Anansi Boys

Title: Anansi Boys
Author: Neil Gaiman
Published: 2005
Genre: Is Gaiman his own genre yet? He should be.
Pages: 451 (plus this edition has an interview and other stuff at the back)


Anansi Boys! Actually, I bought the paperback edition probably already in 2006 or 2007, but since I always tend to have a large pile of books to read, I kept putting off starting this one until a friend of mine convinced me that it was about time I read it.

Charles Nancy's basic opinion of his father always was that he was an embarrassment. At least until dad went and died. Well, he had a heart attack at a karaoke stage, so perhaps that counted as embarrassing as well. But when Charles, or Fat Charlie, as he is known as, even if he isn't that fat anymore, goes over the Atlantic for the funeral, he starts to find out what kind of a man exactly his late father was. Fat Charlie also finds out that he's not an only child: he has a brother, Spider, who he decides to invite over. Spider accepts, bringing along his room, and a whole lot of trouble.

I've had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Gaiman in person, however briefly it was, in 2003. He drew a quick sketch of Morpheus for me on my copy of the Kindly Ones, and he's also drawn a pretty spider to the end of this book. That doesn't really have anything to do with Anansi Boys, but I've kind of been staring at this for ten minutes now, unable to write something sensible about the book that doesn't give too much away. But let's try it. Anansi Boys is about families, and how nice and horrible they can be. And it's about gods, and it's written by Neil Gaiman, who is one of the most original writers out there and if you haven't checked this out yet, don't be an idiot like me and keep putting picking this one up for too long.

(American Gods next...!)


"There was karaoke. There was dancing. The old man got up to sing, on the makeshift stage, not once, that evening, but twice. He had a fine voice, and an excellent smile, and feet that twinkled when he danced. The first time he got up to sing, he sang 'What's New Pussycat?' The second time he got up to sing, he ruined Fat Charlie's life."