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A review by rubeusbeaky
Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips
5.0
This book was endearing, thoughtful, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. It was also a little too neat, highly predictable, but I was emotionally invested and along for the ride. Neil and Alice's nerd love was perfectly adorable, and I understand them, and feel for them, on a deeeeeply personal level XD. I love that this book reads like a mash-up of Miracle Workers and a Lemony Snicket book, juxtaposing the complexities of human emotions with the ABSURD vanity and vices of the antagonists. The book opened up a lot of discussions about what it means to live a full life, what to do with the limited time we are given on this planet, and how we each put value on different experiences so there is no one "Right" way to be. I think the most moving scene in the whole book was when Artemis (asexual) broke down and confessed to a mortal that her family doesn't understand her lack of interest in sex, ridicules her constantly, and assumes she doesn't care about anything; when they could not be further from the truth, Artemis cares the most out of anyone in the pantheon.
As moving as the book was, the epilogue is a little weak? The book, initially, entertains the idea that any faith (even atheism) is worth believing in, so long as it inspires you to spread love/kindness/empathy, etc. But the ending of the book comes down rather literally, and seems to imply, "Nope, just kidding, only the Greek gods are real, obey them, abandon your misconceptions about faith." I wish it had stayed in the realm of "being human is complicated", because that was a stronger message. But hey, a few pages of literalness for a book's worth of complex thoughts and feelings seems an ok trade. I enjoyed it ^_^.
As moving as the book was, the epilogue is a little weak? The book, initially, entertains the idea that any faith (even atheism) is worth believing in, so long as it inspires you to spread love/kindness/empathy, etc. But the ending of the book comes down rather literally, and seems to imply, "Nope, just kidding, only the Greek gods are real, obey them, abandon your misconceptions about faith." I wish it had stayed in the realm of "being human is complicated", because that was a stronger message. But hey, a few pages of literalness for a book's worth of complex thoughts and feelings seems an ok trade. I enjoyed it ^_^.