American Gods

A storm is coming...

Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.

But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.

Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Neil Gaiman's magical realism combines with stories of global gods in his novel, American Gods, in which gods from different lands find themselves in the United States, brought along by the memories of immigrants. Yet, new gods have now materialized as Americans worship new forms of technology. Presently, these gods are in a battle as less and less people believe in the old gods while nearly everyone believes in the new. But the old gods have a plan, at least one of them anyway, and it will culminate in war. 

Shadow, the main character, is a waif of a man. He wasn't always like this, but prison and losing his wife changed him. As an ex-con, he doesn't exactly care about the direction in which his life is going. So when a random (really not so random) man shows up and offers him a job, Shadow refuses until he can't anymore. Then he starts working for Mr. Wednesday, an old god. Shadow is a man carried by the wind of other people's decisions. Yet, he is dedicated, loyal, and has an air of something more about him. He's seemingly fearless with a 'take-it-as-it-comes' attitude. The most interesting thing about Shadow is that all the interactions with other gods, old and new, make readers see him as more important than he initially seems. I think this intrigue is one of the main factors that drive the story and helps build a connection between Shadow and readers. Shadow isn't a bad person, but he kind of lacks any personable qualities. Though as the story progresses, he seems to gain traits one at a time. As his deceased wife tells him, he's more dead than alive. And the story seemingly works backward from his death to his birth, creating an intricate emotional attachment to his character. 

My favorite sections of the book turned out to be the interludes, or the 'Coming to America' stories. These intermediate chapters are sprinkled throughout the novel, sharing stories of how the old gods were carried to America, with insight into how they stay alive. At first, I thought these sections would feel like interruptions, but they turned out to be more of an offering to the reader. A background that the reader could consume that would help them understand why the old gods are struggling to stay relevant in a technologically advanced world. 

The plot of this novel follows Shadow's release from prison leading him to work for Mr. Wednesday in the hope that Shadow can help Mr. Wednesday to rally the old gods in a fight against the new. Though there are many side-stories like a disappearing girl, Shadow's dead wife coming back to a sort of zombie state, and the interludes, the novel tracks Shadow and Mr. Wednesday road-tripping back and forth across America in hopes to create an army of old gods, some named and some nameless. The novel becomes an intricate map of crisscrossed information and ever-changing situations and people. One of my favorite aspects of this novel is, of course, Neil Gaiman's writing style. The words are willowy and the characters are constantly changing, as if no one could ever really grasp these things called gods. And yet, the whole thing is a con and a simple story of the immigration of beliefs and the lengths one would go to to keep those beliefs alive. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Midnight Burning

Solina Mundy lives a quiet life, running the family bakery in her small North Carolina hometown. But one night, she suffers a vivid nightmare in which a wolfish beast is devouring her twin brother, who lives in Alaska. The next morning, police notify her that Mani is dead. Driven to learn the truth, Solina heads for the Land of the Midnight Sun. Once there, she begins to suspect Mani’s friends know more about his death than they’ve let on. Skyla, an ex-Marine, is the only one willing to help her.

As Solina and Skyla delve into the mystery surrounding Mani’s death, Solina is stunned to learn that her own life is tied to Mani’s friends, his death, and the fate of the entire world. If she can’t learn to control her newfound gifts and keep her friends safe, a long-lost dominion over mortals will rise again, and everything she knows will fall into darkness.

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

I'm officially fan-girling over the characters in Karissa Laurel's Midnight Burning. Norse mythology has laid a familial foundation for Laurel's characters and it looks like someone wants history to repeat itself. Specifically... the Ragnarök. Solina Mundy may seem like an innocent bystander, but she refuses to actually be one.

 

Solina Mundy's twin brother was murdered in an Alaskan city and the police investigation has gone cold. She goes against everything she believes herself to be in order to discover what really happened by flying to Alaska. Solina is a simple girl with a knack for witty comebacks. She enjoys baking and living vicariously through her brother, Mani. But she also has horrible nightmares and the one she had about Mani came true. Readers will enjoy Solina's go-get-'em attitude and her dedication to her twin.

