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Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
When a mild-mannered Londoner learns his late father was a trickster god, his quiet life tangles with myth, mischief, and family secrets that refuse to stay buried. Anansi Boys spins humor, heart, and folklore into a dazzling tale about finding one’s voice—and outwitting fate.
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In Anansi Boys, did you enjoy ...
... mischievous, witty takes on divine beings meddling with modern life?
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
If you laughed at Spider turning Fat Charlie’s life upside down—the karaoke-night showboating, the effortless charm, the chaos that follows—then the gleeful, offbeat hijinks of Crowley and Aziraphale in Good Omens will hit the same sweet spot. You’ll get that same blend of sly one-liners, absurd predicaments, and heartfelt friendship that made Fat Charlie and Spider’s misadventures (and even the showdown with Grahame Coats) so much fun.
... a trickster-god’s irreverent voice retelling old myths?
The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris
Loved how Mr. Nancy’s legacy of stories—and the old rivalry with Tiger—spilled into Fat Charlie’s modern life? The Gospel of Loki lets the trickster himself narrate the myths with swagger, side-eye, and razor wit. Like the Anansi tales Aunties share in Saint Andrews, Loki reframes the old stories from the inside, turning legend into living, laughing mischief—right up until the consequences come due.
... a contemporary London steeped in folklore, told with dry humor and charm?
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
If the London chapters—Spider commandeering Fat Charlie’s flat, everyday streets hiding gods, and magic brushing up against office-life farce—were your favorites, Rivers of London gives you a whole city’s worth of that vibe. Rookie cop Peter Grant stumbles into a world of river deities, household spirits, and policing the uncanny, with the same wry British humor that made Fat Charlie’s urban entanglements so irresistible.
... folkloric beings wrestling with identity and belonging in a real-world city?
The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker
If Fat Charlie’s journey—from meek everyman to someone who can face down Bird Woman and reckon with Spider—hooked you, you’ll love how The Golem and the Jinni explores what it means to discover who you really are. Like Fat Charlie’s return to Saint Andrews to learn the truth wrapped in story, Chava and Ahmad navigate immigrant-era New York, testing freedom, fate, and friendship as they uncover their origins.
... a reluctant hero’s transformation from ordinary life into uncanny magic?
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Watching Fat Charlie grow—finding his voice, mending the rift with Spider, and using wit and song to outfox ancient powers—echoes Agnieszka’s arc in Uprooted. She starts clumsy and unsure, then learns a wild, intuitive magic that changes her, her friendships, and her world. If the emotional lift of Fat Charlie’s final stand moved you, Agnieszka’s evolution and hard-won courage will, too.
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