This was definitely an interesting read and I’m glad I listened to those that recommended this book.  While I may not have seen it in Stardust, I can see why people consider Gaiman a fantasy god.  His writing, when he’s not trying to write in a specific style (I was told Stardust read like it did because Gaiman was trying to write like the more classic fairy tales), just takes you fluidly from one end of the story to the other.  It’s not high brow literary nor is it a fantasy that takes itself way too seriously.  It’s just good writing telling a story that I’ve never heard before.

I’m sure, if the story of Anansi was broken down into it’s more baser parts, there’d be your standard fantasy fare in there somewhere (know-nothing guy saves of the day of the other guy that everyone thought could do it all) but the story of Anansi, of all the animals and the transcendence from their world into ours is nothing like I’ve ever read.  I have no idea if Gaiman took liberties with actual folk stories and myths but does it really matter?  They were told so well and in such an authentic voice that they could have been.  And that’s all that matters, right?

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