Is 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman a fantastical insight into America's past, present, fu
Originally published a scant four months before 9/11, Neil Gaiman’s 'American Gods' could be considered, in part, an exploration of the identity (or identities) of the USA masquerading under the mask of fantasy ala Americana.
If this sounds somewhat boring or overdone (perhaps conjuring mental images of Superman’s in-space-cross-pose-because-Jesus-symbolism), rest assured that not only is the content written delightfully in descriptive prose, but the content has also been adapted into a Starz production (the first season has concluded and is available through Starz streaming services as well as Amazon Prime) for those who prefer the visual medium.
Gaiman originally wrote 'American Gods' as a means to present his own experiences as an immigrant from England to America, a way to detail his experiences with the wild, weird and wonderful nature of such a vast and overwhelming nation. A nation where its peoples believe that Elvis is still alive, that Jesus Christ came to America after his resurrection to give the last gospel in golden tablets and that putting old cars onto frozen lakes to watch them sink is a good fund raising idea (according to Gaiman).
And, given the recent screen adaptation, it is arguable that this America, or the wild and weird nature of America, is still very much alive today, 16 years later.
But with regards to the purposes of this retrospective review, the question arises: what makes this book worth reading? How is this book, or its adaptation, still relevant to today? And why should it be read?
After the November 2016 election, many commentators in the media addressed what they called the ‘divided America’, where the views of its citizen had reached a clear and cutting schism. It is with this schism that the new narrative of America is being told to the world (through social media, comedy commentators, news media and independent operators), it is a schism of religious values and personal freedoms, of the desire for social good and personal wealth. But the division in America isn’t new (just consider 'South Park’s ‘I’m a little bit country’), and it is has never been new.
The stories that we tell, tell others who we are, and America is a land of many stories, many gods, many spirits, and many beliefs. In Gaiman’s America, the old and new gods are given form. We see Odin argue with the god of Computers, we see Kali battle with the gods of Highways and Mobiles. And we see, through the wars that they wage, that America has always been a divided nation, a land of immigrants (some violent, some enslaved and others hopeful), who brought their hopes, dreams, and gods with them, and as America has grown, these stories have either brought communities together, or kept them apart.
This is not to say that American Gods is preaching to its readers, but the keen observer will be aware of how the Starz adaptation comments on modern values and practices, and gives both brutal and beautiful performances to its audience.
Ultimately, 'American Gods' is a book that should be read, because it is a fantastical window into the identity of America, a fantastical history of America, and a suggestion towards its future.
'American Gods' is available on Amazon Kindle, through subscription to the Starz streaming service or Amazon Prime.
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