Anansi Boys

“Each person who ever was or is or will be has a song. It isn’t a song that anybody else wrote. It has its own melody, it has its own words. Very few people get to sing their song. Most of us fear that we cannot do it justice with our voices, or that our words are too foolish or too honest, or too odd. So people live their song instead.”

Anansi is a black boy in Florida whose father has just dropped dead on stage at a karaoke bar and, of course, his world is about to be turned upside down. For starters, Anansi had no idea that he had a brother. His father also failed to mention that he was a deity. Gaiman spins the classic African folktale of Anansi into a modern tale with magical realism and boyhood wonder. Adventure abounds and humor is sprinkled throughout. Consider listening to the audiobook rendition, read by Lenny Henry, a Caribbean-British comedian who’s heritage makes him a perfect narrator for the story. Fans of magical realism, Gaiman’s other books, and mythology will love this book. If you enjoyed Rick Riordan, you will love Neil Gaiman’s take on mythology!