Anansi Boys by Neil GaimanMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Neil Gaiman is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The man has a knack for mashing up humor, mythology, fantasy, other realms and even horror in such a way that it creates an enjoyable masterpiece worth reading. In this book Neil Gaiman play with African mythology and puts it quite nicely with lots of humor into the modern times. The story also seems to borrow from Greek mythology because it involves two brothers.
The story starts of in England with Fat Charlie living with his mom who is soon to die of cancer. Charlie is about to marry Rosie but the marriage seems to lack passion. Then in comes Mr. Nancy. He is a bit over weight and a musician type, seemingly armed with a joke and an inexhaustible supply of charm. Fat Charley has always wanted to stay away from him as his jokes could be embarrassing. With his mother dying and his wedding coming up, Mr. Nancy shows up and charms everyone and then he leaves. When he looks for Mr. Nancy again he too has passed. Hanging out with Ms. Higgler who takes care of him like a second mother he finds out that his father was a god, the spider god. Anansi is a trickster god who plays all sorts of jokes that get the other gods angry. Charley also finds out he has a brother. Spider is his brother’s name.
Having spider show up throws life into turmoil. Spider interferes with Charlie’s love life. Creates complication at work and eventually gets charley arrested for a crime he did not commit. Impersonating Charlie, Mr. Spider seduces Rosie, informs Graham Coates that he has been caught stealing. More intrigue does follow. THE London police go to the Caribbean to solve a crime. Charlie in the process of finding out how to banish spider learns about how they are connected and ends up fighting his father’s foe’s
It is a great read. One that any Gaiman or mythology fan will enjoy
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