Book · 2001
American Gods
by Neil Gaiman
Gods who crossed the ocean with their immigrant worshippers are going extinct in modern America, replaced by whatever people actually worship now.
What does Reddit think of American Gods?
7,476 mentions, and the highest-voted opinion in the whole dataset isn't about the prose at all. A top r/Fantasy comment (↑556) says the news around Neil Gaiman means the poster will "probably not bother reading" American Gods "regardless of quality" — the author's off-page conduct is doing more work in that thread than the book. Where people do engage with the text, the pitch that keeps recurring is the premise itself: gods who immigrated with their worshippers and are now going extinct as America stops believing in them (↑438). Mythology literacy pays off unevenly. One reader clocked who Wednesday was from the name alone but says a major character's identity "went totally over my head" (↑303). Someone else quotes the raven's "Nevermore"/"Fuck you" exchange from memory, no further comment needed (↑285).
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · Gods that immigrate with their worshippers and fade when belief stops
- · Author controversy overshadowing the text itself
- · Uneven payoff for readers who know their mythology
- · The road-trip structure of an America built from old belief
Common praise
- + The core premise, gods who rode over with immigrants and are now going extinct, gets singled out by name as the book's best idea (↑438).
- + A reader quotes the raven's "Nevermore"/"Fuck you" exchange from memory, unprompted, with nothing else attached (↑285).
- + One Fantasy reader spotted who Wednesday was the instant the name appeared, crediting the book's Norse-mythology groundwork (↑303).
Common criticism
- − The single highest-voted comment in the entire dataset isn't about the book at all: it's a reader saying Gaiman's off-page conduct means they'll "probably not bother reading" it "regardless of quality" (↑556).
Who it's for
Know your Norse mythology going in, or at least be willing to miss some of it: one reader caught Wednesday from the name alone but says another character's identity sailed past entirely (↑303). If you can separate the author from the book, r/Fantasy's core pitch still holds, gods who came over with immigrant worshippers and are now fading out of belief (↑438). If you can't make that separation, the top-voted comment in this whole dataset already made the call for you: "probably not bother reading" it, "regardless of quality" (↑556). Come for the found-America-mythology premise and the quotable one-liners; don't expect Reddit's engagement with this one to stay confined to the text.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for American Gods?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“I love the entire concept behind Neil Gaiman's **American Gods** \- that all of these gods from all parts of the world traveled with their worshippers to America at various times, and are now all going extinct because Americans worship new things (technology, etc). But the original version of the g…
“Mmmm not the Christian God, but {{American Gods by Neil Gaiman}} has these vibes
“American Gods by Neil Gaiman
“The watch series (Nigthwatch, Daywatch and onward) by russian writer Sergei Lukyanenko fits the bill. Also American gods by Neil Gaiman.
“American Gods: Do you like mythology? Do you like roadtrips and roadside attractions? You'll love this book about a depressed widower aimlessly wandering the Midwest!
“I’ve been grappling with this. I love just about everything he’s written—Sandman, American Gods, Stardust, Neverwhere, Good Omens, Coraline, Graveyard Book, Anansi Boys, Marvel 1602, Ocean at the End of the Lane, his short story collections, so, so many things. A year ago, if you asked me my favorit…
“That depends on you: Do you want to dip your toe in? The ocean at the end of the lane. Do you want to get a wide expeince of his writing? The Neil Gaiman reader? Do you want to experience some of his most iconic pieces of work? American gods, neverwhere or star dust. Do you want to see some o…
“American Gods.I keep trying get into ( 3 years now ) to no avail.
“American Gods was like this for me. I was ready to drop the book 1/3 in, but persevered another third before there was a scene where the MC was in peril and I realized I had zero investment in whether he lived or died. Possibly the only book I’ve ever just put down and not picked up again because …
“My first was Neverwhere, that got me hooked. I adore that book. I can see an argument for American Gods too, that book was also great.
“Look up American Gods by Neil Gaiman. Not quite the Greek gods, but it fits your "modern day gods" and adult book request.
“I second *American Gods*. It's a great read
“For me it's American Gods. Loved the concept, I still think about it from time to time, but I feel like nothing really happened. Maybe it's because of Shadow, but I also just found the writing mostly kinda meh. Not really captivating.
“I think the problem people have with this book is the style. I absolutely loved it, but have come across people that, while acknowledging that it is an amazing premise, did not enjoy it. I would advise you to read one of Gaiman’s shorter novels first, to see if you enjoy his style. Maybe Neverwher…
“American Gods. I stopped reading at exactly 50%. I liked certain parts, but most of it was really boring.
Convinced? Pick up American Gods
Readers also mention
All books like American Gods →Books that share discussion threads with American Gods — counted from the comments, not curated.
American Gods — frequently asked
Should Neil Gaiman's controversies change whether you read American Gods?+
That's the live debate, and Reddit hasn't settled it. The highest-voted comment in this entire dataset (↑556) says the news "unrelated to the books themselves" means the poster will "probably not bother reading" it, quality aside. Nobody displayed here argues the opposite case directly, so treat this as the dominant visible sentiment, not a verdict from the whole fanbase.
Do you need to know Norse mythology to enjoy American Gods?+
Helps, but not evenly. One r/Fantasy reader (↑303) recognized Wednesday's identity from the name instantly, yet says a different character's reveal "went totally over my head" despite being told the name outright. The book rewards mythology knowledge in patches, not uniformly.
What's the central idea behind American Gods, according to Reddit?+
Gods immigrate along with the people who worship them, and go extinct once belief runs out. An r/Fantasy comment (↑438) calls this the concept that hooked them, praising how the mechanic plays out as America shifts its worship toward technology and new obsessions instead.
Is American Gods still being actively recommended on Reddit?+
Yes, through the end of 2025 at least. r/suggestmeabook and r/booksuggestions both show last-seen dates in late December 2025, and it still shows up in one-line recommendation drops (↑297, ↑287) without much debate attached, alongside the more substantial threads about the premise and the author.