Anansi Boys

Written by Neil Gaiman

Narrated by Lenny Henry

Fat Charlie Nancy is not actually fat. He was fat once but he is definitely not fat now. No, right now Fat Charlie Nancy is angry, confused and more than a little scared - right now his life is spinning out of control, and it is all his dad's fault.

If his rotter of an estranged father hadn't dropped dead at a karaoke night, Charlie would still be blissfully unaware that his dad was Anansi the spider god. He would have no idea that he has a brother called Spider, who is also a god. And there would be no chance that said brother would be trying to take over his life, flat and fiancée, or, to make matters worse, be doing a much better job of it than him.

Desperate to reclaim his life, Charlie enlists the help of four more-than-slightly eccentric old ladies and their unique brand of voodoo - and between them they unleash a bitter and twisted force to get rid of Spider. But as darkness descends and badness begins is Fat Charlie Nancy going to get his life back in one piece or is he about to enter a whole netherworld of pain?

(P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers Inc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette UK Audio
• Release date: Sep 25, 2006
• ISBN: 9780755337866

Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and multi-award winning author and creator of many beloved books, graphic novels, short stories, film, television and theatre for all ages. He is the recipient of the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and many Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Neil has adapted many of his works to television series, including Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and The Sandman. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College. For a lot more about his work, please visit: https://www.neilgaiman.com/

Reviews for Anansi Boys

[mialro_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anansi Boys is not a sequel but I would recommend you read American Gods before you read it, just to get a good feel on Anansi. Its title is also slightly inaccurate. I wouldn't call Fat Charlie and Spider boys; they're grown men. This book was not as shocking or horrifying, more of a caper, and it actually reminded me more than once of a Terry Prachett book. It unsettled me less than AG did, but I'm not sure whether that's a good thing. For the most part it was, but there was less of that feeling one gets in the presence of things divine/not human.

[castlelass · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I had never previously read anything by Neil Gaiman but had heard his books were distinctive. After reading Anansi Boys, I wholeheartedly agree. Based on Caribbean folklore, this book is a fantasy fable about two sons of the god, Anansi, one of which is unsure of himself and easily embarrassed while the other is self-confident, mischievous, and irresponsible. The two were previously unaware of each other, and as they get acquainted their lives become an adventure. It’s a fantasy set partially in the real-world and partially in another realm. There appear to be no boundaries as to what may happen. Humor is sprinkled throughout and offsets some of the darker segments. Themes include good vs. evil, the power of storytelling, and development of hidden talents. I found myself reading it as if it were a stage play. Recommended to anyone interested in imaginative stories, fantasies, fables, or myths. I found it unusual, extremely creative, and very entertaining.

[nodosaurus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is billed as a sequel to American Gods but bears little resemblance to the former other than the theme that gods walk on Earth among men.This is the story of Charlie Nancy, Fat Charlie, who dislikes his father whom he regards as extravagant and irresponsible. Nancy is getting married, his fiancé wants him to invite his father to the wedding. This precipitates a road of discovery into his own past and his family, including an unknown brother.Charlie’s and his brother have an unusual relationship, uncomfortable, maybe untrusting, but grows as they are thrust together.Charlie is a rather weak character, both literary and his personal character. Not particularly likable, but his growth through the book changes him greatly.The writing is above average and is engaging. And the book is funny. There are only a few primary characters, interesting and mysterious, and Charlie meets a number of peculiar characters in his journey.

[cbloky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved the book, started a little slow but picked up real quick. The character build us was excellent. There was one thing i was totally clear on at the end but hopefully future books will clear it up.

[sleahey_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fat Charlie never knew he had a brother, and when trouble-maker Spider appears in his life, the action escalates to an uncomfortable degree for Charlie. Opposites in most ways, how can they possibly co-exist?.

[jennybeast · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love it when Gaiman does urban fantasy novels. It doesn't have the power of American Gods, but it's more light-hearted, and that's lovely.

