Comparison Book vs Series: American Gods- Season 1

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American Gods made a great season in its debut. Adapted from homonymous book by Neil Gaiman, the series has some changes from the original work. See the main changes of the 1st season, but watch out for possible spoilers.

10. A grande aparição de Anansi

Anansi, also known as Mr. Nancy, is the African god of stories / weaver, represented by a spider. In the series the character played by Orlando Jones it is presented with great prominence, having an episode initiated by his legend, where he incites slaves to kill the merchants and set fire to the ship as a form of sacrifice to him.

Already in the book, he appears in the middle of the main story. Described as an old man, he is introduced to Shadow by Czernoborg, while all the gods begin to meet at House on the Rock. The place will probably be presented only in the second season, but Shadow and Anansi already know each other in the work, when the God sews a suit for him and Wednesday.

9. Update on Bilquis

Owner of one of the most shocking scenes in the series, Bilquis, Interpreted by Yetide Badaki, had a significant update on the way he gets his "victims". Queen of Sheba, she devours people for her “low parts”, in the form of sacrifice. In Neil Gaiman's work, she lives with a prostitute on the streets of Los Angeles, the easiest way to get sexual partners.

In the series, she is much more glamorous. Saved by Techno Boy, she uses a dating app to find her next date. This change can be justified by the year the book was written. At the time, online dating was not as famous as it is now, where this change fits perfectly.

8. As várias faces da Mídia

A member of the New Gods, the Media represents exactly what the name suggests, the television media. In Gaiman's book, she represents only television and had only two faces. One like Lucille Ball, from I Love Lucy and the other like Diane's character in Cheers. On another occasion, she appeared to Shadow as a woman who resembled all the presenters he had ever seen. It is worth mentioning that, unlike the series, his first appearance is in a hotel room.

In the series, the character played by Gillian Anderson appears several times alongside other New Gods and takes the opportunity to pay homage to several remarkable names. In addition to Lucy, she appears as David Bowie, Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland.

7. O enforcamento

Some differences can be noticed in the part where Shadow is hanged from the tree.

In the book, the first meeting between Shadow and Tecno Boy ends much more peacefully, he leaves almost unharmed by him. In another period, Shadow is kidnapped by the New Gods, where he is taken to an isolated train car and watched by two deities. There he is saved by Laura, who kills everyone in his path, including the Gods.

There is even a mention of the tree in the book, but in the form of Shadow's dreams, which makes reference to the myth of Odin.

The scene at the police station, where the meeting with the New Gods takes place, also does not exist in the book. The explanations given there are part of the hijacking on the train. The series decided to summarize these parts and put everything together, resulting in the hanging of Shadow on the tree, where he is saved by Laura and later uses the part of the police station to finish the explanation.

6. Audrey Revoltada

The way Laura and Robbie, Shadow's best friend, died was not changed in the series, but the way Audrey deals with it was. In the book, Shadow arrives at the wake and sees Audrey spitting in Laura's face and when he confronts her about it, she declares that his wife died with her husband's genital in his mouth. After that Shadow throws the coin in the coffin and leaves. There is only a small dialogue between them when they are leaving the wake.

In the series, Audrey seems to be quite drunk. She tells the fact in a moment of anger and, after everyone leaves, Shadow screams with the body already underground. At that moment Audrey appears, also declares to be angry and tries to convince Shadow to have sex with her, as revenge. In addition, she mentions having urinated in her husband's coffin and having her removed organ placed in a very specific place for him ...

Audrey's remaining appearances are also modified, in the book she returns only at a more advanced point in the plot, with a very interesting story that will certainly still appear in the series.

5. Papéis aumentados

Laura, played by Emily Browning, undergoes changes in relation to the character of the book and has a much increased participation in the series. In Gaiman's work, she is not even half as prominent in the series, even though she is very important for the plot.

Her relationship with other Gods does not exist in the literary work, she gets to know Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jacal, but in other ways and her adventures in America are not very evident. Her relationship with Shadow is changed in the series, becoming colder than it should. By the way, Shadow doesn't go to prison for taking over Laura's coup, he goes to prison for assault, also during a coup.

Nor does she miss Mad Sweeney's coin, which is not buried in her chest, but hangs like a necklace around her neck.

Mad Sweeney, played by Pablo Schreiber, also gains a much greater prominence in the series. In the book he has a more restrained and melancholy participation, in addition to not being so involved in Wednesday's previous plans. He and Laura have no relationship and when he loses the coin, there is no bad luck in the literary work, he suffers a kind of abstinence because it is vital. And when you find out where it is, it's past time to get it back.

Another change is the involvement in Essie's story. He is not in it, because the beings shown in Gaiman's work in this story are not Leprechauns, they are a variation of the myth.

4. A criação de Vulcan

Vulcan (Corbin Bernsen) and the entire plot of the city are exclusive inventions for production. The character is an original creation of Neil Gaiman himself for the series. According to the author, on a trip to Alabama, he found a curious, metallurgical city with a statue of the Roman God. This served as an inspiration for the character.

3. A promoção de Salim

Salim has an interesting presentation in the book, but it only serves to illustrate Jinn's story. The relationship and outcome of your encounter with Jinn is no different than what was put in the series - perhaps a little because it seems that Jinn left Salim stuck as a taxi driver, just as he was. But the characters' participation ends in this narrative.

In the series, Salim, played by Omid Abtahi, goes on a kind of journey with Laura and Sweeney - a journey that doesn't even exist in the book.

2. Falsos Pacíficos

The New Gods appear with a peaceful chat in the series, saying they don't want war. However, in the book, the New Gods are nothing like that, in reality they are violent and go on to aggression whenever possible.

1. O aparecimento de Jesus

The series has no problem showing Jesus - by the way, it shows several versions of him! In the literary version, Gaiman did not want to put the character. In the special edition of the book, the author mentions that he thought it logical to use Jesus in the plot, since it covers several religions and how could he leave out the great name of the dominant religion in America? But the author was afraid and withdrew the appearance, leaving only as an extra in this edition.

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