Gaiman’s short story “The Monarch of the Glen” (published in Fragile Things) reveals that Shadow’s actual given name is Baldur. And really, why shouldn’t the son of a god be a god as well?
It depends on if he mother was a human or a goddess. If she was a goddess, then he’d be a god in virtually any mythology. The half human children of Gods are often demigods instead.
Retcon. 
When Low Key and Laura are parleying in the caves, he says that when it’s all over he’s going to go get a piece of mistletoe, sharpen it and plunge it into Shadow’s eye. I read that as either Shadow was Baldur or Loki just had a taste for such things.
I didn’t get it until very nearly the end. That’s okay, I rarely get puns in writing because I don’t hear the words in my head when I read.
Nope. Once it was told, I thought, “Well, duh, why didn’t I pick that up earlier?” The other stuff I got easily, but not that. I liked this book the first couple of readings but that was it. Gaiman’s work doesn’t keep its flavor for me.
Now he was one of the “bad” guys right? A more modern god, arising from huge social phenomena - we had gods of technology, TV, highways etc.
I always thought that the guy that you would instantly forget as soon as you stopped talking to him was something like the god of cold war fear/suspicion/consipracy theories/espionage etc. Something like that. Anyone else have a similar take?
Someone mentioned to me that said ‘G-d’ is Dream (as in, from Gaiman’s Endless). I don’t have anything more to support it than that, but it makes as much sense as anything else (especially if you go with the idea that dream wisdom usually comes without a clear recollection of the exact dream in many of Gaiman’s works).
I did not get it, and then I felt extremely foolish when it was revealed.
Very early and that lead me to understand who Wednesday was.
I made the connection as soon as it heard his name, and Wednesday, in Dutch it is called Woensdag which comes from Wodans day which is the Germanic name for Odin,
I read it in English though (Audio book)
But one thing that I was wondering,
When Shadow and Wednesday visit (I think) San Francisco a girl with a dog gives them a flower, could the girl be Delirium? From the Sandman series
I don’t remember if I figured it out or not. But this is the type of thing I tend to miss, so you’re not alone OP.
Actually, Wednsday I figured out right away. With Low-Key I think it was the second or third time his name as mentioned.
Wednesday I figured out from the beginning. Low-key I figured out about half a beat before Shadow did, which almost doesn’t count. I really enjoyed that book.
The forgetable god was an old god, because Wednesday was recruiting him. He was living in Los Vegas. He could manipulate money somewhat. I have no clue who he is.
Now I feel better. I did get Wednesday, because American Gods is about, well, gods, and the day of the week is named after Odin.
I didn’t cop to the Low Key thing. I might have eventually, but before I finished I accidentally opened up to the back of the book right to the page where his identity is revealed. I might not have, though, I didn’t get it right away. Wednesday I figured out immediately.
The word on the street is yes, that’s who that is.
The first review of the book I read, before I even knew the book existed, spoiled this. Thanks, reviewer guy!
I loved this book. But I didn’t figure out who Low-Key was, either. Probably because he was there in the beginning, but then was just mentioned as someone in Shadow’s past for a while… Now, re-reading, since I know who he is, it all falls together nicely. The Hinzelmann reveal was perfect and creepy.
I didn’t think of Shadow as Baldur, but then I am not as familiar with that mythology as I ought to be.
I got it immediately, but I was listening to the audiobook, and also I was familiar with Gaiman’s work in Sandman, where Loki and Wotan are important minor characters.
–Cliffy
I think I caught on to both Low-key and Wednesday pretty quickly… though that could be just with hindsight.
Hinzelmann’s identity caught me off guard, however.