Gaiman tried to tackle too much and ended up missing things like forming a main character with natural human reactions. I did not enjoy reading this book, but I am glad that I read it. 3 stars

(view spoiler)[But he's a demigod, so how can we expect or want him to have normal human reactions? (hide spoiler)]

I really wanted (view spoiler)[Shadow to go back to Lakeside and work with Chad as a cop (hide spoiler)]. =)

Finished today and don't have a lot to say.... I am going to give it 4 stars because it's not my type of book but I was interested enough to read it constantly until it was over. This was my first Gaiman book and I honestly think I need to read some more of his books before I can truly review this one. Overall I did like the way he integrated the different Gods into characters. Still at a loss as to who half of them were though.

Meg wrote: "Still at a loss as to who half of them were though."

You may find the Characters > Old Gods section of the Wikipedia article helpful.

I'll be glad to move on to lighter reading! This was my first Gaiman book and it left more somewhat puzzled. I was expecting a social commentary on ancient gods versus modern gods woven into a story that supported the theme. I had difficulty following the numerous morphing characters and the many tangents. I would have found it more enjoyable if it wasn't written in quite such an obscure way as I don't necessarily like to work so hard for my reading pleasure. However, overall the book was captivating enough and the writing good enough to hold my interest through to the unexpected conclusion. I gave the book 4 stars, not because I particularly enjoyed it, but because I recognise that this is probably a great book in its genre.

I finished listening to the audio narration (the sex scenes were super awkward) today, and I really really loved it! I thought it was a brilliant adventure and enjoyed every minute of it. Here's my full review.

Many people like this book, which is great. As I mentioned up-thread, I went in a little jaded because I'd read so many of Gaiman's comics. The "old gods in new places" was something he milked thoroughly during his The Sandman, Vol. 1: Preludes and Nocturnes series.

If you like this, he has two books that I thought were better. The Graveyard Book is a gothic YA story with stronger characterization and a more straightforward plot. Neverwhere is somewhat similar to AG, but hits more of an urban-fantasy vibe and is based more on new imaginary characters than on reimagined mythology.

I have the feeling I have just read a great epic story about something, yet I found myself confused at many parts of it. Maybe it's because I'm not American, or maybe it's because I don't know a lot about God Mythology.

This is a book about the influence of Gods on America, or the fact that America has forgotten it's history of the Gods that were brought to America. (Have I got that right?) It's also a story about Shadow, an ex-convict who meets up with Wednesday and becomes his assistant, for lack of a better word. It's a tale of loss and anger and sadness and relearning roots.

I gave it 4 stars because I know there is greatness in there, even if I'm not able to recognize it. Gaiman knows how to tell a story and there are many stories inside this one.

This is one I'll have to reread sometime in the future to get the parts that have gone over my head or to pick up on things that I missed as being significant. Luckily Gaiman's writing is a pleasure to spend time with.

I read this book about two years ago now, and I really enjoyed it then. I have not re-read it for this, but it has definitely stuck in my head since then. Either this year or next I want to read Anansi Boys as well.

I think rated this one four stars, because I really enjoyed it. I like books that make me think and this one had me thinking about things I had never really contemplated before. However, there are definitely parts that I had to read several times in order to really understand.

Shadow's journey is my favorite part about this book. He definitely changes and becomes better as the book progresses, but in such a natural way you almost don't notice at first. Wednesday's identity was also really well done. The ending was fantastic and everything I would hope for from a book like this.

Anyway, thought I would add my two cents.

I enjoyed this book and would give it 4 stars - my previous experience of Neil Gaiman is 'Good Omens', 'The Wolves in the Walls' and 'Coraline' as well as listening to the radio adaptations of 'Stardust' and 'Neverwhere'. I feel that I need to read it again with the list of Gods referenced above as my knowledge was lacking.
I have been recommended 'Anansi Boys' so that will be on my want to read list.

A lot of people are commenting on knowledge of various deities as a factor in enjoying the book.

I came in with a fair degree of folklore literacy. I already had a good grasp of Anansi, the Egyptian pantheon, and the Norse pantheon. I knew about Coyote, but not "Whiskey Jack." Like 99.99% of the world's population, I'd never heard of Czernoborg. And I don't think Gaiman expected me to know as much as he did about Czernoborg, nor did he expect me to drop the book and do research before continuing.

