American Gods: Modern Mythology

We'll begin with American Gods. It is the longest, most complex, and, in a way, most fulfilling book of the three (my favorite is Good Omens, but this one is more "pure Gaiman", since Omens was written alongside another author; however that is not a bad thing). The story focuses on a man named Shadow (I'm fairly certain that was his nickname, but his origins and real name are only vaguely hinted at), who is released from prison a few days early due to the death of his wife. Laura was his raison d'etre, and without her, Shadow is directionless. He soon meets an enigmatic man who uses the pseudonym Wednesday; Wednesday offers Shadow the job of personal bodyguard, and takes him on a journey that makes Shadow come to some strange realizations about the world he lives in.

Wednesday is a representation (or bastardization) of the Norse god Odin (the word Wednesday comes from Woden's Day, with Woden being one name for Odin, while Thursday originated from Thor's Day), and he explains to Shadow that a war is brewing between the "old gods" and the "new gods", though he is reluctant to describe who these "new gods" are.

The thematic aspects of the book examine what gods are, as well as the nature of the American people and their beliefs. Gods and their worshipers form a mutually dependent relationship; man needs the gods to do the things we think of when we think of religion (explain death, suffering, and the unknown), while the worship of man gives life to gods. Today, the gods of ancient civilizations, including Odin, Kali, and Anubis, are weak, since few people believe in them. Yet they live because we remember them. A god doesn't completely die until they are completely forgotten.

Throughout the course of the story, Shadow travels across America, where he encounters many of the old gods who are trying to live their lives in peace. They are in America because they were brought here in the hearts and minds of the many people who settled here throughout the years. They are the leftover ideas of long-forgotten traditions. Chicago, which is home to a large Polish community, houses Czernobog and the Zorya, Slavic deities, while Eostre, a pagan goddess, calls San Francisco home. They have been brought here and largely forgotten about, since America is very quick to embrace the new and deify it.

This brings us to the new gods: technology. Yes, I'm serious. When I first realized that telecommunications, television, and media outlets were the new GODS, I was a little surprised and slightly let down. I knew that Gaiman could make an interesting story out of that kind of situation, but there seemed to be something off about the idea. Technology isn't divine, it's completely man-made. Then I realized a few things. First, the book stands behind the idea that everything we consider divine originated in the human mind (a claim that I tend to agree with). But more importantly, I realized that Americans do in fact deify technology. I came to this conclusion when I returned home from the swimming pool, where I was reading the book in the sun, in a vain attempt to get some color that wasn't red. On the kitchen table was a miniature beach chair that my sister won at a carnival. The U.S. Cellular logo was emblazoned across the chair, and I had no idea what use a chair that size could serve. My dad reasoned that it was a chair for cell phones, a cute place to put them while they were not in one's pocket. And right there, I realized that we as a society certainly lift up technology beyond what it truly is, a means to make life easier for us (similar to the purpose of gods), if we make furniture for these inanimate objects.

These are the main themes of the book, but the way they are explained/experienced by the characters is what makes the book great. Different people have different ideas of how these ideas should affect the world. The book is an epic story, will certainly make you think about your relationship with the world around you.

Up next: Spider-men...