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Anansi Boys [Mass Market Paperback]

Neil Gaiman
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (325 customer reviews)

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Book Description

September 26, 2006

Fat Charlie Nancy's normal life ended the moment his father dropped dead on a Florida karaoke stage. Charlie didn't know his dad was a god. And he never knew he had a brother.

Now brother Spider's on his doorstep—about to make Fat Charlie's life more interesting . . . and a lot more dangerous.


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fat Charlie Nancy's normal life is turned upside down when his father dies and a brother he never knew he had shows up at his doorstep. When that brother, Spider, starts to wear out his welcome, Fat Charlie learns that his father was not a man but the trickster god, Anansi, and both he and Spider have inherited some of Dad's godliness. This leads Fat Charlie to explore his own godly heritage in order to be rid of Spider. Listeners of Coraline can attest that Gaiman is a fine reader, so any narrators who read his novels have a lot to live up to. Lenny Henry, however, is absolutely the perfect choice to read Anansi Boys—he not only has Gaiman's cadences and style down pat, but he also ranges his accent from British to Caribbean with ease and provides distinct and memorable voices for all of the characters. An absolutely top-notch performance, one that makes a terrific book even better.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–Charles Fat Charlie Nancy leads a normal, boring existence in London. However, when he calls the U.S. to invite his estranged father to his wedding, he learns that the man just died. After jetting off to Florida for the funeral, Charlie not only discovers a brother he didn't know he had, but also learns that his father was the West African trickster god, Anansi. Charlie's brother, who possesses his own magical powers, later visits him at home and spins Charlie's life out of control, getting him fired, sleeping with his fiancée, and even getting him arrested for a white-collar crime. Charlie fights back with assistance from other gods, and that's when the real trouble begins. They lead the brothers into adventures that are at times scary or downright hysterical. At first Charlie is overwhelmed by this new world, but he is Anansi's son and shows just as much flair for trickery as his brother. With its quirky, inventive fantasy, this is a real treat for Gaiman's fans. Here, he writes with a fuller sense of character. Focusing on a smaller cast gives him the room to breathe life into these figures. Anansi is also a story about fathers, sons, and brothers and how difficult it can be to get along even when they are so similar. Darkly funny and heartwarming to the end, this book is an addictive read not easily forgotten.–Matthew L. Moffett, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
  • Publisher: HarperTorch (September 26, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0060515198
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060515195
  • Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (325 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I make things up and write them down. Which takes us from comics (like SANDMAN) to novels (like ANANSI BOYS and AMERICAN GODS) to short stories (some are collected in SMOKE AND MIRRORS) and to occasionally movies (like Dave McKean's MIRRORMASK or the NEVERWHERE TV series, or my own short film A SHORT FILM ABOUT JOHN BOLTON).

In my spare time I read and sleep and eat and try to keep the blog at www.neilgaiman.com more or less up to date.

Customer Reviews

These are books by writers like Neil Gaiman, and these are books like Anansi Boys. D. Rumbold  |  112 reviewers made a similar statement
I liked the way that Fat Charlie didn't know how he was supposed to react to that news. Mel Odom  |  55 reviewers made a similar statement
It's also very funny, and I laughed out loud while reading. Lynxie Wyvern  |  70 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
180 of 195 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The web of our life is of a mingled yarn September 26, 2005
Format:Hardcover
good and ill together. That line from Shakespeare's All's Well that Ends Well captures the essence of Neil Gaiman's latest creation, Anansi Boys.

Charlie Nancy is one of life's more passive characters. He is perpetually embarrassed by those around him. He grew up in Florida embarrassed by his father who had an eye for the ladies, never seemed to have a job, and who bestowed upon Charlie the nickname "Fat Charlie". It is a name that stuck to Charlie like glue and has followed him everywhere he goes, even to England where he now lives and works. More than anything else, Fat Charlie is embarrassed by himself. His life is an endless stream of self-conscious needless apologies for his life. As one would expect from a character like Charlie he is timid in front of his boss and can't seem to convince his fiancé that there is nothing wrong with consummating their relationship prior to their marriage. The word perpetually frustrated comes to mind here.

As the story opens, Fat Charlie is back in Florida for the funeral of his father. Charlie no doubt hopes his dad's death, which occurred while singing a song in a Karaoke bar much to Charlie's embarrassment, will put an end to his own state of perpetual embarrassment. That is the closure Charlie seeks. But the old ladies who made up his Dad's circle of friends tell Fat Charlie that their father was something of a god, in fact a spider god. They also tell Fat Charlie he has a brother. Fat Charlie, of course, will have none of this nonsense and returns to England.

Of course, life is never so simple for any character drawn by Neil Gaiman. It turns out Fat Charlie does have a brother, Spider, who is everything Charlie is not.
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71 of 74 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Some stories are better heard than read August 26, 2006
Format:Audio CD
I have a comment on the CD version because, frankly, it was much more magical and interesting than the written work by itself. Anansi stories were made to tell around a fire at night, or out on the trail to pass the time, or, ever so quietly, while casting in a line to fish.

They are stories for people who do things, not just read things.

You can't read "Evil-doers beware!" and not think it's all a bit silly. But when you hear it around the fire, and thrill to the sound in your own blood, it doesn't sound silly at all. THAT's the power of stories told instead of read.

More importantly, Lenny Henry's voice captures every character as a unique creation. At first, the island accents are a little hard to follow, but then you get into the spirit of the thing. I know Lenny Henry as a comedian. I think the best comedians are observers and Henry has clearly observed a lot.

I enjoyed Mrs. Higler and Graham Coates the best, I suppose. Mrs. Higler is the voice of every well-meaning-but-meddling old woman who ever lived. Graham Coates is a fat weasel of a man who wants to be a big man. We've all met their type before. Lenny Henry takes us into their hearts with just a little bit of pacing and a fake accent or two.

