ANANSI BOYS by Neil Gaiman (Booktalk)

Title: Anansi Boys
Author: Neil Gaiman
ISBN: 006051518x
Publisher: William Morrow (2005)

Long time ago, back before there was time, all the stories was Tiger’s stories. They was cruel stories, teeth and claw stories. Then came Spider, Anansi the Trickster, and took those from Tiger. Now all the stories are Anansi’s stories. Now they all trickster stories, even “Fat Charlie” Nancy’s story.

Fat Charlie discovers that his father has died while trying to invite him to his wedding. To Fat Charlie, this is the last in a long list of embarrassments starting with his nickname. Worse still, the four little old ladies attending the funeral with him in Florida later that week try to convince him that his father was Anansi the trickster god and that he has a brother he can’t remember. They also tell him how he can find his brother, if he wants to. That’s just what he does when he returns to his home in London, little knowing the trouble he’s about to stir up.

As normal as Fat Charlie is, Spider is not. Selfish and wild, he turns Charlie’s life upside down. Using magic, he takes Charlie’s fiancée, his job and involves him in a dangerous police investigation, all with a charming smile and a devil-may-care attitude. What can Fat Charlie do against a brother who seems to be the only on to have taken after his father’s side of the family? The answer lies in the sharp beaks of the birds, the ancient hunger of Tiger and a shocking secret about brotherhood. Along the way, Fat Charlie finds out he may just have some magic of his own.

I started out by saying that all stories is Anansi’s stories. But if you Anansi’s son you may just have one story your own. Read Fat Charlie’s story in Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.