Disclaimer: the pleasure of reading this story comes from knowing the Anansi stories as a child. Gaiman attempts to weave a contemporary tale of myth-cum-adventure which includes a journey to the land of the original animals and a confrontation with a vile boss who takes on the spirit of a Tiger. The character of Spider was energetic, yet exhausting. Gaiman brings everyone together in a fun finale. In sum, a fun read. ( )

Was für ein wunder-wunderbares Buch! Grandios gelesen von Stefan Kaminski. Ich würde am liebsten direkt wieder von vorne anfangen... ( )

This was a fantastic book. A lot of it reminded me of Douglas Adams, which is always a good thing, but it also had an interesting plot and pulled off a fantastic style. Perhaps the most impressive thing about this book is that it seamlessly shifts between viewpoints all the time, but all of the characters are interesting enough that I wasn't left disappointed when the focus shifted. Also, it was fast paced and every character's section was relatively short and closely integrated with the others so they all held my attention very well. I pretty much read it in one sitting. ( )

I love the unflappability of British protagonists! No matter what you throw at them, they just "keep calm and carry on" - which is how our protagonist Charlie Nancy mostly reacts upon discovering, well into his young adulthood, that (1) his father was a god (Anansi, the notorious trickster spider god), (2) the old ladies next door are witches, and (3) he has a godlike twin brother that he never knew about ... until, that is, said brother starts taking certain inexcusable liberties with Charlie's home, his job, and his fiancé.

In this tale, Anansi is one of a pantheon of ancient animalistic gods who can appear in either animal or human form. While anthropologists would argue that we humans create gods in our image, Gaiman posits a world in which human culture is shaped by the gods whose stories we humans choose to tell. Thus a culture infused with Tiger stories becomes violent and predatory; a culture infused with Anansi stories becomes brash and playful.

The dramatic tension in the story comes from whether Tiger or Anansi will prevail in each of the storylines that artfully intersect along the way: will Charlie overcome his natural timidity and embrace his inner Anansi? Will Charlie's humorously villainous boss receive his comeuppance? Will love be enough to reign in the amoral excesses of Charlie's bro Spider? Will Charlie's fiancé Rosie find balance her relationship with her ferocious mother? Will Charlie be able to forgive Anansi for his many excesses and eccentricities as a father? Will Charlie and Spider reconcile?

Gaiman's infused all of this with lovely island overtones by casting the main characters (including Anansi) as Barbadian Brits, even arranging for the denouement to take place on the Barbadian island of St. Andrews. Not only does this add color to the narrative (his old lady neighbors are constantly referencing Barbadian foods, traditions, and beliefs) but it reinforces the magical realism of the text by infusing the story with a culture known for its fanciful mythology and rich storytelling tradition.

Add to this auspicious combination a cast of wonderfully eccentric characters (including a quartet of crotchety old ladies, a creepy birdwoman, a cliche-spouting baddie, and a duppy/ghost), some deliciously theatrical imagery (especially Charlie's trips into "god world") and Gaiman's characteristic wit, blend well, and enjoy this confection of a tale in which good triumphs over evil, Charlie finds his groove, and karaoke saves the world. What fun! ( )

This has been around the house for years, I just picked it up and started reading a couple of days ago-- now finished. I really liked it-- the slow realization of what happened in their youth, the growth of both, the just desserts for their oppressors. ( )