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Gods Behaving Badly (Abridged): A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 6,780 listener ratings
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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?
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"Artemis, great huntress, ravager of defiling men, chaste guardian of the moon, leader of the hunt amidst the unspoiled and serene wilds, wears a track suit and walks inbred dogs. At least, in modern times she does. She and her Olympian family have been forced to relocate to a crumbling house in London, expelled by the rise of Christianity from their Greek homeland and the minds of humans. To make ends meet, the gods must labor like the poor schlubs they would torment in the good old days. Aphrodite works as a phone sex operator; Apollo, when not transmogrifying rebuffing conquests into trees, tries rather vaingloriously and unsuccessfully to be a TV psychic. Hermes is a workaholic, having been drafted in earlier times as the god of money, he never gets to stop in the modern age of financial worship. Demeter is withering like the plants she struggles to tend, and nobody has seen Zeus or Hera in some time. To say the Olympian family has fallen from lofty heights would be something of an understatement.However Gods Behaving Badly is not just about the pouting and insouciant downward plunge of faded deities. It is a love story. A love story of the grandiosely small scale. The main characters are pathetically human, not so very gifted with looks or wealth or power, even if the female is an absurdly astute Scrabble player. Such verbose acumen does not prevent her from being a pawn of the gods, cast into schemings and vengeance different from times past only in that the scale of power is significantly less (all the gods are a bit paranoid about wasting what little power they have left, not withstanding Apollo's retribution when his vanity is snubbed). How is it then that the fate of the world comes to reside in one rather innocuous mortal's ken? The gods screwed up...again, that's how. One would think that immortal beings on the verge of becoming not-so-immortal would harken to a greater sense of...well, something other than petty jealousy and revenge. One would think. And be wrong.Full of wit and snark and joyous mythological winks and groans, Phillips has crafted a tale in the very spirit of the Greek myths, layering the blatant narcissism and self-interest of the gods over the poor humans who populate their shrinking playground. Anybody have the number for Aphrodite's direct line?"
— Cameron (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A madcap narrative that includes a visit to the underworld, flying thunderbolts, unrequited love, and the temporary extinguishing of the sun. Marie Phillips’s writing is fizzy, her premise clever, and her first novel amusing.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“Phillips has an Olympian sense of absurdity, and there’s enough ambrosial wit here to seduce most mortals for an afternoon or two on the divan.”
— Washington Post -
“Delicious fun…By turns poignant and zany, Gods Behaving Badly hums along, ever more the top and a hoot to boot.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Spectacular…funny and unpretentious, witty and readable, Gods Behaving Badly lives up to all its potential.”
— Observer (London) -
“Takes on a sweetness and poignancy reminiscent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy…For a hip, irreverent airplane read, Gods Behaving Badly sticks to the ribs surprisingly well. The love story as its heart, and the heroism it inspires, is funny and heart-tugging, without off-putting histrionics…A novel with wit and staying power.”
— AV Club -
“Delightful…Fanciful, humorous, and charming, this satire is as sweet as nectar.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Wildly funny…Tom Sellwood undertakes an enormous cast of characters—from sexy, deep-throated goddesses to the whiny Apollo and an assortment of Londoners. The abridgement is flawless, keeping a high-energy pace and offering a barrel of laughs.”
