A Review Of Good Omens

     

    The novel Good Omens written by Nail Gaiman and Terry Prachett is a book that I started reading in the Spring, put down for 6 months and only recently finished. Although that may make it sound as though I did not enjoy the book, I actually really did! So here is what it’s about and why you should read it!

Good Omens is a comedy about the apocalypse. Its writing style is unlike any other book I have ever read, with an almost self aware type of narration that is constantly feeding jokes(it is debated if that narrator is meant to be the voice of God), and footnotes that are meant to be funny. The perspective is constantly rotating between different characters, however the main two characters are Aziraphale and Crowley, an angel and a demon(otherwise known as an angel who did not so much Fall as Saunter Vaguely Downwards). 

The story follows closely the friendship between the two completely contrary supernatural beings. It opens with them watching over the Garden Of Eden, and Crowley(known as Crawly at the time as he is in fact the serpent that told Eve to eat the apple) delivers an important question that shapes the story, “I can’t see what’s so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil anyway.” This quote that questions God’s authority and His divine plan gets stressed majorly as the friends begin to realize all actions they do as they roam Earth gets canceled out by the other. And more importantly as the angel and demon roam Earth they begin to actually quite like it and all its little charms.

The plot of this book comes from a simple baby given to Crowley that is in fact the Antichrist. The Dukes of Hell instruct Crowley to give Satan’s son to an American diplomat, and influence him with Hellish ideas. Crowley however does not necessarily want this as he and Aziraphale have come quite fond of Earth in their time there. However, due to the chaos of two families giving birth that night, unfortunate timing, and some unorganized satanic nuns, the Antichrist ends up going home to a quiet family living in a small town called Tadville. So as Crowley and Aziraphale crack a deal to feed the boy satanic and heavenly ideas in order to allow him to make his own choices, they are instructing the wrong boy entirely. The real Antichrist, a boy named Adam, is living without any influence of any supernatural being. As the boy turns twelve, receives his hellhound, and Heaven and Hell prepare for war the story picks up and begins to be told by days of the week, Saturday being Armageddon. 

There are plenty of little details and important characters that I have not mentioned that help shape the story. Characters like a witch who has accurately predicted all of Earth's comings in a long long book named Agnes Nutter. Agnes’ distant descendant Anathema. A boy, who accidentally became a witch hunter. Hastur(The Duke of Hell), Beelzebub(the Prince of Hell), God(God), and Satan(Satan). As well as a motor gang of Famine, War, Pollution, and Death. And Dog(a not so vicious hellhound).

Good Omens is full of wonderful quotes, great writing, and hilarious narration. The book delivers many messages like friendship, free will, good vs. evil and if it really matters. The story ends asking the question: is this what God had planned all along? If you want a good comedy and fun story about human nature and friendship, you should read Good Omens!

-Miranda Isaacs