[dairyqueen84 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm actually listening to it and I'm loving it. The narrator is really good with different voices and accents, mostly British and Caribbean. It was a wonderful book and the narrator made it that much better.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 A reread in anticipation of seeing Gaiman speak in May. I’ve always loved his ability to use different fables and mythologies to create new tales. This one is a must on audio read by the talented Lenny Henry. Not my favorite Gaiman, but very entertaining. I love Charles and Spider’s growth as characters.

[nbornstein-345883 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent, of course.

[et.carole · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another splendid Gaiman novel. I love the way he portrays gods.

[kevn57-163679 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The more Neil Gaiman I read, the more he reminds me of Douglas Adams, not the subject matter or style, rather it's how I feel when I read either one them, just extremely happy. Seeing how Douglas can't write me a new novel I hope that Neil hurries and writes another soon.

Anansi Boys was a terrific followup to American Gods, a bit lighter and with a story web that was extremely interesting and that's what I want when I read, something interesting.

[charon07 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Neal Gaiman is now added to my list of favorite authors. This was a funny, compassionate, imaginative story, in tone akin to Christopher Moore or Douglas Adams, drawing from African Anansi myths but set in the modern world. The reader, Lenny Henry, also does a great job of reading (and singing!) and a fabulous job with the wide array of accents, from London to African American to West Indian.

[greeniezona · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has been sitting on my bookshelves, untouched, for so long -- despite the fact that my sister got it signed for me by Neil Gaiman, himself. It was high time to pick this up, especially as I'd "recently" reread American Gods, so it was the first book for my readathon pile.At first I was a bit nonplussed because this book seemed much less connected to American Gods than I had expected it to be. Then because it seemed like most of the characters were supposed to be black, but then it just didn't necessarily read that way, and you almost had to read between the lines to confirm that they were? I've seen references in other reviews that suggest that this was an intentional choice to make the characters seem universal. Which is, a choice, I guess? it felt weird. Anyway, this is a Gaiman story through and through, and I suspect most fans of Gaiman would get into this work -- especially its themes on how stories make our reality. Still, even as I liked it, I kept wishing for a more African take on Anansi, so it is super appropriate that Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky is the book I am currently reading to the kids for bedtime story. Can't wait to get into the Anansi stuff there.

[kittycunningh-815148 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked it as well the third time as I did the first and second.

[thoroughlyme · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(4.5 out of 5)

Okay, so I really liked this book. It's a massively different beast than American Gods, but at the same time, it very much feels like it's a part of that universe. Anansi Boys is on a much smaller scale than American Gods was. While American Gods dealt with gods fighting against each other, Anansi Boys is an extremely personal story about the children of a god (Mr. Nancy, Anansi) connecting with each other and coming into their own.

That's not to say that there's not a lot of cool stuff that happens in this story. Especially as the novel goes on, the fantastical elements increase. Like American Gods, it's very grounded in reality, but when something fantastic happens, it's pretty unmistakeable. I loved the concept of Anansi (and, later, his children) being able to sing things into existence. I know that part of the lore of Anansi as a god is that he's a storyteller, and I feel like that aspect was utilized really well in the book.

In terms of pacing, it follows the pattern most of Gaiman's books follow: they start off slow, setting everything up, and as they reach the climax of the story, everything quickens and coalesces into this unstoppable freight train of compelling reading. I literally read half the book in one sitting. (The second half of the book, for anyone curious.) This definitely isn't a bad thing. I appreciate that Gaiman takes the time to properly set up his characters, plots, and universe that his works take place in. It allows him to ultimately craft a much more satisfying experience in the end than he would if the book just jumped straight into the action. That being said, sometimes it can take a bit of time to get through the part of the book that lays down the foundations and get to where all the fun stuff happens. But it's a worthwhile effort.

I also really liked how the relationship between Fat Charlie and Spider was depicted. It's such an interesting dynamic that Gaiman gives them, and it makes the book more interesting for it. At first, it feels like things are gonna get into that cliche that stories dealing with brothers often get into (one brother steals the other's girl, is generally better, etc) and while that does kind of happen at first, it ends up leading to a more satisfying conclusion than most stories that use this cliche do. The ending of the book justifies the initial use of that cliche, as Gaiman uses it as a way to have the two characters explore themselves and who they are. It's used with mastery.

