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Gods Behaving Badly
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Gods Behaving Badly
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Gods Behaving Badly
Audiobook9 hours

Gods Behaving Badly

Written by Marie Phillips

Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Being immortal is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve Greek gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London town house-and are none too happy about it. Even more disturbing, their powers are waning.

For Artemis (goddess of hunting, professional dog walker), Aphrodite (goddess of beauty, telephone sex operator), and Apollo (god of the sun, TV psychic), there's no way out-until a meek cleaner, Alice, and her would-be boyfriend, Neil, turn their world literally upside down. When what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills, Alice and Neil are caught in the cross fire, and they 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?

GODS BEHAVING BADLY is that rare thing: a charming, funny, utterly original first novel that satisfies the head and the heart.


From the Compact Disc edition.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateDec 11, 2007
ISBN9781415947418
Unavailable
Gods Behaving Badly
Author

Marie Phillips

Marie Phillips is the author of three novels, including the international bestseller Gods Behaving Badly, and is the co-writer of the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series Warhorses of Letters. She has already had two midlife crises and there is still time for more.

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Reviews for Gods Behaving Badly

Rating: 3.4791666500000002 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I had a really difficult time getting in to this one. I can't say that I really liked any of the characters, they were all pretty annoying. Especially all the Gods and Goddesses. I thought it would be funnier and it really just dragged on quite a bit. Finally around 60% it started to get better and I actually wanted to continue reading. I think the ending was very creative and it's probably the best part about the whole book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is a fun romp with momentary jewels, but nothing with a lot of carats. And nerds in love just aren't all that charming, nor is Alice's unrelenting niceness anything other than annoying artifice.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This was a light and easy read that towards the middle actually kept me interested enough to stay up late a few nights reading.

    The Gods & Goddesses of Olympus have become despondent and are leading their lives out of a shabby rundown house in London... I a gesture of revenge Aphrodite urges Eros to make Apollo fall in love w/ a mortal, but not any mortal; one who will not love him back.... Which Eros does and Apollo does....

    Alice is a "cleaner" for a Television station, she is in love w/ Neil, Neil is in love with Alice, but both are too shy & awkward to do anything about moving past their friendship.....

    Alice gets fired from her job and goes to work cleaning house for Artemis... where she encounters Apollo, who has fallen in love w/ Alice......

    Then things happen and become more interesting.......... However, I found the ending to be anti-climatic.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am pleased to report that Gods Behaving Badly is a delightful read. It is a very funny and original book. The Olympians are alive and living in London in a decrepit house. However, since no one believes in them anymore their powers are somewhat weakened and must be preserved. No mortal can cross their threshold. Some of them must hold down jobs to keep the family going--Artemis is a dog walker, Aphrodite is a phone sex operator.Unlike the depiction of the gods in a lot of current books and movies as heroes and role models, the gods in this book are more like the gods in the Greek mythological tales: selfish, jealous, promiscuous and vindictive. Thus, when a young woman on the street refuses to comply with Apollo's request for oral sex, he turns her into a tree. Aphrodite, sick of Apollo's antics, convinces her son Eros to cause Apollo to fall into unrequited love with a nondescript mortal. One thing leads to another, and before you know it the whole world is at risk. A real hero must step forward to save the world.All the major Greek gods play a role in this book. I loved it and read it in one day. I think you would enjoy it most it you are familiar with the Greek gods and their attributes, but it's probably pretty funny even if you're not. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    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.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The ancient greek gods are in London and not doing so well. It takes a human to make them see what being gods is all about. Fun read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Having read Phillips' rather humorous take on Camelot and the whole King Arthur legend in her book The Table of Less Valued Knights, I kind of had an idea of what I was in for with Gods Behaving Badly and Phillips did not disappoint. A rather fun read to refresh my mind of the Olympian gods, their powers and their temper-tantrums. The presentation of the underworld was refreshingly different, even though the journey to the underworld had a slightly Harry Potter feel about it. I am not completely sold on the ending and I struggled a bit with both Alice and Neil's character personalities but overall, a fun bit of escapism reading.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    LOVED this book!

    Don't be fooled by the comedy advertisement it is a lot more than just a funny one! It has one of the loveliest love stories I've read lately.

