Hugos There Podcast Hugos There Podcast #45: American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (feat. Emily Martin)
Oct 1, 2020
Emily Martin, a contributing writer for Book Riot and cohost of Book Squad Goals, joins the conversation to explore Neil Gaiman's American Gods. They discuss the central clash between old and new gods as a reflection of America's diverse belief systems. Emily shares insights on the narrative's themes, character motivations—especially Laura's—and how the book comments on political polarization and media representation. The duo critiques Gaiman’s portrayal of gender and race, pondering its relevance to contemporary society.
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Different Audiobook Experiences
- Emily Martin listened to the full-cast edition while Seth used a single narrator edition on Audible.
- Martin felt Neil Gaiman's own narration made the origin vignettes especially intimate for her.
America As A Battleground Of Belief
- American Gods frames modern America as a battleground between 'old' immigrant gods and 'new' gods born of media and technology.
- Neil Gaiman uses this conflict to examine how belief transforms and sustains cultural power in the U.S.
Vignettes Drive The Book's Power
- The book's structure mixes a main narrative with side vignettes about gods' origins and daily lives.
- Those vignettes often outshine the main plot and are where much of the book's power and horror reside.