— AudioFile -
“Not for the pious, but lots of fun for everyone else.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Gods Behaving Badly Listener Reviews
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" Absolutely brilliant book!! I could't put it down. Very clever and funny. I'd thoroughly recommend it (although it is a bit rude!) "
— Liz, 2/19/2014 -
" I found this to be a bit of a bizarre read. Funny at times, but other definitely not the greatest book...actually not even close. "
— Rachel, 2/12/2014 -
" A very funny book and a quick read. "
— Frank, 2/10/2014 -
" It was a quick and amusing read. "
— Dorota, 2/9/2014 -
" I loved this book! It was a really fun read and fun to read again. "
— Sarah, 1/23/2014 -
" Very Good! A fun read. "
— Colleen, 1/22/2014 -
" This is an amusing read. Good summer by the pool stuff. Amusing rather than laugh out loud funny, but enjoyable regardless. "
— Matt, 1/17/2014 -
" Interesting concept but a little overdone "
— Olena, 1/6/2014 -
" This book was just ok. It showed promise in the beginning, but the plot was quite weak & slow, and the ending was rushed and sloppy in my opinion. "
— Barb, 1/3/2014 -
" Hilarious. Clever. Gods/Goddesses in the modern world makes for some excellent and enjoyable reading. "
— Naomi, 12/26/2013 -
" A silly cute fluffy book. Worth the afternoon it takes to read it. "
— Corielle, 12/4/2013 -
" Clever. But didn't leave me happy/satisfied...kind of a downer. "
— MB, 12/2/2013 -
" Sugary and quick, like a can of diet pop. "
— Audrey, 12/1/2013 -
" Very creative book. What if the Greek gods lived in modern times? Think it was more fun to imagine Artemis the dog walker, Aphrodite the pone sex operator, And Apollo a Z-list celebrity more than the story itself. "
— Wellington, 11/25/2013 -
" This book was fairly entertaining, made me laugh a few times, but overall was a little too far fetched for my tastes. "
— Beth, 10/30/2013 -
" A great little book. An easy enjoyable read with a quirky interesting premise. Would in fact make a pretty good TV series; plenty of mileage in the concept. "
— Kiran, 4/5/2013 -
" This made me laugh out loud the whole time. I just loved the modern interpretation of the Greek Gods. It truly is something that i would recommend to anyone who likes modern comedies and is willing to laugh at some of the silly things that the Greek Gods do. "
— Eden, 3/12/2013 -
" I tried really hard to like this book. But i just didn't i found it dragged and the characters just beige. i Love mythology, But urge! it had potential, i really really wanted to like this book but i don't sorry. :/ "
— Courtney, 7/2/2012 -
" Quick easy read...good for a goof! "
— Leanne, 6/27/2012 -
" ridiculous silly almost mindless fun. "
— Rebecca, 6/7/2012 -
" Funny, entertaining, & deliciously naughty! "
— Carol, 5/23/2012 -
" I am a huge fan of Greek and Roman mythology so I love books about the gods and goddesses. This was a fun book to read. "
— Dana, 5/20/2012 -
" I read this book in only three days on vacation - a great quick read - and great for a vacation but I would read it any time and it wasn't just fluff like some vacation books can be. Fun and enjoyable! Plus it reminded me of some of my own Greek mythology lessons from earlier years. "
— Holly, 3/27/2012 -
" So funny. A true page turner and incredibly creative! A great book club book! "
— Carrie, 3/13/2012 -
" Amusing and fun. A nice and light read. "
— Janis, 10/12/2011 -
" Seriously a hilarious read/listen! Got me through a lot of tedious housework after caring for a baby all day.<br/><br/>The audiobook is totally worth it because the actor is spot-on in her interpretation of the text. "
— Katy, 10/11/2011 -
" While I am not sure where the story is going yet...I love the real life world of Greek Gods brought to life - in a way I finally understand WHO they are - and their powers - even tho they are in modern day London... "
— Kari, 9/28/2011 -
" The premise of the book promised so much more than it delivered in the end for me. <br/> <br/>The story albeit entertaining left me feeling that it could of been so much more. "
— Phil, 9/28/2011 -
" Clever and cute in parts but it didn't really feel like there was much of a point which made it hard to get into in anything but a surface way. In the end it is unmemorable but pleasant fluff. "
— Jessie, 9/23/2011 -
" Funny and cute, a fun light read for those who like Greek mythology "
— Kelli, 9/19/2011 -
" Good fluff :) very funny and enjoyable! "
— Maria, 9/14/2011 -
" I don't think I know enough about the mythology to understand all the references in this book. It was humorous anyway. "
— Mary, 9/11/2011 -
" Great novel! Super funny. A knowledge of Greek myth is recommended for optimal reading experience. "
— Annie, 7/23/2011
About Marie Phillips
Marie Phillips is a Cambridge anthropology graduate who left her job as a researcher for the BBC to write. She currently works in a bookshop in Central London.
About Tom Sellwood
Tom Sellwood has recorded many audio books, including Hector Hugo Munro’s Witty, Weird, and Outrageous; Saki Favorites; Mutiny on the Bounty; Treasure Island; Far from the Madding Crowd; Emma; a selection of P. G. Wodehouse’s short stories; and Wuthering Heights, to name a few.