It’s no surprise that Neil Gaimen delivers a beautifully written story that is as much a portrait of (pre-9/11) America as it is an exploration of death in juxtaposition to life.

For context, I listened to the 10th Anniversary edition of the Authors Preferred Text, featuring a forward and postscript from Gaimen, as well as a bonus chapter. For being an audiobook that is more than 10 years old, it held up really well!  

Characters:
Shadow, our protagonist, who is admittedly an odd duck. His blasé reaction to the escalating strangeness of his encounters throughout the book begs the question: who is this guy? We only get a few passages about his life before Laura, his wife. Nearly nothing about his upbringing or formative years. I felt like I kept waiting for the character to emerge from the stupor left in the wake of the untimely deaths of his wife and best friend (and the tangential fall out thereafter).

But Shadow was a pretty blank slate, an intentional decision, I’m sure. (Obviously, it’s Gaiman)His whole issue, his flaw, is that he hasn’t died, but he’s not truly living either. He seems to feel very little emotion for the first half of the book at least, only really allowing himself to break down once - after burying his wife, after revelations come to light at the funeral no less. It’s odd though, only until other characters frame this “not dead, not living” part of him as a problem, does he seem to start considering it a negative thing.

But in a way the way he seems to be sitting and watching the world like someone looking out from a living room window. Pretty passive? It’s weird, but in a way also zen as hell too, how he lets the world move around him like water around a stone.

As you can tell I can’t really puzzle him out. And neither can any of the  other characters either. He’s smart, courageous, kind and humble. His motivations belies the desperation he barely acknowledges. Because, he still is, even with my careful reflection, still so, so hollow.

He’s a lone character though, remaining guarded to everyone who crosses his path. His internal dialogue is just as guarded, and often willfully in denial. It’s like he sees this crazy shit going on, and thinks ‘wow I’m more exhausted than I realized”

😐😑

Ultimately, it does give the book a rather bleak atmosphere throughout.

At least there are interesting intermissions from Shadow’s POV introducing us to some batshit insane Gods or breaking up the plot with historical accounts of how the Gods arrived to America. From crossing the land bridge to arriving as an enslaved child.

I found these asides enhanced the atmosphere of the book, it was also a refreshing way to step away from the main plot and recenter it rather seamlessly.

Writing and Story: I know I mentioned that I do appreciate when an Author doesn’t coddle the reader with ceaseless reference information to find all the answers just as quickly as possible. No hand holding, No easy payoff, no simple answers, especially the symbolic meanings or thematic elements.

The story is well crafted, simple in the way that it’s impressive to have happened. By that I mean, the story beats jump in bursts and starts, with characters seemingly staring down a barrel (literally and figuratively) with little warning more than a few times. And yet, it’s streamlined. Considered. Deliberate.

I enjoy writers like Neil Gaimen. Those that remind me of my favorite author, Richard Powers. Even though none of Powers books are my favorite (The Overstory does come close) - and I wouldn’t wish for a world where all the books I read are as much an experience in story as in language. 

Perhaps I wasn't the right audiance for this book. Its was strange and strangely slow at times

Edit in light of the news about Neil: The kiss in this now has a different meaning and gives me an icky feeling. I see why I didn't like it.

One of, if not my favourite book of all time. Neil Gaiman’s writing of Gods, heavens and out of body experiences is something of legend. His folklore knowledge spans universes and the amount of characters which appear and reappear throughout this book continue to increase every page. Incredible and a real adventure for everyone reading.

I enjoy Gaiman's stories most of the time, but misogyny slips out here and there when he's trying to be gritty. Ruins my enjoyment. I catch myself wishing a woman had written them instead.

I also find the "troubles" bit in the middle difficult to understand--doesn't seem to further Odin's/Loki's purposes that are central to the story. No real reason to kill some of the gods who were killed. If there had been some established enmity between them and Odin or Loki, sure, but I didn't see anything. 

Encapsulating both these complaints: Balquis' character seems to exist completely for proposes that don't further the narrative: adding a sex(ist) scene and dying during the "troubles" part. I could be convinced there's narrative value there, but I'm not seeing it at the moment.