We are marking the ten-year anniversary of our American Gods collaboration with Neil Gaiman by introducing the next installment of scents inspired by his beautiful, harrowing, heart-shredding novel. It is one of my favorite books and Neil is one of my favorite humans, so this project is extremely dear to my heart.
The paradigms were shifting. He could feel it. The old world, a world of infinite vastness and illimitable resources and future, was being confronted by something else-a web of energy, of opinions, of gulfs.
People believe, thought Shadow. It’s what people do. They believe. And then they will not take responsibility for their beliefs; they conjure things, and do not trust the conjurations. People populate the darkness; with ghosts, with gods, with electrons, with tales. People imagine, and people believe: and it is that belief, that rock-solid belief, that makes things happen.
The mountaintop was an arena; he saw that immediately. And on each side of the arena he could see them arrayed.
They were too big. Everything was too big in that place.
There were old gods in that place: gods with skins the brown of old mushrooms, the pink of chicken flesh, the yellow of autumn leaves. Some were crazy and some were sane. Shadow recognized the old gods. He’d met them already, or he’d met others like them. There were ifrits and piskies, giants and dwarfs. He saw the woman he had met in the darkened bedroom in Rhode Island, saw the writhing green snake-coils of her hair. He saw Mama-ji, from the carousel, and there was blood on her hands and a smile on her face. He knew them all.
He recognized the new ones, too.
Neil Gaiman is the winner of numerous literary honors and is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ocean at the End of the Lane, American Gods, Neverwhere, Stardust and Anansi Boys; the Sandman series of graphic novels; three short story collections and one book of essays, The View From the Cheap Seats.
Neil is the first author to win both the Carnegie Medal and the Newbery Medal for one work, The Graveyard Book. He also writes books for readers of all ages including the novels Fortunately, the Milk and Odd and the Frost Giants and picture books including The Sleeper and the Spindle and the Chu’s Day series. Neil’s most recent publication, Norse Mythology has topped bestseller lists worldwide.
Originally from England, he now lives in the USA. He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers, and he says he owes it all to reading the Writers’ & Artists’ Yearbook as a young man.
This series based on Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, winner of the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, SFX Magazine and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel, and now a Starz television series.
Visit Neil’s official site, American Gods at Starz, and NeverWear.
Your purchase from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab will help our friends at the National Coalition Against Censorship promote and defend First Amendment rights.
Original American Gods art by Hugo-winner Julie Dillon.
PERFUME OIL BLENDS
Presented in an amber apothecary glass vial.
Because of the nature of this project, imps are not available for any American Gods scents.
Allyse –
When I smelled this one for the first time this is what I saw/felt:
It was that feeling of venturing out on a snow day. Bundled up to the gills. Your breath hanging in the air. Finding one of those big evergreens, branches weighed down heavily with snow. When you’re young and small, you can dip through the bottom-most branches and shelter inside like a tent. The air is cold and sharp, but somehow bright and inviting. Underneath the tree, you’re sheltered from the brunt of the wind. Every once in a while a little wisp of a breeze flies through swirling some of the more powdery snow. The scent itself is warm, even though it brings memories of a cold environment.
The fir smell is undeniable but not so strong that it feels like you’re overwhelmed by a Christmas tree. I can’t say I definitely smell apple. I don’t usually think of citrus and winter but somehow I think it translates well as that little touch of winter bite. I bought a second bottle within a week!
nikkivandecar –
This is my favorite BPAL scent…and I have a lot. It’s mysterious, with a musky vanilla combined with bright fir-citrus. It makes me feel witchy and powerful, in a way that is still very feminine and soft.
catrionaforgey1 –
Absolutely lovely. It smells like moonbeams–silvery and light and delicate. The fir and apple blossom and musk balance out the lemon into something a little sweeter and less sharp. The lemon peel is the main note when it’s first on, but it becomes more balanced as it wears.
Lady Lilith –
Take the Moon. In the bottle it smells crisp and clean, almost like a wintery night (which I imagine is the white fir needle and frosted apple blossom), On my skin (warmed up) it has mellowed out beautifully into this not quite citrusy smell, which I imagine is the combo of musk and lemon peel.
Whilst hesitant at first with the sharp crispness, I love how it rests on me and cannot wait for this to be back in stock.