A good friend of mine offered to read a book with me so that we could talk about it as we were reading it. It seems we always agree on Gaiman's books. Well, he didn't start it and I did. Once I started it, I couldn't really put it down. So, I have read it and he has not. Turns out I'm okay with it.
These are my thoughts about "Anansi Boys":
I went into this book expecting it to be different than "American Gods" and I was right. Basically, it takes the beloved Mr. Nancy from AG and makes a story about his family. I will never cease to marvel at Neil Gaiman's creativity. He sees things in a way that I wish I could. His detail and ability to bring characters to life is phenomenal. I enjoyed the beginning of the story, though I had no idea where it was going. You find yourself looking at the ever so average Fat Charlie Nancy. He finds out he has a brother that he never knew about. He also finds out how to contact his brother. Once they meet, the strangest things start to happen. From that moment on, your taken on a whirlwind adventure of danger, fun, shenanigans, and a lime.
As odd as this is to say, I love Neil Gaiman's bad guys. I really rather like Grahame Coates, though I would never want to meet him, and even Tiger has a place in my heart.
The story itself is extremely engaging and is well written. The plot keeps turning and you find yourself, by the end of the book, in a sort of Twilight Zone version of where you thought you'd be in the beginning. I am so glad I was not comparing it to AG or even expecting a continuation of the story. These two books have a similar concept and character, but that's about the only connection. They both stand on their own feet, and they stand there proudly.
Would I recommend this book to others? Wholeheartedly. I am consistently pleased with Gaiman's work and wish I was 1/10 as creative as he is. *sigh* Can't win 'em all! That's okay though, because I still get the chance to read them all!
...speaking of Neil Gaiman books... this good friend of mine that is reading with me has decided that the next book we will read together (this time for real) will be Coraline. Check out what I'm reading whenever you get a chance. I update it whenever I post a review or start reading something new!