Ahh, Papa Nancy. I picked up the book "Anansi Boys" again. Last time I tried to read it I stopped at page 18, fed up already with the all too American-feeling of "laugh at the fat guy who makes a fool of himself" that I just cannot stand. The only reason I picked it up again this last Thursday was that it was hardcover and in the right size to fit in my rather packed bag. So I did, restlessly flicking pages, skimming the deep down felt embarrassment about myself for actually reading it. Yes, it bothers me that much, I really do not enjoy the part of "comedy" where you laugh at people for their misconceptions or simply expose them to humiliating situations so you can score a cheap giggle.
It picked up though, after the first few situations, our dear Mr. Gaiman stopped putting the little Charles (No, not Fat Charlie, Little Charles. He feels so sweetly immature) into humiliating situations for giggles, and actually got along with telling a story.
The story felt cut down in a way, as if there was something missing in it along the middle, the conclusion came too soon, all the pieces just fell into place too directly, but aside from this, the book turned out to be a likable read. Flowing, smooth, well... Singing, is probably a better term. Not really explaining anything, as it doesn't need to, and that was good and well.
What I found absolutely adorable is that there never really was specified the skin colour of the characters. Of course, deducting from setting, they were all/mostly of African descent (where else would Anansi come from?) Yet, it was refreshing to see it not specified in the text.
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I hadn't even noticed the skin-thing, and I didn't care either. About the comedy, I feel it was a nod to the traditional set-ups these stories have (a serialising set of stories like Charlie could tell himself, by the fireside) and quite liked it. I kept understanding Charlie too, airing his grievances with his unpredictable family-members while he should just look a little better at how stuff like family works in his case.
And yeah - Gaiman's novels are very polished, so smooth they're almost greasy (you can't dwell on stuff.) But I've been having that problem with anything past Neverwhere. There are extended editions of some books - perhaps those will read less like a waterslide. I liked Anansi Boys a lot, though, it was a fun and sentimental, wandering 'hero's' journey to find a place to see properly.