BOOK REVIEW | GOOD OMENS – TERRY PRATCHETT AND NEIL GAIMAN

This book holds the dubious honour of being my all-time favourite. I generally hesitate to make such intense statements, fearing disappointment on the reader’s part if they find that the expectations I built up don’t measure up to the experience. In this case, I have no such reservations.

It is the story of the end of the world, which is set to go down next Saturday. Crawley (a devil) and Aziraphale (an angel) have long been inhabitants of Earth, each working at pulling the world closer to their respective sides of the whole good vs. evil divide. And, for the most part, keeping it pretty much balanced. So long have they been engaged in their efforts, that they’ve both grown quite fond of Earth. Crawley loves his fancy, super fast car, and Aziraphale is quite happy to drink a delicious cup of tea while reading a good book in his bookshop.

So when word comes down the pipe that the Antichrist has been born, thus heralding the apocalypse, neither of them is overly thrilled at the prospect. And so a grudging alliance is formed. The two, along with an unlikely and, at times, ludicrous cast of characters (including a gang of child bikers, a trenchcoated and not so nicely-scented witch hunter and the four motorcycle-men of the apocalypse) embark on an exciting, hilarious and thrilling ride as they attempt to divert the inevitable.

The book is possibly the funniest work of fiction I have had the enjoyment of reading (twice). Even the footnotes made me giggle maniacally in my seat – quite alarming innocent bystanders on several occasions. Whenever I’m feeling particularly blue and life is getting me down, I reach for this familiar, battered paperback. It’s never far from my fingertips.

If you haven’t yet enjoyed this work of comedic brilliance, you’re in for a real treat.