American Gods: Some notes

Finally read Neil Gaiman's American Gods, years after watching the first two seasons of the TV show. Before the TV series I didn't know such a book existed. It was the pace and intrigue of the first season that drew me to the book, and the snooziness of the second season that put me off it. But I did endd up reading the book in the end.

Coming to the book after watching the series, it was hard for me to imagine the characters other than the TV actors that played them. So, Shadow was Ricky Whittle for me, and Mr Wednesday was Ian McShane. Reading the book, however, I could see that the characters in the book were a different from what I saw on the TV, but it's hard to get rid of an image once it is settled in your brain.

American Gods can be a little daunting for someone not familiar with US or world mythology, what with the book having large doses of both. But with enough patience, the story pulls the reader in. The story of a mortal caught between warring gods, unaware of what is making them do so, becomes intriguing as one progresses. Shadow Mood, fresh from prison and mourning his wife, finds himself taking up a new job as a driver to a mysterious character named Wednesday. His job takes him on road trips across the American land, searching out gods that were brought to American shores by believers and then abandoned by them as they found newer gods. These gods live on, surviving on the fringes of American society, seeing their relevance diminish in favor of newer gods.

The book, with its myriad sub-plotlines and characters that are never explained, is a taxing read, but in the end. It takes a long time to set things up. The first and second acts are fast paced as they introduce newer characters, only for them to disappear and come later. The main characters of Shadow Moon, Wednesday and Laura are well fleshed out, but others are sketchy, asking the reader to imagine them as they please. In fact, the first two acts take up a major chunk of the book, leaving a very short third act to wrap things up. Neil Gaiman is a gifted story teller, and knows that the trick to telling a good story is to speak a lot, but tell as little as possible, thus building up stakes. A lazy reader or a someone fed on constant visual simulation may find their attention wavering; a habitual reader, however will appreciate the bits of info drops throughout the story, that fit together in the end.

Which is not to say that the story does not meander. The entire track of the Arab seller and the djinn may accentuate the loneliness of foreign spirits, but is a djinn reall a God?  Even the plotline about the thunderbirds goes nowhere, till a subtle hint of the consequences ends it.

American Gods was published in 2001, when Internet as we know it today was beginning to take shape. Reading habits were different then, and people had longer attention spans with lesser distractions. Reading it in 2024, I was aware of the change in habits that has occurred in the intervening 23 years. I could only imagine the characters like how I'd seen them on TV. I found myself re-reading passages because my attention had wavered. A certain impatience has crept within the readers to move things faster. All of this was made worse by the fact that I was an Indian, living in India, reading about an American man's journey across the USA in the service of forgotten gods looking for relevance. The credit for me finishing goes in large to Neil Gaiman's skill as a story tell and weaver of fantasies.

Some Thoughts on Merry Christmas

 I watched Merry Christmas a month ago, so what I write down are not some fresh opinions, but well weighted considerations.

I only heard about Merry Christmas the movie just a few days prior to its release. The marketing of the movie was non-existent, and unless one followed any of the persons associated to the movie on social media (I do not), its easy to miss.

On the whole Merry Christmas seems a series of misdirections strung together. To a person used to the current Bollywood fare, the story may seem to meander and drag, searching for a  plot to develop. But all the slow pace of the first half pays off handsomely in the second half, as the actions become more apparent.

The plot seems simple enough: Vijay Sethupathi, on his first night upon releasing from prison, meets Katrina Kaif, whos date runs out on her after discovering that she has a daughter. Two lonely souls connect on a Christmas night. Things take a turn for the worse when Katrin's husband is found dead, apparently having shot himself. Vijay's reluctance to be involved in any police procedural, even if it is a straight case of suicide, results in him witnessing the same events occur before him, though with someone else (Sanjay Kapoor) doing what Vijay did earlier. The plot thickens, and as the mystery unfolds, the viewer is rewarded with 'ooh' moments galore. All that the audience saw earlier was not just story development, it was the story itself.

The roller-coaster of character development keeps the viewer guessing about their true motivations. Why was Katrina looking for a date on a Christmas night daughter in tow? What crime did Vijay Setupathi commit? Is Sanjay Kapoor just a creep who wants to score on a lonely woman? How much did Luke Kenny charge for his role?

The movie does a good job of setting up a noir look; Mumbai noir is enticing. It sets up the characters expertly and then toys with the viewer's expectations. Vijay trying to adjust to his new life as a free man is perfect as the weary loner. Katrina with a kid in tow convinces as the vulnerable woman that can pull the weary hero's heartstrings. Her character turn in the second half transforms her into a femme fatale, all the while building up a mystique about the little girl. Sanjay Kapoor enters the story as a good samaritan and progressively transforms into a creep. In fact, his clean looks and jovial demeanor lend well into his good guy act. Vinay Shukla's performance in the last act effectively pivots the movie from a crime thriller to a cat-and-mouse game. He may come across as a comic foil, but it is this turn that gives a new direction to the happenings..

I enjoyed the shots of Mumbai that are rooted in a particular location rather than zooming out to the entire city. The close of the city adds to the atmosphere of the film. The repeated use of the same location makes the movie more lived in and familiar.

To end, Merry Christmas is the kind of film that stays in your mind even a month after viewing it.