Lush Library discussion

Well here is a thread to kick off discussions for people reading American Gods this month. Feel free to start new threads if you want to discuss a particular section or chapter of character or whatever you want really.

As everyone reads at different speeds if you're going to post in this or any thread and are revealing or discussing what could be a spoiler it may be wise if you maybe start your post warning of it so people don't inadvertently read anything they might not want to at this moment in time.

Let the discussions commence.

Strange book - reminds me of Good Omens. Hoping to get on with reading it over the weekend

I found it hard to get into at first. To me it feels like a book where you know you've been reading for ages. Like some books you can read in 2 days and not realise it's gone that fast, this one you don't get that with though. The author co-wrote Good Omens so I think it is meant to be the same Death in both of them.

Death? I nearly bought a copy of good omens in a charity shop in Poole the other day - passed mine on in Taiwan. This is more like it than neverwhere that's for sure.

I got confused between Good Omens, American Gods and The Book Thief. My head is mince just now.

What I should have said was that the author who wrote American Gods also co-wrote Good Omens then that Death in that reminds me of Death in The Book Thief. I could be wrong though, it's a long time since I've read Good Omens or any other Discworld book for that matter.

I thought that the Death in Good Omens was quite different from the Discworld death. He seemed a lot less human and more of a force than Discworld Death. The Death in TBT reminded me a lot of Discworld Death. It's strange that I feel that way when Terry Pratchett co-wrote Good Omens.

I think a lot of the ideas about belief in American Gods are similar to the ideas in the Discworld.

There's a lot of different death in my last post. Hope it makes sense!

I agree Sarah - Death in TBT & DW are similar. Both Death's seem to struggle with understanding humans and they are both unexpectedly likeable.
*kinda SPOILER*
I'm halfway through American Gods and was surprised when Wednesday asked Shadow why he just does as he says and never seems shocked - I've often wondered why he never asks for details about the big stuff.

I'm really enjoying this book, I've put The Book Thief to the side for the moment as I just didn't feel I was getting anywhere with it.

Is anyone else enjoying American Gods?

I finished it last night. Try to read it in chunks if you can.

I enjoyed it but I felt that there were paragraphs which I would have liked to sit and mull over instead of reading on to find out what happens next.

I do try and read a chunk before bed each night. I've just passed a chapter that I'm not sure I entirely understand the point of yet. It was the one about the two twins who were traded into slavery then split up when they got to America. It was interesting but I'm not sure I get why it's there yet.

There are a few of those

I think I'm going to miss out the October books and finish off American Gods and if I have time left then I'll go back to The Book Thief.

I'm really enjoying the book. Even though the narrative structure sometimes feels a bit fragmented and you're not sure where it's going, I think the atmosphere created is brilliant. Especially some of those inserted short stories about past gods / emigrating peoples etc are really vivid given how brief they are. The characters are interesting too, they some how feel familiar and alien at the same time if that makes sense... they all have attributes you've seen in characters before but with something not quite right about them... they are part human, part myth. And Shadow, although he is supposed to be human he doesn't seem so entirely... seeming to drift in and out of different worlds/minds and the way he becomes accustomed to the existence of these gods so quickly. I'm about 3/4 of the way through and I have no idea how everything is going to be tied up at the end, but I'm looking forward to finding out.

Finally got round to starting this today and have read 188 pages already! I'm really enjoying this - I like the concept of the old, forgotten gods.

Finished this. Loved it.
I sometimes got distracted by reading a description of someone and trying to work out which god they were, but I raced through this book as I couldn't wait to find out what happened. I liked all the little stories of how the gods got brought to America too.

I loved it! Found the mini stories totally absorbing and read through a lot faster than usual as I was desperate to find out what happened next. (Was v pleased I have the anniversary edition with an additional Shadow short story - but want more!!!!)

It's taking me a bit of time to actually get into the book and to get a grasp of what is going on, but now that I have I am enjoying it, I do like the mini stories as well, makes it more entertaining.

The mini stories were well placed and a highlight for me. When I realised that they weren't a one off I looked forward to them popping up.

Right, I'm a bit late but this has arrived today, so I'm going to start it tonight :-)

Kerry wrote: "Right, I'm a bit late but this has arrived today, so I'm going to start it tonight :-)"

It seems to be a book that people get stuck on mate. I'm glad I finally read it though.

Right, well I also bought 3 others at the same time, so I might be able to read one of them as well then :-)

Oh wow, I love it already - I'm not even supposed to read during the day, it's captured me straightaway!

Can't wait for the T.V. series to finally come out this month!

Me neither, it's in my diary :-)

And good omens is being made too, I'm so excited! :D

OOOhhh - Good Omens!

I thought American Gods started in a couple of weeks but it's premiere is on April 30th:(

I think it will take me a wee while to forget that it is Lovejoy and the guy from hollyoaks :D

I had been looking forward to it for so long then when it came to the first episode for some reason it just didn't feel like it was the right moment. It was a Sunday night and I was exhausted (trying to sell our house to move to another state) and I didn't want to watch it then feel frustrated that I couldn't watch another one (especially if it was a slow burner). I like to binge watch - usually a couple of episodes at a time. It's probably because the only restrictions on reading a book, or watching a film, are finding the time and clear headedness. So I'll watch it in chunks.
I haven't read the book since reading it with tge group so I won't be the best judge but did you feel it stayed true to the book?