American Gods was a pretty good book, thanks

EDIT (24.09.2024): Well, turns out Neil Gaiman has, alledgedly, sexually assaulted at least three women (Galazia, Paul Caruana; Gunning, Katie; Johnson, Rachel: "Exclusive: Neil Gaiman accusedo f sexual assault", in: Tortoise Media (03.07.2024), https://www.tortoisemedia.com/2024/07/03/exclusive-neil-gaiman-accused-of-sexual-assault/ [accessed: 24.09.2024]) with a large enough age gap that I would question the inherent power imbalance it feels wrong to uncritically let my praise stand, no matter how I felt about the book and how probably no one is going to ever read this. Let's just read some Ursula LeGuin for now.

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I finally finished Neil Gaiman's American Gods and I know I am late to the party for a book that was published before I was even born and well beloved by people loving books decades before I had even heard of it but it's just a very good read. It might be the book that gets be back into writing. Fiction, that is, not autobiographical sludge (though I probably should not discount autobiographical sludge too quickly). 

The idea of gods in a godless land has definitely stuck with me and I'm kind of surprised I was able to stick with the book for the 700+ pages it was going. I decided to read it after finishing by bachelor's thesis because I could no longer look at a book without exhaustion and this creeping sense of dread that comes from sitting in your own stew for too long while it's simmering on level 1 heat (more light than heat?). It was a reward as much as it was my return to fantasy fiction. I'm very glad to have read it now that I am done and I'm a little sad, though not too much that it's over (and that I got a beat up copy from a second hand online store and not a more durable version since I'll definitely keep it with me for a while). It's kind of incredible to me how much it sucked me in and how little yet how much it was able to tell in this very atmospheric, kind of mystical writing style, where nothing is quite explained and everything is up for grabs. At least, that's how it feels. I don't think I used to be able to appreciate that kind of vibe a book can have when I was younger, I still feel like I cannot quite grasp it while I'm trying very hard. And, addictionally, that there's still some twists waiting for you 600 pages into this chunky thing.  It's a very good read and I recommend it highly. 

My next Gaiman read, at least the one I am currently planning on, will be his retelling of Norse Mythology. Mostly since American Gods made me think of a dnd capaign in that kind of forgotten gods setting and I wanna read up on Norse Mythology (more than just watching let's plays of the recent God of War games with some educational comments) in preparation. 

I kind of miss it already. 

Thanks, Neil, it was a very good book.