    All around great read!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Gods Behaving Badly is cheeky and funny with a dash of romance and I enjoyed it from cover to cover.This book is about ancient Greek gods living in modern day London and trying to make a living. Artemis, the Greek goddess of hunting, is a dog walker. Apollo, the sun god, is doing a pilot for a tv program called Apollos Oracle. He is a psychic with the aid of the oracles. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, does phone sex for a living. Aphrodite's son Eros (Cupid), is a born-again Christian. Aphrodite and Apollo are lovers and when he wrongs her, she wants her revenge. She decides to get Eros to shoot Apollo with a love arrow. Mortals Alice and Neil are on their first date in the audience for Apollos Oracle. Aphrodite sends Eros to hit Apollo with a love arrow during the taping of his show. When he is hit, Apollo instantly sets eyes on Alice and falls madly and inexplicably in love with her. Eros was supposed to hit Alice with an arrow that would make her intensely hate Apollo, but being a good Christian, Eros just couldn't bring himself to do that.When Alice, who cleans houses for a living, goes looking for work, fate lands her with a job as the gods housekeeper. Apollo is stunned and delighted to find his true love at his doorstep.Alice knows there is something odd about the Greeks who inhabit the rundown house, but she can't put her finger on it. She also wonders why Apollo is so attracted to her, she figures he is probably on drugs like most celebs. Good guy Neil and shy Alice are in love, but they still have yet to tell each other. When Apollo makes his move on Alice, and she rejects him, he doesn't take it mildly. He involves Zeus in his revenge. As the story flows, Hades and Persephone and their underworld are involved and the plot takes some fun twists and turns. Gods Behaving Badly was an enjoyable contemporary romance. Some of it was funny, some of it bizarre. The state of the gods house was just plain gross, there were rats all over the place, the house was really rundown and uninhabitable. Yet these Greek gods and goddesses inhabit this dirty house, with Zeus himself hiding out in the attic. The gods all had their own personalities and I enjoyed that. Aphrodite's cell phone would ring and she would instantly go into phone sex mode. Eros is a Christian who goes to church and regrets not having ever met Jesus while he was still alive. Artemis enjoys going for runs. Apollo is full of himself, and cannot believe that anyone would refuse him. Hermes takes the dead to the underworld on his motorbike. Here he is talking to someone about Apollo while giving them a ride on his bike:"Did you shag him?" said Hermes. "I wouldn't worry about that. Everybody shags him. Even I've shagged him. That was during a very boring decade. Oops, nearly missed my turn."p.152There were plenty of laugh out loud moments and the story just kept going with fun plot twists and turns. I didn't know what to expect next. The end was wrapped up real nice and neat with a cherry on top, but I didn't mind the happily ever after ending. This was an entertaining read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book had a rather entertaining idea but ended up falling short. While there were some moments that were rather funny, most of the book was just all right. I think one of the things that really didn't work for me with this book was the end. While the majority of the book is rather light, and vaguely interesting, the ending tried to make the book something that it just wasn't...exciting. By the end of the book, the world comes close to ending, and an epic love story occurs that lines up well with Greek mythology, but ultimately is a completely different tone than the rest of the book. It was also rushed and little confusing.Plus, Artemis comes to a conclusion by the end of the book that I thought was rather obvious and logical (or as logical as Greek mythology and gods can be) that when she has this big eye-opening moment, I'm just confused as to why she didn't figure that out before. That, and the fact that everything that happens in this book is Aphrodite's fault is never really revealed to anyone else in the book and she thus goes unpunished. This seems a little strange considering the fact that if Artemis's plan didn't work out, the world would have descended into total darkness and would end. I actually felt like the author just kind of forgot about that part because she was so immersed in making this epic ending that didn't fit.Despite all of the ranting, I didn't hate the book. In fact, my total lack of strong opinion about this book makes it really difficult for me to write a review about it. What is there to say other than "Eh." *shoulder shrug* I just don't really feel anything about it. I will most likely forget that I read it in a few months time. Therefore, my overall view of this book is: kind of entertaining, but utterly forgettable.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I had definitely read this before as it turns out but not as audiobook so it was still a new experience. Yay! It was a fun read and I laughed a lot. Loved Neil and Alice and pretty much all the greek gods except for Apollo. Maybe I'll read it again in a few years.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Gods Behaving Badly is an imperfect but sort-of entertaining diversion for those seeking a light (and a bit smutty) fantasy read.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Need a break from all bad news all the time? Want your froth with a large soupcon of Greek myth on top? This is your book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Let's just say that this is no [book:American Gods]. However, it's a nice little bonbon if you have a free afternoon.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Read this book if you need a good laugh, and if you're inclined to take religion, especially contemporary Paganism, too seriously. Addresses the age-old question of whether we created the gods or they created us, and do we need them or do they need us? I said it addresses these questions; the reader is encouraged to decide for her or himself.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a fun read. Marie Phillips turns phrases wonderfully but it is the plot twists that make this book soar, to end up in a place unimagined at the start of the tale. Who would have anticipated that Artemis could be such a fetching character...
