I just read my first Neil Gaiman book—Anansi Boys. His web site describes him as “one of the top writers in comics, [he] also writes books for readers of all ages. He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers, and is a prolific creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama” (http://www.neilgaiman.com/ ). Since I don’t read comics, fantasy, Sci Fi or juvenile books, Gaiman, despite his ties to my neck of the woods, was not an author I had read. That has now changed and I could add a whole string of superlatives to his web site and the Dictionary of Literary Biography. Gaiman is a masterly writer. Period. His hilarious blend of the supernatural, the mundane, and his clever plotting make Anansi Boys a delightful and thoughtful read for anyone.
The book is the coming-of-age story of Fat Charlie Nancy, who discovers after his father dies that 1) his father was a god, and 2) he has a brother who got all the god-genes from their dad, leaving Fat Charlie with all the goofy-genes. His brother (named Spider) moves in not only to Fat Charlie’s bleak London flat, but also moves in on his finance. As the book soars from Florida to England to a Caribbean island to the caves at the beginning of the world, we can empathize with Fat Charlie, as well as with all the children everywhere who were ever embarrassed by their dads, and all the people who fear singing in crowded dining rooms. The girl is lost, the Florida neighbor ladies light black candles, Fat Charlie’s boss should not be a role model, the animals turn nasty, and Dad-the-god returns briefly to hand over the green hat to Fat Charlie. A book doesn’t get more fun than this.
The book is the coming-of-age story of Fat Charlie Nancy, who discovers after his father dies that 1) his father was a god, and 2) he has a brother who got all the god-genes from their dad, leaving Fat Charlie with all the goofy-genes. His brother (named Spider) moves in not only to Fat Charlie’s bleak London flat, but also moves in on his finance. As the book soars from Florida to England to a Caribbean island to the caves at the beginning of the world, we can empathize with Fat Charlie, as well as with all the children everywhere who were ever embarrassed by their dads, and all the people who fear singing in crowded dining rooms. The girl is lost, the Florida neighbor ladies light black candles, Fat Charlie’s boss should not be a role model, the animals turn nasty, and Dad-the-god returns briefly to hand over the green hat to Fat Charlie. A book doesn’t get more fun than this.
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