from Jordan:

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman is not an actual sequel to American Gods, but it is a story that takes place after American Gods' events and in the same fictional universe, so to speak.

Anansi, a trickster spider god of stories, comes from a god in West African folklore. In American Gods, he was a scene-stealing minor character. Perhaps surprisingly given that the book’s title contains his namesake, he doesn’t appear in many of the scenes. Instead, the story is about his sons coming to terms with his death and bonding as brothers, one of them, Fat Charlie, is a nervous, self-conscious man working as an accountant at a talent management firm in London. The other, Spider, is capricious and impulsive who gets by on his wits and indulgences.

For those that have read American Gods, be prepared for the fact that this book is tonally very different. There’s significantly more humor here, but also more emotional resonance. Its humor is in the vein of some British sitcoms, heavy on awkward situations, wordplay, and the like.

This is the second time I’ve read the book, though the first was many years ago when it was first released. I had the same problem as I did the first time: the initial build-up of the book is slow. It is, however, a short book so you don’t have to wait too long. If you can muster through that first little bit, it becomes a very rewarding journey. ( )

I can see the appeal for the book, it has the makings of a lot of popular contemporary books. The witty punchlines, the popular culture references, the relatable characters. The story is about Anansi reincarnated and his sons. The book is not spectacular but also not horrid. ( )

Neil Gaiman truly creates pure chaos when it comes to his novels. I loved going back into the American Gods universe. Now while I enjoyed this book, American Gods is still by far my personal favorite. The antics of Spider and Fat Charlie were so hilarious. This just made me crave to go back to Shadow and the antics of the old and new gods. I highly recommend. ( )

Brilliant! ( )

O clássico de Neil Gaiman relançado agora com conteúdo extra Charlie Nancy tem uma vida pacata e um emprego entediante em Londres. A pedido da noiva, ele concorda em convidar o pai para seu casamento e fazer uma tentativa de reaproximação, já que há vinte anos os dois não se falam. Enquanto isso, no palco de um karaokê na Flórida, o pai de Charlie tem um ataque cardíaco fulminante. A viagem de Charlie até os Estados Unidos para o funeral acaba se tornando a jornada de uma nova vida. Charlie não tinha ideia de que o pai era um deus. Menos ainda de que ele próprio tinha um irmão. Agora sua vida vai ficar mais interessante... e bem mais perigosa. Embrenhando-se no território de lendas e deuses pagãos, a poderosa narrativa de Neil Gaiman leva o leitor a mergulhar nessa história fantástica e bem-humorada sobre relações familiares, profecias terríveis, divindades vingativas e aves muito malignas. Os filhos de Anansi inaugura os relançamentos dos romances clássicos de Neil Gaiman pela Intrínseca.