This book is the funniest thing I have ever read. Several times I found myself chuckling like a maniac joke after joke with everyone who may have been in the room staring about me as if they were confirming my suspicions. While the children of today would wonder why I'm laughing at that strange bunch of paper in my hand that seems to be glued together at one end. They would run to their parents who were attempting to sleep on the park benches during the fifteen minutes a day they didn't have to entertain their children or bosses, and fill their heads with ridiculous questions while the parents would suddenly wonder how they raised such stupid children. I would then question what I'm doing in a park full of children(isn't that how people get arrested these days?), and head home to finish my novel in peace.
Lamb, as the cover of the book suggests is the Gospel according to Biff: Christ's childhood pal. Indeed Levi who is called Biff is the protagonist and narrator. The story goes that Biff was Jesus' best friend and is now being brought back from the dead to write a new chapter in the Bible from his point of view.
Jesus in this text is referred to as Joshua(Which is actually the English version of his actual name Yeshua. Look it up). I like this because it is much easier to relate to a character named Josh than a character named Jesus. Josh is a terrific character. Witty and likeable, but retaining all the values of what made up Jesus Christ while still being relate-able and actually a little flawed. That's the biggie. Something I loved which a lot of people will hate is that Josh is not perfect. I've never understood why people make a big fuss about this. Isn't just as inspiring that a real human being with flaws who overcame those flaws achieved the things that Jesus of Nazareth did? I guess not. Most people want to believe their idols are all perfect. Jesus was perfect, George Washington chopped down that cherry tree, and Ben Franklin certainly discovered electricity. Yep it definitely wasn't the Greek scientists thousands of years before. Nope it was Ben "Granny fucking" Franklin. If your wondering why I gave one of the founding fathers, who I do believe was a brilliant man by the way, that nickname. Do some research on Franklin's theories about sex. Yes, children, the founding fathers did have premarital sex like normal human beings despite the theory that they were genitalia-less arch-angels sent from God via manifest destiny.
Back from my rant to the actual book I am reviewing. Josh and Biff are a great duo. Josh is everything you want in a Messiah. A kind, wise, and down to Earth philosopher who you could definitely see people wanting to rally behind. Biff is a great foil. He is loud, rude,sarcastic, and as the angel Raziel refers to him in the prologue, an asshole. Though a dick, Biff does have a heart and it shows through in his narration. He is more the street-wise equivalent to Josh. He does the bad but necessary things so Josh doesn't have to. Other characters from the Bible include Mary Magdalene, known as as Maggie, Mary, Joseph, The three wise men, John the Baptist, and of course all the disciples.
Christopher Moore's comedic timing is perfect. He master's comedy in writing like no one I've ever read. The jokes hit hard every time, but never fail to make the bring down the story and tone. The story is heartfelt and serious when it needs to be. It explores the missing years of Jesus' life for the first two acts and respectable depicts the years that are covered in the Bible. Never failing to make the reader laugh, and just as unimportant, never failing to make the reader feel.
I loved this book. It's a fantastic read for anyone looking to laugh at a great story. It's a terrific piece of fiction about Jesus and is respectful so anyone can enjoy it whether they or religious or not. If you are offended by this book or simply the plot of it let me leave you with a quote by the author, "This story is not and never as meant to challenge anyone's faith; however, if one's faith can be shaken by stories in a humorous novel, one may have a bit more praying to do."-Christopher Moore
No comments:
Post a Comment