Singing Anansi Stories...

Anansi is an African trickster god that was also transplanted among the Caribbean islands, even making it into American folk stories where he was metamorphosed into the B'rer Rabbit tales. In fact, we are assured by the author, all stories are really Anansi stories. They once belonged to Tiger, but Anansi stole them. That's what he does. He steals things.

Anansi Boys is a not-exactly sequel to Gaiman's American Gods. Set in the same universe, it features gods that walk among us today, transformed, in a fashion, by the migration of their worshipers to this strange new land, America.

Fat Charlie Nancy doesn't know, however, that his father is a god ... at least not until he's there at his father's funeral, when he also discovers he has a brother. And upon this discovery, his entire world changes. The brother, Spider, proceeds to make a royally big mess of every aspect of his life, until Charlie finally gets fed up and tries to find a way to stop Spider ... for good.

This story is about family bonds and self-esteem, about divinity and humanity, and, ultimately, it's about the little trickster inside of all of us, if only we would let it out. Whereas American Gods was Gaiman's attempt to be deep and meaningful, Anansi Boys resonated far stronger with me, because it used Gaiman's talents to tell a story that may have been much less deep, but far more true.