Anansi Boys

This was one hell of a story (pardon the language). The fact that Gaimen is the writer of "Coraline" as well only makes sense, for both possess a deep and rich plot line with a story that stems deeper than most I've read before. At first, I have to admit, this story didn't sit well with me, and it took a while for me to get into it, however, by the end I was completely enthralled. The story follows Charlie Nancy, an accountant tossed into a hidden and legendary world whose existence was entirely unknown previous to the death of his father, an ancient god from an ancient world of animal spirits. This book was entirely unpredictable to me, only adding to its appeal, on top of the story line that sucked me in at the first mention of unknown magical history. This followed the typical story of an underdog coming of age in a way, with some sort of unexpected event kick starting the flood of truth, the great reveal of an entire world previously a mystery. Much like Coraline, this book reveals a history of good and evil, and a destiny that the character simply cannot avoid. One of my favorite aspects of the book was the way Gaimen portrayed the Gods of this world. They are unlike anything from modern religion, apart from perhaps certain African belief systems, and for this reason truly gained my affection. Overall, the book was a really amazing read, flowing well from scene to scene and holding my interest throughout most of it. The ending seemed fitting, and wrapped around nicely with a believable and happy ending to a story that seemed to be heading down a dark path from the beginning.