I don't think I comprehended the parts on familiar deities much more than I comprehended the ones with unfamiliar deities. I got a kick out of seeing Anansi in a fictional setting, but it was more of a, "Hello, old friend," than a, "I'm glad I know this piece of folklore or I'd be lost."

What I'm trying to say is that having a Sparknotes list of deities might enrich your enjoyment, but it should not be necessary for your comprehension. I would even argue that Gaiman has failed in his objectives if you need study aids to understand his text.

I am having a hard time deciding whether or not I liked American Gods. The pace of the main story was so slow, but I enjoyed the interludes and the mystery of Lakeside. I didn't feel like my enjoyment of the book was in any way hampered by unfamiliarity with mythology. The only references I ended up looking up were Louise Brooks and Marie Leveau. I'm glad I read this, but I think it will take some time before I can decide a star rating.

This is my third Gaiman (after Good Omens and Stardust), and none of them really knocked my socks off. I've been recommended The Ocean at the End of the Lane by a few people so I'll probably add that to my TBR list, but I don't think I'll be jumping into another Gaiman book any time soon.

Quick and dirty thoughts:

This book should've been a home run for me. Mythology in a contemporary setting written by Neil Gaiman (who wrote Sandman, one the the pinnacles of graphic literature). Instead it was an underwhelming and at times frustrating read that got three stars from me.

I didn't like Shadow. He was so detached that I could not attach myself to him. Whatever the reasons for his detachment, it didn't change the fact that he felt like a hollow character.

Major parts of the book I looked forward to, like meeting all the different gods and Wednesdays recruitment drive essentially didn't happen. Our main character, and thus ourselves, were sat on the sidelines and told to keep our heads down while the main work was done off screen.

I loved Lakeview, but felt that it should've been it's own story. I hoped for a big payoff, but instead got a brief conclusion to the mystery that had been building for a good portion of the book.

While I didn't see the involvement of Loki coming, I was disappointed to see that I called the con during the segment where Wednesday describes his favorite cons.

My favorite parts were the interludes, Cairo, and Shadow's vigil. Some great writing and interesting themes saved the book from going below 3 stars. Ultimately I was surprised at how frustrated I was with the book, and that's unfortunate. maybe a revisit in a few years will reveal a different opinion.

I finally finished this book yesterday, below is the review that I posted today along with a rating of 3 stars:

American Gods is a book that is loved by many, and one that you either love or hate. I am neither. I appreciate Neil Gaimans writing style and the complexity of the story. It's genius. But also one hell of a read.
First of all, the many, many side stories. Especially during the first half of the book, I often found myself wanting to know how Shadows story continued, irritated by yet another interruption of the main narrative. A bit further into the book it all starts to make sense, as every story within the story adds dept and makes this book a bit more genius.

I read a review about this book of someone who said "The devil is in the details". It certainly is. A couple of words can be used to connect two completely distant characters, or to make two characters one. However, this makes it very easy to miss such a connection. I have the feeling that I need to read this book at least twice, but probably more times, to understand it. And even then, as someone whom is not familiar with urban legends and gods, I will probably never completely get it. (It is a bit like a Sherlock episode, you both understand and do not understand it at the same time. Damn you, Schrödinger!)
So, do I like it this book? Certainly. Do love it? Nope.

Ilona wrote: "I finally finished this book yesterday, below is the review that I posted today along with a rating of 3 stars:

American Gods is a book that is loved by many, and one that you either love or hate...."

Great review IIona :-)

Cathie wrote: "Ilona wrote: "I finally finished this book yesterday, below is the review that I posted today along with a rating of 3 stars:

American Gods is a book that is loved by many, and one that you either..."

Thanks Cathie!

This was my first Gaiman book. I was confused for a lot of it. I didn't know where it was going, but I couldn't put it down either.
As the book went on, it made more and more sense. I really did enjoy it and the style, although different from what I'm used to, was fun to read.

Despite being spoiled (not merely once, but twice) due to non-marked spoilers, I loved this book!
I gave it 4 stars, just because it didn't quite make it to the "all-time favorite"-category. I had some issues with the pace at times, as well as finding the relevance in certain details, even though it all came full circle in the end.
It's definitely a book, I'll be reading again at some point :)

I agree with Phil's comment regarding the correlation between the enjoyment of this book and previous experiences with Neil Gaiman's writing.
Generally speaking I've always enjoyed Gaiman's prose and think the balance between flowery and overwrought description works really well in this story.
And although I appreciated the interconnectedness of the side stories, I could've done without one or two of them (such as the one about Essie Tregowan... I'm sorry but *yawn*)

In my opinion, (view spoiler)[ the emphasis on the importance of knowing each and every one of the deities is a bit misplaced. The story is much more complex than Old gods vs. New gods. (hide spoiler)]
That being said, I do understand how it comes across as confusing when Gaiman starts referring to the same character with three-or-more different monikers throughout the progression of the book.

