Helpful Score: 3
Well...I hardly ever write reviews, but with this book I feel compelled. Must read..must read..must read I chant to myself as I flip the pages eagerly. I find this book to light, uplifting and incredibly funny. I've added another year to my life from laughing so much. Thank you Marie Phillips for a job well done. This book is a keeper.
Helpful Score: 3
Brilliant and entertaining! I enjoyed this immensely, irreverent, sexy and very clever!
Helpful Score: 2
This book was not only clever, but it was extremely entertaining. While a bit predictable, the humor and personalities more than made up for it. It was a quick read, but definitely not fluff.
Helpful Score: 1
Gods Behaving Badly is a set in modern-day London, where the Olypian Gods are being awfully naughty in their own little ways. All of thier immortal lives get involved with some lowly mortals and havoc insues. A little on the R-rated side, but this is a fast, fun, read.
Helpful Score: 1
I am a sucker for Greek/Roman mythology, especially stories that re-invent the gods and goddesses in any way (see Percy Jackson series).
This story takes the gods and goddesses and moves them to modern day London. They are all living in a run down flat and they are all slowly losing their powers. One day, Artemis, hires Alice to clean the flat. Alice is caught in the middle of a prank war between Apollo and Aphrodite and now the entire world needs saving.
Very cleverly written "hero" story with a not entirely surprising ending. However, like most fiction, the journey makes it all worthwhile.
This story takes the gods and goddesses and moves them to modern day London. They are all living in a run down flat and they are all slowly losing their powers. One day, Artemis, hires Alice to clean the flat. Alice is caught in the middle of a prank war between Apollo and Aphrodite and now the entire world needs saving.
Very cleverly written "hero" story with a not entirely surprising ending. However, like most fiction, the journey makes it all worthwhile.
Helpful Score: 1
If you can get past the (in my opinion) gratuitous, somewhat explicit sex scenes in the beginning of the book, this is a very enjoyable book. (I'm no prude, it just seemed unnecessary).
This book is really funny and quirky and unusual. Since the main characters are Greek gods, a teeny bit of knowledge of the Greek mythology is helpful, but most characters are explained well enough in the book.
I recommend this book if you are looking for a different, humorous read.
This book is really funny and quirky and unusual. Since the main characters are Greek gods, a teeny bit of knowledge of the Greek mythology is helpful, but most characters are explained well enough in the book.
I recommend this book if you are looking for a different, humorous read.
Helpful Score: 1
A very entertaining book! I like the 21st century take on the Greek gods.
Helpful Score: 1
This book's overview grabbed my attention. It is a very different idea for a topic. I really enjoyed this and was a fun, fast read.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was interesting. Very creative and is very easy to read. It's worth reading once for the experience; though I will be blunt and say if you're religious; you might not want to read this because you will get upset at some conversations in the story (it's about Greek Gods; so you know they're going to refer to themselves as the only God(s) )
I thought it was fun and a change in pace of books. If you want a change and an easy read; try this book.
I thought it was fun and a change in pace of books. If you want a change and an easy read; try this book.
Helpful Score: 1
Basic Overview
Gods Behaving Badly can best be described as a rollicking, irreverent, bawdy romp! The poor Greek gods of Olympus have fallen on hard times because some upstart named Jesus has kind of cornered the market on believers. Living in dilapidated house in London, the gods are forced to take *gasp* actual jobs that are quite beneath them -- Aphrodite (goddess of beauty) works as a phone sex operator, Artemis (goddess of hunting) is a professional dog walker, and Apollo (god of the sun) is slumming it up as TV psychic. Things begin to go awry when Apollo -- being a bit of a blowhard -- offends Aphrodite and she decides to take revenge by having her son Eros make him fall in love with a mortal named Alice. Let's just say things go a bit astray, one thing leads to another, and yada, yada, yada ... Alice's love Neil must undertake a journey to the underworld (it's not quite what you imagined...this author has quite the sense of humor) and literally save the world.
