Mythic Fiction

I tried picking up Anansi boys but it didn't catch my interest and after mention American Gods in class I decided to try that one out instead which I liked alot more. I'm still a little hooked with Pullmans dark Materials so it was hard for me to focus on a new story. From what I read from this though I did like. I love mythology and I really like his idea of making media and internet gods, because in a way they are gods to us. We live every day by them and rely on them. I also really like Giamans play on words with his names. How Mr. Wednesday is a play off the god Oden ( I think thats the gods name ) and how Shadow is basically the shadow of a man after being jailed and after his wife was so betraying.

I also really like that Gaiman didn't cop out and use all gods and goddesses we all knew, such as Zeus or Posideon. He really went out of his way to research and find quirkier and more interesting gods. Everytime a new character would arise I'd also put the story down and research that god so I could know about that and see what I may expect out of the character or how he plays with their personalities. And I also like that he didn't stick with just one type of mythology. Most stories will center around one, but he pulled from Norse and Greek and Hindu and basically anything that people believed in were real no matter what heritage.

He really is the master of mythic fiction I had no idea he made worked on many book and movies that I love. I'm a huge fan of Mirrormask, Stardust, Coraline, the Polar Express, etc. Especially after watching his interview in class it makes me want to explore his other work because he does a really good job of walking that fine line of reality vs fantasy where you wonder what in the story was real. And his work has a totally different feel, I've never seen a movie like Mirrormask before.

I think finishing American Gods will be first on my list once I'm done with Pullman.