Anansi Boys
Neil Gaiman

I tend to read in author streaks, as you may have noticed. This one I liked a lot better than American Gods, which it follows. The evolution of tension between the two brothers to alliance against the outside danger is artfully constructed. Of course, you immediately suspect Tiger is the ultimate enemy, because throughout the storytelling interludes, Anansi and Tiger’s rivalry is repeated in many different forms, like a recurring theme in a piece of music.

Those interludes were my favorite part of the book, because it was like Anansi himself was speaking to us, telling the age-old stories… because, after all, all stories are Anansi’s. I love that it’s a very non-Western mythology, and how Fat Charlie, having been Westernized in the years where he tried to forget his father’s existence, has to struggle with that.

I also love the slow build of his singing talent, starting with the incident in his office where he sings just because he doesn’t remember not to, all the way to when he finally empowers himself with his ‘divine’ heritage through song. Because, before you know about the singing, he’s really just a passive force, riding along and trying not to be overwhelmed by Spider. But when he surrenders to the song, he’s surrendering to his godhood, his true identity. You notice that the moment he says, "I’m Charlie" to the Dragon, he’s never called "Fat Charlie" again.

Other quirks I enjoyed — Grahame Coats’ tendency to speak in cliches (especially the last scene where they’re trapped in the cave — that’s a truly comic scene).
— The ragged, wild essence of Bird.
— The moment at the jail where the guard looks up and sees all the birds on the wire mesh (that’s a very cinematic moment; I would have loved to see his face).
— The Dragon, terribly frightened of nothing.

I’ve got to sympathize with the Dragon.