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I read this as part of the Atlantic Monthly's Twitter book club. As I have never been too interested in the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, I was looking forward reading this book and understanding them through a different angle. The beginning was very humorous and I applaud the author's idea for the modern day setting juxtaposed with the classical legends, however, as the book progressed, I found myself laughing less and becoming bored with the book. While the premise of the book was very interesting, I found the plot to stagnate and eventually fizzle out.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I remember studying the Greek gods in Elementary school, and wondering what happened to them. Where'd they go? Marie Phillips has the answer: they went to London, stayed true to character, and adapted as the world changed around them. Cut to modern day, when the Olympians are applying their proclivities to our world (you gotta love Aphrodite as a phone sex operator), still squabbling with each other, and still messing with mortals. Add in two rather hapless humans who get caught up as pawns in the arguments of the bored gods (whose powers are fading because people just don't believe in them the way they used to. Took them a while to catch on, but anyone who clapped for Tinkerbell, or loves Gaiman's American Gods knows this from the get-go) and the story gets pretty funny.I picked this up at the Stanford bookstore, looking for something light to read. This fit the bill, and helped me recall my Greek mythology as well. Phillips did a great job in keeping the gods of Olympus all true to what we know of them. Edith Hamilton would be pleased. I'd be hard-pressed to pick a favorite character, but was mightily tickled by some of the observations as to how we'd be without some of them. Read this mostly on the plane home. I'm not a "laugh out loud" kind of reader, but definitely chuckled in my head.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A light and enjoyable read, Philips banks on conventions better done by the likes of Neil Gaiman, but overall her story is interesting and playful, if not as in depth. Explores the idea of ancient gods living in a modern world, and views them as the narcissistic creatures they are.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great fun; an easy-to-read prose style which means that if you want to, you can dash through it pretty quickly. The characters of the gods and goddesses are well fleshed out. There are some really funny sequences, and also (unless it's just me getting old and sentimental, ahem) some unexpectedly moving ones.It's being adapted into a film, but in doing this the makers have relocated the action from London to New York. Why?!?!?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Listening to this book had me laughing out loud so many times. Great, fun listen.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Greek pantheon, fading away for lack of belief, is living en masse and in squalor in a suburb of London. Aphrodite is working a phone sex line. Of course she is. Clever; not as original as it seems to think it is.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a really funny little book. The Greek Gods are, to be nice about it, all washed up. They have lived in a dilapidated town house in London since the 1600s, which is now filthy. Artemis walks dogs, Aphrodite is a phone sex operator, and Apollo is a TV psychic...how low can you go? When they get a house cleaner it looks like things might change, perhaps for the better. Gods Behaving badly is a satire on belief, religion, and love. Loved it.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Charming book with an interesting premise - the ancient Greek Gods are living in present day London and up to no good. Knowing Greek mythology might make this fanciful book even more fun, but isn't necessary. A quick read to help kick off a lovely 4th of July holiday weekend.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Fun take on the old Gods in modern times. Lit Bubble Gum and laugh out loud in places. Nice easy one for a holiday read.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Although this book is sort of educational, I didn't like the atmosphere much. I liked none of the characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was kind of a "fluff" book in my opinion, mostly just because you can't take it at all seriously, and that's the way it's intended to be. Greek gods living on earth (in London, nonetheless) is certainly an original storyline, and I have to admit, I was laughing out loud several times. It's fairly typical British humor & is sometimes in your face with the sex & such, but it's a light read & fairly entertaining if you're not easily offended.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    To be fair, this was bought for me, I would never have picked it off the shelf myself. Whilst some of the best books I have ever read have been the sort I wouldn't necessarily have chosen, this does not fall into that category. Aside from the first chapter (which I admit was excellent) I hated this with a passion. It read like a story for the 8-12 age group with a bolt-on backdrop of cringemaking and rather turgid sex, presumably to make it suitable for today's adult mass-market. I thought it was just dreadful. It is amazing to think that in a world packed with literature, nobody has thought of this idea before. It conjiured up images of the author, possessed of the glimmer of an idea - and the title - having to rush headlong to get it written before someone else thought of the idea and got there first. I thought she was a perfectly competent writer, but she can't do satire and I think it would have been a better story written by someone who could.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Fluffy and hilarious, Gods Behaving Badly tells the story of the Olympian gods stuck in a house in London, where they remember the glory days and sulk. Then Cupid shoots Apollo, and he falls in love with Alice, a shy cleaning woman in love with a man named Neil. Shenanigans ensue, including a visit to the underworld. Don't expect anything deep, but it was a perfect beach read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Funny, literate, just generally-well done. So, the premise is that the Greek Gods are still around, but slowly losing power because no one believes in them. (I feel rewarded for reading all that Edith Hamilton, because I could remember who everyone was.) I could see this as a movie, sort of Homer meets Bridget Jones, but that's a good thing.