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adventuresinfantasy's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
katykelly's review
4.0
I relished I Lucifer, loved Good Omens. Anything irreverent about religious mythologies I like to try.
And I wasn't disappointed with Clovenhoof. It's not as clever as Good Omens (and even slightly immature sometimes) but it's very funny, and in the same vein, lots of interconnecting characters all form a story around the central character, here The Devil. He's been found wanting - his managerial style is lacking, his results lacklustre. He's sent to Earth to live his life there among the humans, minus his powers, as everyman Jeremy Clovenhoof. Though he's not exactly an everyman...
I did enjoy the irony (coming from the Black Country) of Jeremy ending up in the hell-on-earth that is the Birmingham suburb. His neighbours and the people he meets that (somehow, probably unrealistically) become his friends make the story really, their own tales and plots amusing and dovetailing together nicely by the end. My favourite scenes were those that connect with the supernatural, those in Hell and Heaven and the characters given to the famous mythological being we are familiar with.
A great read to make you smile, lots of fun-poking and chortles (some of them a little rude). And also an eye-catching and nicely designed cover.
With thanks to the authors for the review copy.
And I wasn't disappointed with Clovenhoof. It's not as clever as Good Omens (and even slightly immature sometimes) but it's very funny, and in the same vein, lots of interconnecting characters all form a story around the central character, here The Devil. He's been found wanting - his managerial style is lacking, his results lacklustre. He's sent to Earth to live his life there among the humans, minus his powers, as everyman Jeremy Clovenhoof. Though he's not exactly an everyman...
I did enjoy the irony (coming from the Black Country) of Jeremy ending up in the hell-on-earth that is the Birmingham suburb. His neighbours and the people he meets that (somehow, probably unrealistically) become his friends make the story really, their own tales and plots amusing and dovetailing together nicely by the end. My favourite scenes were those that connect with the supernatural, those in Hell and Heaven and the characters given to the famous mythological being we are familiar with.
A great read to make you smile, lots of fun-poking and chortles (some of them a little rude). And also an eye-catching and nicely designed cover.
With thanks to the authors for the review copy.
mbfeeney's review
3.0
I was recommended this book over on Goodreads by a friend from Twitter. I read the blurb and nearly wet myself so I bought it straight away and began to read.
When I realised that was set near where I live, which made it all the better as I could empathise with the main character and picture where he was throughout the story.
The story started off really well, and I was literally laughing out loud, but after a while, I began to find it a little samey. There were still a lot of moments that made me laugh, but they were fewer and further between, until the final few chapters, which is when the story picked up again.
The writing style reminded me of "The Queen and I" by Sue Townsend, but I feel Townsend's book was better executed.
During reading, I couldn't tell that this book was written by two authors which is a huge compliment to them managing to create a seamless tale as I have read a few collaborations in which you can see what each author has written which then makes the story a little choppy.
I would read more of the Clovenhoof books, but not right away.
When I realised that was set near where I live, which made it all the better as I could empathise with the main character and picture where he was throughout the story.
The story started off really well, and I was literally laughing out loud, but after a while, I began to find it a little samey. There were still a lot of moments that made me laugh, but they were fewer and further between, until the final few chapters, which is when the story picked up again.
The writing style reminded me of "The Queen and I" by Sue Townsend, but I feel Townsend's book was better executed.
During reading, I couldn't tell that this book was written by two authors which is a huge compliment to them managing to create a seamless tale as I have read a few collaborations in which you can see what each author has written which then makes the story a little choppy.
I would read more of the Clovenhoof books, but not right away.
stevemac's review against another edition
5.0
Outrageously irreverent but also Outrageously funny. It had me reduced to tears (of laughter!) in places.
hobhouchin's review against another edition
4.0
You have to like the kind of humour the book comes with... and there is plenty of it in there.
Accept it the way it is and don't try to pull it apart for maybe not being political correct all the time and for some of the characters being a little stereotypical at times, and you are in for a treat.
Accept it the way it is and don't try to pull it apart for maybe not being political correct all the time and for some of the characters being a little stereotypical at times, and you are in for a treat.
odomaf's review against another edition
4.0
I can't even count how many times I laughed aloud reading this book. It's completely ridiculous, and it doesn't pretend to be anything else.
WHAT I LIKED
--------------------
* Snappy dialogue, whether quick-witted or (intended) conversational disasters between characters.
* The "business" aspects of heaven and hell, with their agendas, board meetings, performance review system, etc. My joy in this comes partly from having had such responsibilities in my own career.
* The level of absurdity brought me such delight. The author holds nothing back, each event and scene impossibly topping the last.
I usually include a "what I didn't like" section of reviews, but I wouldn't say there's anything in Clovenhoof that I really didn't like. The plot got a little "shaggy dog" and could have perhaps been tightened up a bit. The villain's motivations are a little flat and predictable by the end, but even that has a self-aware humor to it.
NOTE: This book is highly sacrilegious in it's satire and biting wit. If that kind of humor is not your taste for you on faith reasons, you want to avoid this book.
WHAT I LIKED
--------------------
* Snappy dialogue, whether quick-witted or (intended) conversational disasters between characters.
* The "business" aspects of heaven and hell, with their agendas, board meetings, performance review system, etc. My joy in this comes partly from having had such responsibilities in my own career.
* The level of absurdity brought me such delight. The author holds nothing back, each event and scene impossibly topping the last.
I usually include a "what I didn't like" section of reviews, but I wouldn't say there's anything in Clovenhoof that I really didn't like. The plot got a little "shaggy dog" and could have perhaps been tightened up a bit. The villain's motivations are a little flat and predictable by the end, but even that has a self-aware humor to it.
NOTE: This book is highly sacrilegious in it's satire and biting wit. If that kind of humor is not your taste for you on faith reasons, you want to avoid this book.
stella_starstruck's review against another edition
3.0
It had its moments and had times which were very funny. I enjoyed it and might get the sequel if I run across it.
hiphipmurray97's review against another edition
3.0
3.25 stars. It's an interesting premise, even if it's not novel. There are some rib-shakingly funny passages and some thoughtful, endearing sections. Overall, it reads less like a novel and more like a TV series, with most chapters holding a self-contained plot; the only exception is the finale.
reasonpassion's review against another edition
4.0
This was so much fun. Satan amongst humans that he both loathes and doesn't understand at all. The antics he gets into in his ignorance all funneled through anger about being fired from his job in Hell are just priceless. Then there's the completely irreverent take on angels and the saints. All in all a fantastic hilarious story.