I've never seen any book evoke such a love-it-or-hate-it response as "American Gods." I've encountered a lot of people who've read it and they all think it's either a brilliant, amazing piece of fiction or a boring, predictable exercise in tedium. There's no middle ground, no going "eh, I kind of liked it." And I'm not alone. Gaiman himself has noticed this phenomenon and commented on it.

I guess in a way it makes the book a resounding success, that whether you love it or hate it, it always provokes a strong reaction.