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.
satsuma.rat –
It is loamy and earthy, with just a slight hint of violet – like decaying leaves in a garden after the first hard frost of autumn. Does not have a great deal of throw, but it’s the kind of very personal scent that doesn’t need to.
Jandmk –
When first sniffed, I was unsure. It smells rather rough, gravelly, and not exceedingly pleasant, but I dove ahead. Upon dry down it loses that rough note and becomes very smooth…reminiscent of a fine gentleman’s cologne. It winds up rather refined and smooth. A lovely blend which is both masculine and unisex. On my skin the dry down settled into a lush cologne scent with hints of the floral sweetness the description hints at. It sort of reminds me of a darker, rougher version of Jareth. Less refined and complex, but every bit as attention grabbing and intoxicating.
Jenjin –
Dark, almost muddy patch upon application, it’s really earthy and I’m left looking for the “midnight raven” I was hoping for. Thankfully, the dank wood settles down into smoky resins, while the dark, gloomy sweet, violet resins warm up to float atop. After a couple minutes, the drydown is all glistening blackest purple notes. Simple, yet great. Dry, yet slightly sweet, rather silky, and smooth. There’s a palpable, silky, mellow woody feel at the very base. A black floral opaline scent, the smell of feathers and dusty wings, luminous and decadent, and so nicely resinous-almost silvery. The violet is there, although much restrained, just a drop of color. After a while it gets velvety like the night sky, quite unique in its own way and wonderful on my skin.