Review: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

Like Neil Gaiman's earlier novel American Gods, Anansi Boys is a bit of an aquired taste for the uninitiated. I've had high school students love it, but also a number of others who just didn't get it and gave up.  Anansi Boys can either stand on its own or serve as a companion piece to American Gods, and it's helpful with both novels to have brushed up on your mythology prior to reading.  Anansi Boys centers on Fat Charlie, who learns after his father's death that his father was the mythological god Anansi.  Fat Charlie, by the way, is actually a rather lean adult but his nickname from childhood stuck with him.  Anansi is the god of stories and song, and whenever he told a story or gave a nickname, it would stick around for a long, long time.  I listened to the audio version of the novel on a playaway, and quite enjoyed it.  As good readers do, the voices were distinct and recognizable, despite a huge list of characters.  This is not a book I highly recommend to my high school students unless I know the reader has an interest in mythology.  It's not a requirement-- it's certainly worth a try if you're looking for something out of the ordinary.