 

The supporting cast of characters will also excite readers as the rowdy bunch tries to protect Solina while finding out what's exactly going on. Thorin, Val, and Skyla all worked with Mani before he died at Thorin Adventures, which specialized in outdoor guided trips. Skyla is a total badass. She's a former Marine who doesn't shy away from anything. Thorin is the boss who doesn't warm up quickly but has something going on under that tough exterior. And Val... he's the charmer who has his sights set on Solina. Mix all these different personalities up with deadly werewolves and an evil goddess of the underworld and well, there will be fireworks.

 

The death of Mani is the beginning of this story but not the beginning of the story. Norse mythology and exactly what happened at the first apocalypse has that honor. Solina and her brother are special descendants/reincarnations of Norse figures and had no idea. But someone knew and wanted to repeat history by killing them. To stop that, Thorin, Val, and Skyla (with the help of others) must keep Solina safe. The writing style of this book modernizes the Norse mythology and makes it (pretty) easy to understand. Readers will like the action and adventure mixed with secrets and danger. And after a semi-unexpected ending, I cannot wait for the next book.

 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Hera: Queen of Gods

Hera couldn't care less what the other gods think, even when it's about her. And it often is. Frankly, Hera couldn't care less about anything, except doing her duty as queen - protecting order and defending the mortal world against any threats. But when the Fates go missing, Hera and a handful of other gods must temporarily become mortal to search the human world for the missing goddesses.

Hera finds that mortality begins to change her. It's not just the loss of her divine powers. She expected that. It's deeper somehow. It's affecting how she thinks, how she feels, what's important to her. And it gets much worse after she meets Justin, who defies every prejudice she once had
about mortals. At the worst possible time, and despite all her efforts, Hera's black-and-white world starts to unravel.

Torn between who she's becoming and who she needs to be in order to fulfill her duty, Hera must survive a horde of murderous creatures sent to exploit her new weakness. In the end, only Hera can stop a traitorous plot conceived by a secret alliance of ancient and new enemies, a plot that threatens to destroy not only the order Hera is sworn to protect, but all of existence itself.

*May Contain Spoilers*

I really wish I would have payed attention to the fact that Hera: Queen of Gods was the beginning of a series. Because I don't know how long I'll be able to wait for the next one to come out. T.D. Thomas astounded me with this novel. I couldn't put it down! Time rushed by as I flew through the (estimated) 536 pages. I've never read a book this long in so short of a time period. Needless to say, I loved it! 

Hera is Queen of Gods, so obviously she's a bit of a badass. And who can resist a main character like that? She selfless in her quest to save the worlds, willing to sacrifice many in order to save more. Hera demands respect, from other characters and readers. Readers may have a small problem connecting to her based on her single vision to save existence no matter what happens, but most readers will understand her point of view. Thus, bonding with her based on her ability to focus on what needs to be done. 

The book is told in Hera's point of view, but readers will love the supporting cast of characters! Hermes is incredibly entertaining. Artemis intrigues readers with her shape-shifting. Zeus will not only anger characters but also evoke strong emotion for what he goes through. Same goes for Athena. Readers may need tissues when it comes to Athena. 

And then there's Justin. The mortal who discovers he's a Dreamer and, therefore, can navigate and create Dreamlands. He's as selfless as Hera, though his motivation is love. He's an intense character to doesn't hesitate to help the Gods as they search for the missing Fates. Readers will connect with Justin based on his easy acceptance, his heroic personality, and his feelings for Hera. 

The plot and epilogue set up the characters for a sequel. Readers will be hoping T.D. Thomas is a very fast writer upon conclusion of this novel. Highly recommended for lovers of Young Adult! 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups

Hera, Queen of Gods (Goddess Unbound)