Review: American Gods, Vol. 1: Shadows

American Gods, Vol. 1: Shadows by Neil Gaiman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rating: 4 out of 5 | A Grade; Fantastic, awe inducing, psychedelic

Gods are great, but people are greater. For it is in their hearts that gods are born, and to their hearts that they return.

I had Neil Gaiman's works on my radar for quite a long time; ever since I heard of his fantastic Graphic novel Preludes & Nocturnes, as well as perhaps his most well known work American Gods. I have to thank the Stars TV adaptation of the series, starring the ever engaging Ian McShane for that one.

Still, it kept gathering dust on my TBR list, until a pandemic which shall not be named forced us all in the confines of our homes. Then, there was ample time to read. And Mr. Gaiman didn't disappoint.

Alone & anxious, Gaiman's American Gods, gave me a much needed escape from the depressing reality that was, to a slightly darker fantastic world which he had woven with as much care as Anansi's fables.

So, given a chance to revisit the story, in visual format, why wouldn't I say yes?



Review

In American Gods, Neil takes an approach different from most YA and Fantasy series in the same veins. This story is not about how Gods are real, and how they live among us. But rather how change is a constant rule of the Universe. Just like how Empires, nations & entire civilizations rise & fall in the endless march of time, so do the Gods. Gods who were all powerful in their hayday of the past, to whom past worshippers devoted offerings, sacrifices and their very beings, have now found themselves in a land which is not suited for them, among mortals who barely remember them, let alone worship them.

In place of the old & familiar Gods of lore, weakened in the modern age, have sprung up new candidates to the pantheon. Gods of the material & immaterial world; Gods of Internet, media, wealth; Anything & everything which people believe and worship in today.

The passing of the torch of power was not one done in acceptance; but of reluctance & much begrudging. For, the devotion & worship of their devotees, condensed into conceptual fuel in form of Soma, is the very sustenance of these conceptual beings who call themselves Gods. And with new game in town, the competition is on, for the last few scraps of divine ichor.

Which is where Shadow moon, our protagonist comes in. A paroled prisoner, recent widower and jobless, he's hired by the enigmatic yet charming Mr. Wednesday. Together, they embark on a cross country road trip, along the less scenic locations in the continent. On the way, the veil behind reality as we know it, is slowly being lifted from Shadow's eyes. He is made witness to events so fantastic & bizarre at some point he begins to question in his own sanity.

Whether or not to accept his new reality, and what is his role in the grand scheme of conflicts which are to come, is something which forms the crux of the narrative.



Thoughts

One thing I like about American Gods, is how, despite its supernatural premise, the book is more a crash course on Mythology & History of America 101. In addition to being a travelogue for cross country road trips along the lesser known vistas in the US.

Gaiman takes this concept, of how, over the course of human history, and more recently in the past two centuries or so, the American continent had become a melting pot of almost all major world cultures. Europeans, Africans, Asians, S.Americans all flocked to the continent in droves. Bringing with them, their language, culture, practices, religion and with it, their Gods.

But once here, the Gods realized to their dismay, that this is a land which doesn't favor Gods, or the divine. And in time, they were dwindled down to a shadow of their former glory, forced to etch out an existence in the fringes of civilization.

Gaiman is able to weave countless origin myths and fables into a cohesive, modern and engaging narrative, while at the same time, saving his characteristic twists for the climax. I swear, every time I get into a Gaiman book, I look out for how he's about to pull wool over our eyes. But much like a master magician, Gaiman misdirects us with lights & colors, and cute girls, to finally reveal the Prestige which would leave you enthralled. A masterful story teller is there was one.

Artwork

In this Graphic novel Adaptation, Illustrator Scott Hampton has filled the frames like a canvas, replet with shades & contours. Adding to the horror-esque atmosphere surrounding the Gods & myths, the illustrations are sufficiently muted and shadowy.

A lot of the narrative focuses on dreams, visions and the point where reality & illusions meet. So much of the frames are psychedelic in nature, following not sense of structure, but adding to the otherworldly feeling which Shadow & we are the audience feel, whenever in presence of the divine.




The Cover pages for each chapter, seem like something taken out of a R.L.Stine Goosebumps storybook. But this doesn't take away from your absorption in the story.



The art does become hard to comprehend, especially in some panels which are filled with dialogue or exposition. But I take it as good with bad. All in all an admirable rendition.

So, if you are a fan of Fantasy, Mythology and great story telling, you won't go wrong with American Gods.

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