Truthfully, though, I liked the stories BEHIND the stories, the original African tales worked into the novel, most of all. I played them for the toughest audience in the world-- my five-year old son. My son listened to the Anansi stories with a smile on his face that could outshine the sun. At the end of the tar-baby story he laughed and asked for more.

(Unfortunately, some of the book is a little too intense for young kids.
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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It's all in how you sing your song April 8, 2006
Format:Hardcover
Anansi Boys started off a little slowly, I thought. Fat Charlie was such a drab anti-hero, but I found myself wondering how this guy was going to become interesting, because I genuinely liked the character despite his awkwardness. Neil Gaiman does a fantastic job pacing this story. We get sucked into the eccentricities of Charlie's brother, Spider, right along with Charlie. I found myself getting frustrated with Spider, much as I imagine Charlie was.

By the second half of the story, you could see the brothers' relationship changing. They were feeding off each other in a way, taking on characteristics of each other. Brilliantly done.

An interesting addition to the book was the 2 or 3 fables about Anansi that were spaced out in the first half of the tale. It made for a great lead-in to the interaction at the beginning/end of the world. I especially liked the scene with Tiger and the weasel. More so than in American Gods and Neverwhere, I felt Neil's writing was up to the task of his creativity. Definitely recommended to anyone with an imagination.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Fantasy With Family Message April 22, 2008
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Neil Gaiman has the uncanny ability to take supernatural things and make them part of the day-to-day life that so many of us stumble through. With his keen insights, warmth, and wit, Gaiman shares those words - supernatural and everyday - in a manner that is delightfully hypnotic.

ANANSI BOYS is an off-shoot of sorts of AMERICAN GODS but succeeds terrifically on its own. Anansi is the spider god, the trickster god, of certain cultures in Africa, and it only seems just that Gaiman spins his tale with a lot of sleight-of-hand twists and turns that may catch even his veteran readers off guard.

I had a blast with this book. The story and characters were solidly built and presented, but I had the additional joy of listening to the novel on audiobook in my car. The narrator, Lenny Henry, is an absolute godsend to this book (no pun intended). His voice characterizations are spot-on and every character he brings to life is unique and separate. Henry is the master of understated British inflection and Caribbean sing-song dialect, as well as male and female voices. I hung on his every word, and there are plenty of characters for Henry to showcase.

The story revolves around Fat Charlie Nancy, who didn't know he was the son of the trickster god, Anansi. Fat Charlie had known his upbringing had always been different because his father wasn't like anyone else he'd ever met.

The way that Gaiman starts the story drew me in immediately. It's just the story of a guy, the kind of guy you've probably met over and over again throughout your life. Fat Charlie doesn't take chances and doesn't live a big life. He does just enough to get by, but not enough to attract success or ire.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Personal favorite
I had read this piece before and had to read it again. Neil Gaiman is an all-time favorite of mine, and the story is intriguing with wonderful characters.
Published 5 days ago by Jordan
2.0 out of 5 stars Gaiman's worst, but it's still Gaiman
After reading Neverwhere, Good Omens, Coraline, and American Gods (obviously I got on a Neil Gaiman kick), I was really looking forward to Anansi Boys. Read more
Published 13 days ago by R. MCRACKAN
4.0 out of 5 stars I love this author!
I just started reading Neil Gaiman's work and I am addicted. If you haven't read his work before, do it now! Read more
Published 13 days ago by Caila Bolger
3.0 out of 5 stars Not my favorite
Normally I love everything by Neil Gaiman. Hell, if he writes the forward for a book I'll buy it! In this case I was a bit disappointed though. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Bobby Z
5.0 out of 5 stars Always love Neil Gaiman
Story and characters are immersive and fantastic. If you like Neil Gaiman, you'll love this book. I think it would make a very cool movie adaptation, too.
Published 16 days ago by Laurie Weigel
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
I read this book relatively quick. I enjoyed the way the author described these other, spiritual places that existed outside of the primary world of the story. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Evelynn Moon
2.0 out of 5 stars yes and no
Some parts worked for me and were wonderful; others did nothing for me and I had to force myself to read them. Overall, the story did not touch me or even entertain me. Read more
Published 17 days ago by PALIX
1.0 out of 5 stars Boring
I thought this book was boring. The character's personalities were drawn out to the point of unbelievable and the story line took forever to develop. Read more
Published 17 days ago by Rachel Scott
4.0 out of 5 stars British flavored American mythology
This was a slow starter for me, almost did not read it after the first kindle sample. It stuck in my head, however, and slowly the story just compelled a read. Read more
Published 18 days ago by Thomas Stocking
5.0 out of 5 stars smart, hip, wonderful fantasy
Each Neil Gaiman book is a little vacation, full of magic and laughs. He is a remarkable writer, and I hope he continues to write for as long as I read.
Published 25 days ago by Patricia R.
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Kindle price
Yep. I came here specifically to buy the Kindle version of "Anansi Boys." I was READY to buy it. Then I noticed that the price of the Kindle version was two dollars more than that of the paperback version. The publisher (and, unfortunately, the author) just lost a sale. Like the OP... Read more
Feb 23, 2012 by David A. Lessnau |  See all 2 posts
is this book for kids...young teens?
I think it would probably be all right. I think I was reading much more graphic stuff then. There is a lot of innuendo that might go over his head but the story itself is something beautiful at the end.
Jun 25, 2011 by William Rice |  See all 3 posts
Listen to this book, rather than reading it.
I'm going to have to second this. Lenny Henry took an excellent story and added to it. Give yourself a treat, do!
Nov 28, 2006 by Noel |  See all 10 posts
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