And this is now my 6th read of this funny little book! I missed last year due to moving, and thought maybe I didn’t want to read it again, as this is by far the most I have ever reread one book. But, with the holidays in a place with actual winter, I longed for something a little tropical.
This time I changed it up and did the audio version and I HIGHLY recommend it! Sometimes an audio version will detract from a book, or at best leave your experience at neutral, but on rare occasion it actually improves it and this was one of those times. The reader has a voice with significant gravitas which makes gives a drop of grandeur to a fun and funny book. Think of it as if one of those movie narrators with a booming “in a world” voice was doing the narration to a lighthearted kids movie. The juxtaposition enhances the humor.
Moore’s tale of horrors at the holidays never fails to make me smile. If you are looking for a VERY nontraditional holiday story that contains many traditional elements, look no further. And if you enjoy it, check out the rest he has to offer.
(Listened to and reviewed December 2017)
Wow, five years in a row! Love this little book and its irreverent look at the holidays. This year I had my book club read it, as they really enjoyed “The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove” and it is a quick read, which is perfect for the busy holiday season. Reviews from my club were mostly favorable, though one person who was listening on audio wasn’t a big fan, though her criticism was that with so many characters, it was hard to keep track. I do think this is better for reading, as it jumps in POV quite often. If you are looking for something that is NOT your average Hallmark Channel Christmas treacle, but still has a happy(ish) ending, look no further than Christopher Moore’s book. 🙂
(Read and reviewed Dec 5, 2015)
This marks what I believe is my fourth year in a row of reading this as my annual holiday tradition. This year for a new spin on it I actually read it aloud to my boyfriend, who had never read it before, or anything else of Moore’s (one of my favorite authors). Is there anything more fun than sharing something you love with other people? If so, I don’t know what it is. And I discovered that reading out loud to someone is pretty fun! But I digress.
This book has it all: Santa, holiday cheer, booze, angels, and zombies. What more could you want to warm your heart during this holiday season? Christmas may be over, but if you want yours to continue, pick this up and laugh out loud. Especially recommended if your holiday wasn’t the best because trust me, things could be worse, as it is unlikely you were shot in the head by an undead Kris Kringle.
(Read and reviewed Dec 25, 2014)
And I just completed another re-read, wrapped up at the end of Christmas Day. Irreverent and clever and a reminder no matter your day, things could always be worse if a dumb angel was involved, and El Niño. The characters are thrown together in a comedy of errors, and a final act that takes an unexpected turn. It is the perfect thing to cozy up with after the gifts are open and dinner is behind you. Merry Christmas to all!
(Read and reviewed Dec 25, 2013)
Read this, read it now. I’m going to re-read it around the holidays to give me some perspective around that busy time of year.
(Read and reviewed, December 2012)
Moore, you’ve done it again. This book was laugh out loud hilarious: truly a joy from cover to cover. Many of the characters in this novel first appeared in other books so it would be neat if you could read all the others first and then watch them interact in this odd little world. I had only read one other so most of the characters were knew to me but I loved knowing more back story than was provided.
(Read and reviewed, 2010 September 5)
