Lamb
Christopher Moore is an author that people (men) always seem to think I'll love. They tell me he's hillarious, that he has an incredible grasp of the human condition which leads to reaistic and sympathetic characters you can't help but identify with. These people are wrong, and Christopher Moore remains an author that I just don't understand. Years ago I read his book, Blooduscking Fiends, which may be the worst vampire story I've ever read. And I've read then entire Twilight series.
Despite this, I always felt like I ought to give Lamb a chance. It's often held up as his best work, the book that serves as the best introduction to his work. So when I saw it at a used book sale, I picked it up. And when I listened to Jesus Christ Superstar this past Easter, I got the itch to read another take on the man behind the myth.
The good news is that this book wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. There are some genuinely insteresting ideas in here, particularly his decision to have Jesus study with masters of various Eastern philosophies and incorporate them into his own teachings. And the book certainly does knock the messiah down a peg or two, making him more relatable in the process.
The problem is the humor, which is oftern either juveinille or obvious. Or both. I groaned more than I laughed, and not in a good way. I felt like a good chunk of the book missed the mark.
It didn't help that I didn't care for the narrator at all. Biff is fine as a 6 year old boy. He's even halfway reasonable as a 13 year old boy on the cusp of manhood. But then he seems to get stuck with that mentality for the rest of his life. He's loyal, sure. But he's also sex-crazed, jealous, and rash. Maybe he's there to serve as a counterpoint to Jesus, higlight his humanity and his goodness. But if that was the point it fell flat. No, I suspect that Biff is supposed to be the awesome, relatable character that I simply found abhorrent.
I'm glad I read it, if only to realize that I didn't particularly need to read it.
Despite this, I always felt like I ought to give Lamb a chance. It's often held up as his best work, the book that serves as the best introduction to his work. So when I saw it at a used book sale, I picked it up. And when I listened to Jesus Christ Superstar this past Easter, I got the itch to read another take on the man behind the myth.
The good news is that this book wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. There are some genuinely insteresting ideas in here, particularly his decision to have Jesus study with masters of various Eastern philosophies and incorporate them into his own teachings. And the book certainly does knock the messiah down a peg or two, making him more relatable in the process.
The problem is the humor, which is oftern either juveinille or obvious. Or both. I groaned more than I laughed, and not in a good way. I felt like a good chunk of the book missed the mark.
It didn't help that I didn't care for the narrator at all. Biff is fine as a 6 year old boy. He's even halfway reasonable as a 13 year old boy on the cusp of manhood. But then he seems to get stuck with that mentality for the rest of his life. He's loyal, sure. But he's also sex-crazed, jealous, and rash. Maybe he's there to serve as a counterpoint to Jesus, higlight his humanity and his goodness. But if that was the point it fell flat. No, I suspect that Biff is supposed to be the awesome, relatable character that I simply found abhorrent.
I'm glad I read it, if only to realize that I didn't particularly need to read it.
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