My Thoughts
This book was so fun to read and amazingly creative that I found it hard to believe this was the author's first book! She has such a great imagination, and I love how she updated the Greek gods to the 21st century. I pretty much had a smile on my face for the entire book. Unless you lack a sense of humor, are easily offended or don't appreciate irreverence in regard to religion, I guarantee you will like this book! I'm giving it two thumbs up, and A+, an Oscar, a Grammy, a SAG award, and 1,000,000 stars! I'm sure this book will be on my "Best Books Read in 2009" list!
Gods Behaving Badly can best be described as a rollicking, irreverent, bawdy romp! The poor Greek gods of Olympus have fallen on hard times because some upstart named Jesus has kind of cornered the market on believers. Living in dilapidated house in London, the gods are forced to take *gasp* actual jobs that are quite beneath them -- Aphrodite (goddess of beauty) works as a phone sex operator, Artemis (goddess of hunting) is a professional dog walker, and Apollo (god of the sun) is slumming it up as TV psychic. Things begin to go awry when Apollo -- being a bit of a blowhard -- offends Aphrodite and she decides to take revenge by having her son Eros make him fall in love with a mortal named Alice. Let's just say things go a bit astray, one thing leads to another, and yada, yada, yada ... Alice's love Neil must undertake a journey to the underworld (it's not quite what you imagined...this author has quite the sense of humor) and literally save the world.
My Thoughts
This book was so fun to read and amazingly creative that I found it hard to believe this was the author's first book! She has such a great imagination, and I love how she updated the Greek gods to the 21st century. I pretty much had a smile on my face for the entire book. Unless you lack a sense of humor, are easily offended or don't appreciate irreverence in regard to religion, I guarantee you will like this book! I'm giving it two thumbs up, and A+, an Oscar, a Grammy, a SAG award, and 1,000,000 stars! I'm sure this book will be on my "Best Books Read in 2009" list!
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this! A very clever melding of ancient Olympic gods thrown into modern-day London. Lots of wit and British-y humor, as well as irreverent sex scenes and use of vulgarities (if you don't like sex and cussing, don't get this book). Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is a phone sex worker. Ares, God of War, complains he can never go on vacation because "every place I go turns into a war zone" and he is "trying to start a land war in Asia". Add in a pair of nerdy mortals who love Scrabble, and it all adds up to a quick, fun summer read. Highly recommended.
I loved this! A very clever melding of ancient Olympic gods thrown into modern-day London. Lots of wit and British-y humor, as well as irreverent sex scenes and use of vulgarities (if you don't like sex and cussing, don't get this book). Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is a phone sex worker. Ares, God of War, complains he can never go on vacation because "every place I go turns into a war zone" and he is "trying to start a land war in Asia". Add in a pair of nerdy mortals who love Scrabble, and it all adds up to a quick, fun summer read. Highly recommended.
A plot with some potential largely squandered, lacking the charm of Thorne Smith's "The Night Life of the Gods" as well as the verisimilitude of Maurice Druon's "The Memoirs of Zeus." For some comedy involving the gods, though, nobody really does it better than Aristophanes.
I loved this! A very clever melding of ancient Olympic gods thrown into modern-day London. Lots of wit and British-y humor, as well as irreverent sex scenes and use of vulgarities (if you don't like sex and cussing, don't get this book). Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is a phone sex worker. Ares, God of War, complains he can never go on vacation because "every place I go turns into a war zone" and he is "trying to start a land war in Asia". Add in a pair of nerdy mortals who love Scrabble, and it all adds up to a quick, fun summer read. Highly recommended.
I thought this was a really engaging, cute, creative story. The Gods of Olympus live together in a filthy, ramshackle hovel in London. As a result of their petty bickering, mortals Alice and Neil find themselves stuck in a comedy of errors, of sorts. The Gods' power is rapidly dwindling, and they must inspire belief in the mortals in order to save the planet. I laughed out loud, and lovers of Greek mythology would certainly get a kick out of it. Well done.
This book was a quick read and cute...
Good story. The gods living together in a house in New York. Now in a less powerful state and becoming less powerful each day. But beware, I tossed this book in my bag to take on a Girl Scout camp out, and it was WAY too graphic for that event. Keep out of reach of kiddies! But a fun and heartwarming story about nerd love and being a hero.
