Gods Behaving Badly
A Novel
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4.2 • 96 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
In this “witty and entertaining” twist on Greek mythology (James Urquhart), the once all-powerful gods find themselves scraping by in a run-down London townhouse as they learn how to be human—and try not to destroy the world in the process.
Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse—and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ.
Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees—a favorite pastime of Apollo's—is sapping their vital reserves of strength.
Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, must fear not only for their own lives, but for the survival of humankind. Nothing less than a true act of heroism is needed—but can these two decidedly ordinary people replicate the feats of the mythical heroes and save the world?
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
This farcical romp brings the Greek pantheon of gods into modern times…kicking and screaming. With their popularity fading, 12 of the Greek gods are sharing a cramped town house in London. Aphrodite thinks it would be funny to make Apollo fall in love with their cleaning lady—until her practical joke sends them all on a wild escapade involving no less than the fate of humanity. We loved following along as Marie Phillips’ lecherous and immature versions of the gods try to get by in the 21st century, navigating increasingly absurd and fraught situations. This is a fun must-read for fans of Good Omens or American Gods.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British blogger Phillips's delightful debut finds the Greek gods and goddesses living in a tumbledown house in modern-day London and facing a very serious problem: their powers are waning, and immortality does not seem guaranteed. In between looking for work and keeping house, the ancient family is still up to its oldest pursuit: crossing and double-crossing each other. Apollo, who has been cosmically bored for centuries, has been appearing as a television psychic in a bid for stardom. His aunt Aphrodite, a phone-sex worker, sabotages him by having her son Eros shoot him with an arrow of love, making him fall for a very ordinary mortal a cleaning woman named Alice, who happens to be in love with Neil, another nice, retiring mortal. When Artemis the goddess of the moon, chastity and the hunt, who has been working as a dog walker hires Alice to tidy up, the household is set to combust, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Fanciful, humorous and charming, this satire is as sweet as nectar.
Customer Reviews
Gods behaving badly
The story plays out like a romantic comedy, and in turn, an entertaining read. The gods are all put into their characters well, and it would be easy to see this novel transition to the big screen. There are themes of aging and love with a little exploration into gender roles of society. All in all, fun.
Funny and Beautiful (just like Aphrodite) : )
This book really depicted the Greek Gods if they were incarnated in the modern world. Aphrodite and Artemis were my favorite. This book had a sweet ending, and it wasn’t what I expected. Great Job!
Gods behaving badly
Great read. Refreshing. Different slant