American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Shadow is released from prison three days earlier than expected when he receives the news that his wife has been killed in a car accident. With no where to go, he accepts the offer to become the bodyguard of a strange old con man he met on his plane ride home. While working for the man, called Wednesday, he learns that the gods are real, and derive power and immortality from their worshippers. The old gods, the gods of ancient civilizations, are slowly dying and weakening as belief in them declines, and new gods of media, technology, electricity, and drugs are out to finish them off. As Shadow is drawn into a world of dangerous quarrels between the gods, he finds out that the gods are just as vulnerable as people - and that he must make the right choices if he wants to get away from the problems of the gods and their magic once and for all.

This book was an amazing read. Written in a gritty prose, the idea of the gods of all religions vying for power in a new America was very interesting to read about. Besides from Shadow's main storyline, there were a couple of other small storylines, some concerning people, and some about gods. Some parts of the story were almost mystical in nature, sometimes telling themselves through Shadow's dreams, and I loved it. I also really enjoyed how Gaiman made the gods all very similar to people - they had their own troubles, romances, and moments of happiness and sadness. The characters, although gods, were very believable - from the grizzled con man Wednesday, to Shadow and his owning up to his past mistakes, and even mentions of characters like Thor, who, faced with the unbelieving land of America, committed suicide, or Horus, driven mad by the matters of the gods that he spends his life as an animalistic falcon. The book had tons of references to ancient religions, and was also packed full of action and suspense. I really enjoyed this book and I would definitely recommend it for others to read.

Reviewed by NK, Grade 10
Montrose Library

The Plague by Albert Camus

The Plague by Albert Camus is a philosophical novel set in Oran, French Algeria. It is a story about an epidemic in North Africa that starts when thousands of rats come into the city and die, creating mass hysteria. The plague is deadly and is essentially an allegory of the French's suffering under the Nazis. The main character, Dr. Bernard Rieux, is the man who treats the first victim and he is the man that tries to pacify the hysteria and epidemic.

This story is very relevant to current times, seeing as the epidemic in the story is extremely similar to the pandemic we are undergoing right now. The story has to do with an epidemic and deals heavily with philosophical questions about the human condition, destiny, and the totality of being a human being. Camus does an excellent job with weaving the struggles of being human with his fictitious stories. I highly recommend this book for fans of philosophical and reasoned novels! If you want a book that makes you think far after you finish it, this truly is the book for you and if you end up enjoying it, definitely check out the rest of Camus' works.

Reviewed by M.S., Grade 11

Montrose Library