3.5 Stars
Well, that was completely different.
The start of this was a little rough going for me. I had a hard time not wanting to shake Fat Charlie Nancy. He's the kind of guy that's a doormat for about everyone else in his life, and it's a little disheartening. I'm a buck up and cheerleader type, also a slug the A-holes in the face type, though apparently one look is usually enough for someone to reconsider their commitment to a situation. Something about the I don't care if I don't win as long as you lose attitude that makes people wander off to greener, more naive pastures with less chance of downside liability for them.
Anyway, Charlie gets played. All the time, he seems to live under an ill-fated star. But one, just ONE moment of going all in makes all the difference. Sure it causes all kinds of trauma, destruction, and pain, but it is the turning point. For suddenly, as an agent of his own actions, albeit not necessarily the most well-advised course of action, the world starts to change and Charlie's life with it. Of course, things often have to get worse before they get better--and they do.
The use of magical realism and oral lore surrounding Anansi was fun. Trickster gods are always a bit of a pain in the patootie. You like them, but just not that much and much more when they're busy with someone else.
I enjoyed the second half of the story much more than the first. And I should mention that I'm a degenerate and read this before reading AMERICAN GODS, sue me. I live by my own rules! Which in this case is really wandering the library aisles and spotting it. More 3.5 stars than 3, but definitely not 4 stars.
Love libraries, it's like beachcombing for books.
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