This was my second proverbial toe into the Neil Gaiman pond. American Gods was the first, but I didn't get far as the storyline just did not grab me. I had the same problem with Anansi Boys, which is why it took me two whole months and constant self-bribery ("If you finish this, you can read April & Oliver next!") to finish it. And when I did finally turn that last page, I felt like I'd really worked hard to reach the summit.
But don't get me wrong, the book is wonderful. The writing is fantastic, and with each page, I imagine Mr. Gaiman sitting at his writing desk with a gleeful smile, chuckling at his own cleverness. The prose is sophisticated and hilarious and quick-witted. A few times, I actually chuckled out loud, which is a rare thing for me. Not that I don't have a sense of humor; I'm just a bit of a quiet reader.
The problem, I think, lies in the plot and the infuriating characters, who all just screwed each other over repeatedly. I just never grew fond of Fat Charlie (who was a downright putz until the end) or Spider (who was just so rude!) or their father, Anansi for that matter. It's tough to want to turn page after page when you could care less about the characters, and good writing can only pull you so far.
Now obviously, this is not my last venture into Gaimanland, as I've begun Neverwhere. I'll let you know how that goes.
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