Discworld and Member Articles
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Very Good Omens For Anansi Boys
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Written by terrypratchettbooks.org
Tuesday, 01 November 2005 |
another article on Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
By: Svetlana Gelman
Neil Gaiman is not necessarily known for humor. Some of his characters are often silly and amiable people and a fairy-tale ending is never out of the question, but the words "weird" and "creepy" have been associated with his work rather more often than "humorous."
He is, after all, the creator of The Sandman. Other works I'm plugging into this article are Neverwhere, American Gods and Good Omens (he co-wrote the latter). When put together, these novels account for his most recent- Anansi Boys.
Fat Charlie is chronically embarrassed and forever sorry. He is a stereotypical Brit despite being originally from America: overly polite and not very assertive. He is also working a dead-end job and is still harrowed by memories of his childhood which will forever be shadowed by his father-the most embarrassing human being imaginable. Enter African legend.
Some of the tales we know today have roots in African legends, such as the tale of Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby.
In its first version, it was no rabbit, but a spider. It was Anansi: a mischievous character, forever looking out for his own interests above all others (even his family), always tricking those around him, constantly indulging in the greatest chicanery imaginable. He made many enemies, but he still had many friends. His charisma was unquestionable, his power of suggestion indefeasible. He thought everything was hilarious.
The question this novel answers is, What would happen if Anansi existed, really and truly, in our time… and had children? Will he give birth to a god or just a very awkward, overly polite and unremittingly apologetic child whom everyone will call fat even after he sheds those extra pounds? What would the life of this offspring be like? At what point would utter turmoil and death by sparrows threaten? This is a scenario which could have fit into American Gods.
As mentioned previously, Gaiman co-wrote Good Omens. I initially attributed the book's hilarity to the co-writer, Terry Pratchett (the Discworld Series). I assumed Gaiman was responsible for the eerie bits.
Well, either hanging around with Pratchett simply rubbed off, or I just didn't give Gaiman the comic due that was his. Anansi Boys is funny. Laugh out loud at 2 a.m. on the train and have the homeless man at the other end of the car look at you funny sort of funny. Not all of it of course, some parts are just gory, but still. Are you afraid of nothing?
Anansi Boys is a lot like Neverwhere if the latter wasn't set in the London Underground. It's the same idea of an unseen world that is only a "candle-flame's thickness" away and not at all threatening until it becomes apparent. To the uninitiated, a back room in a London flat is just a back room, but to the trained eye, it's full of pink flamingoes and has a wonderful view over a tropical waterfall.
Despite all the comparing I just did, it would be a fallacy to say that this novel is just an offshoot of Gaiman's previous works. Certainly, it is based on the worlds he has been busily building in his imagination, but what is different about it is its total lightheartedness. His story still rejuvenates and is heavily inspired by folklore that is nearly forgotten, and, of course, all the twists and surprises are still there. But some of his typical darkness is gone. It's as if he finally got that perfect cup of tea he has been craving since settling in the United States and wrote the book while still elated. Basically, his long-time fans will not be disappointed, but this is also a book that will win him new fans with its humor and insight into the human condition.
In his acknowledgements, Gaiman thanks everyone who helped him get the details right: bird details, Caribbean dialogue details, jail-cell details… that sort of thing. Most importantly, he thanks "the readers of the journal at www.neilgaiman.com," who have been dying to read this novel and between mailing him sand, answered every question he had about anything and everything. He also dedicates the book to pretty much anyone who reads it. Everyone who picks it up ends up feeling like he or she has been part of the process of writing it.
Source: Knight News - New York,NY,USA
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