Monday, December 24, 2007

Pg. 69: Marie Phillips' "Gods Behaving Badly"

The current feature at the Page 69 Test: Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips.

About the book, from the publisher:

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?
Among the praise for Gods Behaving Badly:

"Witty and entertaining . . . an auspicious debut that outrageously libels the classical pantheon."
—James Urquhart, Financial Times

"A joyful frolic. . . . This novel will not only make you laugh and give you a nice warm fuzzy feeling; it will also provide a good basic grounding in Greek mythology."
—Lisa Gee, The Independent

"A swaggering caper ... ingeniously imagined and satisfyingly lusty."
—Catherine Taylor, The Guardian

"Very, very funny.... This book charms and provokes."
—Bettany Hughes, Times of London

"Funny and unpretentious, witty and readable."
—Francesca Segal, The Observer

"What makes the novel stand out - and it really does stand out - is its originality and lightness of touch."
—Jessamy Calkin, Daily Telegraph Magazine

Read more about the novel and watch a video of Phillips talking about Gods Behaving Badly.

Learn more about the author and her writing at the official Marie Phillips website and The Woman Who Talked Too much blog.

The Page 69 Test: Gods Behaving Badly.

--Marshal Zeringue