I feel like it took me far too long to figure out the central mystery of the novel, but when I did, I ate it up. While the meat of Anansi Boys is the relationship between Fat Charlie and Spider and their feelings toward their father, Mr. Nancy, the addition of the thriller aspects of the plotline keep you invested in the character building. It's like a character discovers something new about themselves that leads into an update in the central mystery/plot which leads into another character moment and so on and so forth. It's great reading.

All in all, I liked Anansi Boys a lot more than I thought I would. It's clever, funny, moving, personal, fantastical, and just all around enjoyable. I highly recommend it for anyone who enjoyed the first American Gods book, anyone with an interested in African religions and mythology, anyone who enjoys Neil Gaiman's books, or anyone who likes a good mystery with fantastical elements. Anansi Boys is an all around good time.

[grandpahobo_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Much, much lighter than American Gods. Engrossing and difficult to put down,as with all Neil Gaiman books.

[yvonnekins · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was fun and even liked it more than American Gods? I wasn't expecting that at all but I think it has to do with the expectations I had going into each. My expectations for American Gods were extremely high, whereas I really wasn't sure what to expect with Anansi Boys, and that only worked to the book's advantage.The characters and writing were pretty standard Gaiman, so if you know you like his books then you'll probably like this. Honestly this could be read as a standalone; it's only loosely related to American Gods, really, the plot is entirely its own. I really enjoyed Fat Charlie and Spider and their interactions were the highlight of the book for me. That being said, I don't feel particularly strongly about any of it, which is why I'm not giving it more than 3.5.This was a fun read, and the narrator did a good job so I would definitely recommend the audiobook if you're into that.

[bobbybslax · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one of Gaiman's funniest and most consistently entertaining book.

[melrailey-412132 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really loved this book. It didn't have the epic-ness of American Gods but it was wasn't quite the same type of tale either. It was much more humorous and narrow in scope. At first I wasn't too sure how I was going to like the story but Neil Gaiman is a master storyteller. Combine that with Lenny Henry's perfect narration, and I was drawn in and hooked. I laughed out loud during this book. Shed a tear or two. Neil Gaiman is the type of writer that I aspire to be. If you want good storytelling, pick up any of his books. This is a good place to start.

[caseyadamsstark · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Anansi Boys was a fun read, as expected. I liked it a lot and would definitely recommend it. It's lighter in tone compared to American Gods, and I would define the plot as being Fat Charlie's journey from being a nobody to becoming a somebody without really becoming anybody, but being content with it. That probably doesn't make a lot of sense, but that's what I'm sticking with.

Characters are delightfully quirky, but a little bit lacking in depth. Even so, there is enough there to empathize with the main character. His brother Spider is a dangerous kind of charmer, but he learns things, and offsetting him against Charlie is a dynamic that works.

Okay, I'm done. Read it if you're looking for something light and fun... Well, there are some terrible things that happen in it, but overall light and fun.

[linyarai · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I didn't enjoy this quite as much as I did American Gods, but it was still delightful and exciting. It was not written as a sequel, but there are a few overlapping characters and ideas. I would really like to continue reading more.

[purpledog-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have not read American Gods. So I was skeptical when a friend recently gave me a copy of Anansi Boys and said don't worry about reading American Gods. Turns out they were right. This is totally a stand alone novel.It was a quick and fun book to read. Loosely based on African and Caribbean folklore. Where upon the death of their father, who just happens to be a God, two brothers are reunited. Fat Charlie, the brother, who did not inherit any godly powers, brings all kinds of trouble into his life when he decides he wants to meet this brother he never knew he had. His brother, Spider, loves to cause mischief and when things go from bad to worse Fat Charlie does not know how to get rid of Spider. He seeks help from old family friends and gets himself involved in more than he is prepared to handle.