As with any of Gaiman's stories, the devil truly is in the detail, and already now thinking in retrospect I'm noticing things that I simply missed this time around, such as (view spoiler)[ the symbolism of the name Mike Ainsel) (hide spoiler)]

Anyways, those are some of my preliminary thoughts, but since I have so much more to say about it, I will be posting a more elaborate commentary on my personal thread as well as a in-depth review on Goodreads in the upcoming days - so stay tuned for that if you're interested :)

I tried to read this book back in college (more than 10 years ago), and couldn't make it past part one. I decided to give it another shot, and I'm still very much not fond of the first part of the book. But then something happened in part 2, and I started caring about the characters, I was enjoying trying to puzzle out everyone's motivations, and trying to guess where the plot would go. By the end I couldn't put the book down.

Also the whole Shadow being a Foreign Service Brat part made my day. :)

For comparison, the only other books that I've read by Neil Gaiman have been Good Omens and Coraline.

And so I have finished it. I did like the book, but found the last few chapters to be vaguely disappointing. I was hoping for a more interesting plot twist, I guess, but the book followed the path that I had figured it would by about chapter 15 or so. Still, it certainly was worth the read and I will gladly read more by this author.

I really enjoyed the book even though the ending left me wanting. I felt as if there should have been more.

I have read to Gaiman books previously. The ocean at the end of the lane and Neverwhere.

This book was a bit of an odd experience for me. In the beginning, I knew I liked the book, but it took me 2 weeks just to read the first 100 pages. I was never really in the mood to read it for some reason, it felt like I had to be in the exact right mindset to process it at all.
I finished the rest of the book in about 2 days and really liked it. I've never read Gaiman before, so I feel like at this point I should read some more of his books and then reread this so that I can truly appreciate it. This is the kind of story I like, although I probably have to read it twice to understand everything a little better, so I gave it 5 stars.
For February, I will be reading Anansi Boys , so maybe that will help me understand his writing style (and maybe the plot) a little bit better.

Nik wrote: "[spoilers removed]

I really wanted [spoilers removed]. =)"

I soo wanted this to happen!

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

"A storm is coming..."

I am so sad. So disappointed. I had high hopes for this book. But the storm never really came, if you ask me. You're going to string me along, adding useless word count with coin tricks, giving me an occasional awesome moment... Just to let me down?!

(view spoiler)[There was no war. There was no Thor, God of thunder. Wtf? More Americans believe in (or at least know of) Thor than thunderbirds! And what the bloody hell, no Ares? Wednesday dies. My reaction? "Yes it's getting good! Oden is dead!" Then there's the tree... Interesting part cut short. Then Shadow dies. Another interesting part cut too short. I'm mad by now. Then there is no war, no Thor, no Ares, no crescendo, nothing. Just a lousy speech by the ever boring demigod, Shadow. It was predictable too. I knew Czernobog would only tap him on the head. I knew Wednesday was a father God, I figured Zeus but still. I knew Shadow was his son. I knew his wife wouldn't get to live again (those who die should stay dead). I knew that there was a god in Lakeside killing kids. I figured it was Hinzelman or Mulligan.... Then there's Neil Gaiman's writing style, so choppy and unpolished. Just so disappointed. :( (hide spoiler)]

I remember there being some point in excluding the Greek pantheon, but I'm not sure what it was. They get an indirect mention at one point, then they're dismissed. Maybe the US has more Scandinavian immigrants than Greeks?

Winter wrote: "Tell us what you thought of the book! You can leave your review here. Even if you read the book outside of the group, please feel free to let us know what you thought of it.

Please make sure to ma..."

I am just reading this now - better late than never, right? And I am giddy because the setting (at this point in the book) is a place that I frequented as a child, and I can picture it as if I were standing there in the moment. The description of this alone, from the musical instruments playing on their own yet to the fortune-telling gypsy machine, to the carousel, the madness and eclectic collections within this place, it describes how I felt as a child while being there... confused, terrified, and completely awestruck and amazed all at once. This alone has drawn me in to love this book so far and I cannot wait to get back home to pick it up again and continue with it.