I enjoyed the Alice/Neil storyline but the gods were so self-absorbed and bitchy. I couldn't stand them though I guess you really couldn't expect any less from a bunch of gods.
Thankfully I listened to this as an audiobook, otherwise I never would have finished it. I was bored to death with the gods BS in the first few chapters but if you can get past that, the story is really good and the whole Alice/Neil thing is well worth reading. Sappy love story which had me in tears at the end but it definitely was the only plus to this book. (would have been 2 stars otherwise.)
Thankfully I listened to this as an audiobook, otherwise I never would have finished it. I was bored to death with the gods BS in the first few chapters but if you can get past that, the story is really good and the whole Alice/Neil thing is well worth reading. Sappy love story which had me in tears at the end but it definitely was the only plus to this book. (would have been 2 stars otherwise.)
Great take on what the Greek Gods are up to in the 21st century. Most of the Gods I thought were pegged pretty well in their 21st century roles, but there were a couple I was plesantly surprised by, especially based on how they were always portrayed in mythology
The mortal characters are well written and you end up rooting for them as the story plays out.
The mortal characters are well written and you end up rooting for them as the story plays out.
Very amusing book. Great if you like Greek mythology - it maintains much of the standard cosmology with a good twist for modern day. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I loved this book. The plot was great, the characters believable. You also get a great history of the Greek gods.
Loved this book. Maybe I'd gotten into a rut with too many dramas lately, but this was light, offbeat, irreverent and refreshing. My knowledge of the gods was negligible, but they were indeed behaving badly and made for a fun book. My favorite line was in the last few pages of the book. I can't repeat it here as it contains a naughty word, but I laughed out loud at it!
Amusing, quick read. Starts out dull but picks up at the end.
Not all gods are good. Some will give you forgiveness - others will turn you into a tree. Or kill you, depending on their mood.
Thus, we meet the mythological gods of yore: not the magical, reigning deities they were, but the disgruntled, work-laden city dwellers they are now. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, is now a phone-sex operator; goddess of hunting and chastity, Artemis, walks dogs; and Apollo, god of the sun, is a TV psychic (with help from actually psychic, nearly naked prophetesses). Several of their relatives live with them in the house, including a god that causes battles wherever he goes; a newly-Christian god (go figure); a goddess who claims to know why she and her relatives are losing their power, but can't clearly communicate it; and the god of thunder and sky, Zeus, who has only watched television in his bed on the never-visited third floor for a past few centuries.
All seems well and in order until Aphrodite's son Eros hits Apollo with a cupid's arrow, causing him to fall in love with mortal Alice during the taping of his show Apollo's Oracle. Alice, whose presence at the show with best friend Neil gets her fired from the studio, goes freelance with her cleaning job and winds up at the house of the gods, hired by Artemis. But Apollo, still crazy in love with the mortal miss, sets off a chain of unexpected events that may lead to the end of the world...all because Alice rejects his request to rape her.
Phillips is extremely imaginative with the characters in Gods Behaving Badly, giving modern personality to honored figures of ancient times. Apollo's playboy attitude throughout the book sets the standard for the disaster and mayhem that ensues and brings clarity to his extremely forward approaches to women of interest. ("I'd like to rape you, but would that cause you harm?" is one of his plentifully questionable tidbits.) The remaining ensemble characters are superb and involved in the story line in just the right ways and at the right times; and their occupations are uniquely related to their individual powers, providing an insightful look at their abilities.
The storyline is very interesting to follow, especially the trips to the underworld, where its occupants (Earth's dead) live eternally without the obligation of money, hunger, pain or feeling. It's a fresh look into the often contemplated afterlife, though the presence of three-headed dog Cerberus would scare the bejeezus out of anyone, living or dead.
What is most heartwarming about the crazy tale is the hidden power behind Neil's secret love for Alice, taking him before the throne of Hades and Persephone to plead for her life after a fatal strike of lightning (thanks a lot, Zeus). If there's anything you can be sure of from this book, though, it's this: Never trust an old, naked man on a roof. You'll see what I mean.