[gbelik_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is not a genre I would usually read, but I found it mostly quite charming. The more it traveled into fantasy, the less I liked it.

[eldang-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this book, but must warn you to be careful with it. It messes with reality so effectively that it gave me nightmares twice, and made me miss my bus stop when I was nearing the end of the story.

[debraparmley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Neil Gaiman is one of my favorite authors and Anansi Boys did not disappoint.
I have always loved folk tales from around the world and Mr. Gaiman did a great job of weaving Anansi stories into his story, much like the way russian dolls fit into one another. There were several surprises when reading this story which I will not give away. Overall an enjoyable read.

[liscarey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Charlie Nancy's father ruined his life. And he goes on ruining it even in death—dropping dead on a karaoke stage in Florida, forcing Charlie to go home, leaving his London refuge from his embarrassing parent to attend the funeral—right before his wedding. And even in death, he keeps giving Charlie embarrassing gifts, like the handsome stranger who turns up on his doorstep, once he's back in London, claiming to be Charlie's brother, Spider. In short order, Charlie's life is reduced to utter havoc—he's fired from his job, arrested for embezzlement, his fiancée is spending an awful lot of time with Spider, and Charlie has to go back to Florida and take a journey through the spirit world if he's ever going to get control of his life again. Not to mention having to defeat Tiger and prevent all the stories in the world being turned into brutal, hopeless Tiger stories...

With Gaiman, as with Gene Wolfe and John Wright, it's not so much the story as how it's told—you go along for the ride and see where it takes you. Except for the marvelous command of the language, though, he's not really anything like them—his stories are much wilder and crazier, and even harder to predict. Partly this is because he's drawing on different mythologies—African and Native American, where Wolfe and Wright draw more on classical and northern European sources—but, mostly, I think that he's just a wilder and crazier guy.

Highly recommended.

[ma_washigeri · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Very entertaining. Needs an extra half star. Easy to read but with good, solid content and well written and structured. Can't say much about it without spoilers.

[hopeevey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I strongly suspect that reading this would would be very different from hearing it. Lenny Henry's narration was simply outstanding. This is the first book I've heard him read, but I truly hope it's not the last. Frankly, I think I'd pick up just about anything if he's reading/narrating it.

Anansi Boys starts strong and stays rich and deep. Like in American Gods, the mythical and mundane dance together throughout. The characters, even the archetypes, have depth and texture. The plot makes extravagant promises which it fulfills nicely, with a generous helping of surprises at the end.

[cathishaw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I don't know why but I'd always though of Neil Gaiman as a young adult or children's author. But, of course, his books appeal to all level of audience. This is a reimagined story of Anansi the spider and his two sons.I really loved this book. I listened to the Audible audiobook and the narration was fantastic. Sometimes you get a narrator who is so in character that you are swept away by the story. And that was the case with this production.Along with his usual vivid storytelling and imaginings, this book is packed with likeable characters who are so different from one another that you don't even have a chance to get bored with any of them. The story is fast-paced and entertaining. Strongly recommend!

[john_warner-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tiger was the chief of the West African gods because he had the greater number of songs and stories. However, when Anansi, the trickster god, surpassed Tiger in the number of songs and stories, his authority grew and Tiger’s diminished. When Anansi dies, his son, “Fat Charlie” discovers the true identity of his father and learns that he has a brother, Spider. Wishing to see his brother, he is told by an acquaintance of his father, that all he needs to do is tell a spider, which he does. When the fun-loving Spider comes for a visit, Charlie discovers that he is in no hurry to leave. As his brother becomes more intertwined in Charlie’s life, Spider threatens Charlie’s romantic life, job and freedom. Charlie now must find the way to send the reluctant Spider away. However, to do so, he must inherit his godhood.I listened this book in an audiobook format, which really made it come alive. The narrator was Lenny Henry, a British stand-up comedian and actor, who skillfully differentiated the number of voices I especially loved his interpretation of Graham Coates, Fat Charlie’s boss, who spoke in one cliché after another. Neil Gaiman peppered the novel with various Anansi myths which provided depth to the story.