Neil Gaiman brings African mythology into a modern setting with this book. There are 2 main aspects of the way he tells the story that really captivated me the most.
The first is the characters themselves... This is the first Neil Gaiman book I have read but I can tell he is a great character writer for both human and superhuman (or divine) characters. Charlies reactions to the events of the book feel so real, whether it is when he firsts finds out about his not-so-human father and brother, to his more relatable reactions, like when he finds out his fiancee is cheating on him... it is all told in a way that allows me to put myself in his shoes and experience these absurd events in his life from a first person perspective. Even Spider feels like a real character. His divine powers feel all the more real when you see him using it for his own selfish means or for the occasional selfless act of helping out Charlie... The intentions and emotions that the characters display feel real, no matter how absurd the events taking place are.
The second thing I really like about this novel is the way that the Neil Gaiman seems to stay true to the actual myths these characters come from (particularly the background characters, like Anansi). I do not know much about African mythology/ folklore but I am pretty sure I learned quite a bit reading this book. The mythological feeling never gets lost in the contemporary settings and characters on display either, which is impressive.
I think it is the merging of these 2 aspects in this book that make it so interesting to me... It feels like there are old-world, legendary elements at play (especially in the background) yet it also feels like a story that could take place in modern setting with modern characters not unlike myself.
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