Modern Myths and Legends

I initially started reading Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, however I ended up enjoying and being more interested in his other book, American Gods. His book is filled with many interesting concepts and ideas of the fantasy world trying to adapt to the ever growing modern society. I love the main protagonist’s name, Shadow Moon, because personally I think it is one of the coolest names I have ever heard. This story has a very interesting fantasy-like setting set in a modern world where the original fantasy beings from myths and legends are trying to adapt. The old gods are losing their presence in the world because they are being forgotten by the people. Meanwhile, as trends and technology progress, more gods are born as a personification of modern culture. These includes the internet, media, and many other modern concepts. One thing I have noticed in many stories with the theme of fantasy in the modern world, is that the fantasy world tends to be hiding from humanity in order to be unnoticed. The human protagonist is the only one that knows about it either by accident, destiny, family legacy, or even by being halve part of that world. A few examples that also reflect this concept are: Hellboy, American Dragon, The Life and Times of Juniper Lee, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, and Gravity Falls.

I found it really fascinating that on Shadow’s journey with Mr. Wednesday across the United States, they were looking to recruit Old Gods for Mr. Wednesday’s plan to start a war against the New Gods; they meet many different fantasy creatures along the way. It really caught me by surprise that Mr. Wednesday was an incarnation of the Norse god Odin, but what surprised me the most was the biggest irony in the story; which was the final boss who happens to be the leader of the new gods and the one pulling strings to create the war, the Norse god of trickery Loki. Though he is one of the old gods, it kind of make sense that he would easily adapt to the modern world, knowing his character, and try to start a war between the old and new gods. The only problem I have is his fake name, Low-Key, seriously too obvious. A part of the story that I really liked is how the author decided to bring back Shadow’s dead wife and make her a part of the story. The author did this by having Shadow visit his wife’s grave and give the magical gold coin he got from a Leprechaun as an offering, which caused her corpse to be reanimated. I also liked how the wife was never fully revived, except for her soul, and is only an undead spirit called a Revenant. I really enjoyed the moment when Low-Key’s men in black minions captured Shadow, and then his wife followed to rescue him. She went on a rampage with the minions and left a trail of dead bodies. This is a sign of how powerful a dead person can be when they do not have natural limiters activated in their bodies; since they are dead the powers of the fearsome corporeal ghost are enhanced.