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  • Anansi Boys

  • Written by: Neil Gaiman
  • Narrated by: Lenny Henry
  • Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (157 ratings)

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Anansi Boys cover art

Anansi Boys

Written by: Neil Gaiman
Narrated by: Lenny Henry
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Publisher's Summary

God is dead. Meet the kids.

When Fat Charlie's dad named something, it stuck. Like calling Fat Charlie "Fat Charlie." Even now, twenty years later, Charlie Nancy can't shake that name, one of the many embarrassing "gifts" his father bestowed, before he dropped dead on a karaoke stage and ruined Fat Charlie's life.

Mr. Nancy left Fat Charlie things. Things like the tall, good-looking stranger who appears on Charlie's doorstep, who appears to be the brother he never knew. A brother as different from Charlie as night is from day, a brother who's going to show Charlie how to lighten up and have a little fun, just like Dear Old Dad. And all of a sudden, life starts getting very interesting for Fat Charlie.

Because, you see, Charlie's dad wasn't just any dad. He was Anansi, a trickster god, the spider-god. Anansi is the spirit of rebellion, able to overturn the social order, create wealth out of thin air, and baffle the devil. Some said he could cheat even Death himself.

Returning to the territory he so brilliantly explored in his masterful New York Times best seller American Gods, the incomparable Neil Gaiman offers up a work of dazzling ingenuity, a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that is at once startling, terrifying, exhilarating, and fiercely funny, a true wonder of a novel that confirms Stephen King's glowing assessment of the author as "a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him."

©2005 Neil Gaiman (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

What the critics say

  • Locus Award, 2006
  • Alex Award, 2006

" "Excellent." (Stephen King)
"It's Gaiman's focus on Charlie and Charlie's attempts to return to normalcy that make the story so winning...along with gleeful, hurtling prose." (Publishers Weekly)

Featured Article: The Best Neil Gaiman Audiobooks on Audible

Some of the greatest additions to the world of dark fantasy, graphic novels, and twisted fairy tales are Neil Gaiman’s books. A master of his craft, he has produced some truly epic tales full of mythical creatures, deceitful demons, tricky spirits, Norse gods, and hellish monsters. Gaiman's works are so distinct and well thought out that they have amassed a strong following of Gaiman fans. Here we've compiled our list of the best Neil Gaiman books to date.

What listeners say about Anansi Boys

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Beautiful, creative, and mystical storey

I enjoyed this book on a long drive home, I was so enthralled into the storey I missed a couple gas stations. The way Neil Gaimen sets out the scene and the way the narrator reads it with different voices For each character made me feel as if I was watching a live play. The storey was so fun and filled with twists and turns.

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Not A Sequel

March 2022 | 4/5
Not a sequel to American Gods. That was pretty clear early on, this is a story with shared characters but even then, Nancy is not the focus of our tale.

I absolutely loved the African/Caribbean folklore. And read this in-between reads of the first two books in Marlon James, Dark Star Trilogy for something of a lighter nature with the same excellent story telling.

I've read a lot of Gaiman - and still found Anansi Boys to have it's own style. It was Gaiman, but more Good Omens Gaiman than the serious nature of American Gods. I actually thought he wrote a solid ending to this one (I wasn't as thrilled with the expedient conclusion to AG), tying up loose ends whilst leaving the universe open to further titles with other Gods to be explored.

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Amazing

Great story and the Narrator makes it even better!! Highly recommended. One of my favourite Gaiman books.

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Splendid

...and splendidly read by the great Lenny Henry. A real treat, I enjoyed every minute.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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What an entertaining narration!

Even though the story was amazing in itself, the narration just added a whole other dimension to it.

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His best work

This is my favourite book by Neil Gaiman, it is magical just like all his other work

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engaging and endearing

excellent narration. wonderful characters and voices.
well paced and wonderfully creative, unique world of mythology

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Brilliant

My favorite author, one of my favorite stories. I will be listening to Anansi Boys probabky rather frequently. Excellent story of a dysfunctional family and their stuggles

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I love this book

Re-listened to Anansi Boys, and loved it just as much as before. The story of Mr Nancy and his sons Spider and Fat Charlie is charming and funny. Lenny Henry is the perfect narrator.

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  • KJ
  • 2021-08-02

One of my favourite listens!

Neil Gaiman’s magical words brought to life by Lenny Henry’s amazing voice. I thoroughly enjoyed this performance from start to finish!

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