American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Plot: After spending years in prison yearning to see his wife, Shadow learns days before his release that she has died in a car accident. Then Shadow meets the mysterious man Wednesday, who drags him into a powerful battle between gods for the soul of America. In the midst of the intrigue, confusion, and danger, Shadow discovers that everyone, including his dead wife, has a secret side to them that no one sees.

Comments: An intricately woven tale of many stories together, American Gods is vividly haunting. Dark themes react with light parables to create a beautifully colorful slurry of emotions. This story combines hilarious wit, poignant real-life moments, and drastically tragic endings exceptionally.

Shadow appears to be a fairly two-dimensional character at first, but slowly reveals aspects of himself that even he didn't know existed. Throughout the book, Shadow becomes more complicated and human until he is absolutely lovable. His childlike simplicity and innocence cause the reader to be protective of him; his righteousness and determination inspire pride. Similarly, the other characters invoke different emotions and embody indefinite concepts, serving individual purposes through the story.

A problem I uncovered with the complexity of American Gods is failing to remember minute details when they become significant later in the book. Because of the vast multitude of names and descriptive explanations for each side story, things muddled together a bit in a dizzying swirl of letters and ideas. However, the important points of the story serve as landmarks to follow, and the book as a whole is worth mild confusion.

After reading American Gods, I had difficulty deciding whether I actually enjoyed it or not. Either way, this story left an impact that will not be easily forgotten. It is truly haunting.

Rating: I rate American Gods a nine out of ten.