Thus, we meet the mythological gods of yore: not the magical, reigning deities they were, but the disgruntled, work-laden city dwellers they are now. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty, is now a phone-sex operator; goddess of hunting and chastity, Artemis, walks dogs; and Apollo, god of the sun, is a TV psychic (with help from actually psychic, nearly naked prophetesses). Several of their relatives live with them in the house, including a god that causes battles wherever he goes; a newly-Christian god (go figure); a goddess who claims to know why she and her relatives are losing their power, but can't clearly communicate it; and the god of thunder and sky, Zeus, who has only watched television in his bed on the never-visited third floor for a past few centuries.
All seems well and in order until Aphrodite's son Eros hits Apollo with a cupid's arrow, causing him to fall in love with mortal Alice during the taping of his show Apollo's Oracle. Alice, whose presence at the show with best friend Neil gets her fired from the studio, goes freelance with her cleaning job and winds up at the house of the gods, hired by Artemis. But Apollo, still crazy in love with the mortal miss, sets off a chain of unexpected events that may lead to the end of the world...all because Alice rejects his request to rape her.
Phillips is extremely imaginative with the characters in Gods Behaving Badly, giving modern personality to honored figures of ancient times. Apollo's playboy attitude throughout the book sets the standard for the disaster and mayhem that ensues and brings clarity to his extremely forward approaches to women of interest. ("I'd like to rape you, but would that cause you harm?" is one of his plentifully questionable tidbits.) The remaining ensemble characters are superb and involved in the story line in just the right ways and at the right times; and their occupations are uniquely related to their individual powers, providing an insightful look at their abilities.
The storyline is very interesting to follow, especially the trips to the underworld, where its occupants (Earth's dead) live eternally without the obligation of money, hunger, pain or feeling. It's a fresh look into the often contemplated afterlife, though the presence of three-headed dog Cerberus would scare the bejeezus out of anyone, living or dead.
What is most heartwarming about the crazy tale is the hidden power behind Neil's secret love for Alice, taking him before the throne of Hades and Persephone to plead for her life after a fatal strike of lightning (thanks a lot, Zeus). If there's anything you can be sure of from this book, though, it's this: Never trust an old, naked man on a roof. You'll see what I mean.
My Rating: A+
This is one of the sweetest love stories I've read recently. I feel in love with the love that Alice and Neil have for each other, if that makes sense. The gods, as selfish and wily as always cause so much havoc, sometimes without even realizing it. Each character becomes one that you instantly want to know more about, and wish that there was more time spent on them.
A quick and easy, but ultimately heartwarming read, I will be looking for more of Miss Phillips work!!
This is one of the sweetest love stories I've read recently. I feel in love with the love that Alice and Neil have for each other, if that makes sense. The gods, as selfish and wily as always cause so much havoc, sometimes without even realizing it. Each character becomes one that you instantly want to know more about, and wish that there was more time spent on them.
A quick and easy, but ultimately heartwarming read, I will be looking for more of Miss Phillips work!!
I loved this! A very clever melding of ancient Olympic gods thrown into modern-day London. Lots of wit and British-y humor, as well as irreverent sex scenes and use of vulgarities (if you don't like sex and cussing, don't get this book). Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is a phone sex worker. Ares, God of War, complains he can never go on vacation because "every place I go turns into a war zone" and he is "trying to start a land war in Asia". Add in a pair of nerdy mortals who love Scrabble, and it all adds up to a quick, fun summer read. Highly recommended.
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?
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?
I loved the premise of this book but was not happy 1/3 of the way through as it seemed to be simply a disjointed, disfunctional family tale with god/desses behaving worse than many humans. I almost refused to finish, which would definitely have been a dishonor to the author. Suddenly, the last quarter of the book tied all the loose ends together and was an astonishingly witty social commentary on many levels. I found myself not wanting to put it down. Well worth reading all the way to the end.
I just couldn't get into this book as much as I had hoped. The gods were witty and sometimes entertaining but mostly self-absorbed and obnoxious. Some were just downright slutty. Just not my style but maybe it is yours.
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?
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?
