Anansi BoysAnansi Boys
Score Modern
What it's about
Fat Charlie Nancy is a shy, ordinary man in London who has always been embarrassed by his father. When his father dies while singing karaoke in Florida, Charlie learns two things: his father was Anansi, the African trickster god, and he has a brother he never knew about. His brother Spider shows up, charming, magical and impossible, and starts taking over his life.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It's one of Gaiman's funniest books, a comedy about families and stories.
You'll love it if you liked
American Gods
Going Postal
Dungeon Crawler CarlGood to know
It shares a character with American Gods but stands alone, and it's much lighter.
By the numbers
- Readers50 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller49 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #235 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #863 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1597 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Epic
More by Neil Gaiman
American Gods
Norse Mythology
The Ocean at the End of the Lane
NeverwhereIf you like this, read next
Acheron
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Quicksilver
The City of Brass
Like Water for Chocolate
Lights OutExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Anansi Boys worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #1,597 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Anansi Boys about?
Fat Charlie Nancy is a shy, ordinary man in London who has always been embarrassed by his father. When his father dies while singing karaoke in Florida, Charlie learns two things: his father was Anansi, the African trickster god, and he has a brother he never knew about. His brother Spider shows up, charming, magical and impossible, and starts taking over his life.
How long does it take to read Anansi Boys?
About 10 hours (412 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Anansi Boys?
If you liked it, try American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Going Postal by Terry Pratchett or Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman.