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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Life is messy...People, generally, suck.", 22 Oct 2004
Whenever you read something by Christopher Moore, you enter a whole new world. In the case of The Stupidest Angel, the world you enter is familiar, if you have read Moore's previous books, since Moore is reprising many of the most popular characters from the past in this Christmas-inspired satire of life in Pine Cove, a California coastal community, filled with "holiday quaintage" and "festive doom." Lena Marquez, divorced from Dale Pearson, an unmitigated boor, first appeared in The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove, and becomes the subject of the major plot here when she inadvertently "kills" Dale as he attacks her for stealing some of his Monterey pine Christmas trees. The local constable, Theophilus Crowe, also appeared in Lust Lizard..., and Tucker Case, who comes on the scene and falls madly in lust with Lena, was the main character in Island of the Sequined Love Nun. His sunglass-clad, talking fruit bat, Roberto, also plays a role. Lena's fight with Dale is witnessed by young Josh Barker, age seven, who is distraught at the thought that "someone killed Santa." Soon Josh is visited by the Archangel Raziel, who appeared in Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, a klutzy angel whose mission it is to go to earth and "find a child who has made a Christmas wish that can only be granted by divine intervention," and do something for him. Josh wants Santa to come back to life. As always, Moore's off-the-wall imagination takes over, and the investigation of Dale Pearson's disappearance becomes complicated. As the holiday comes closer, Raziel starts to work his bizarre magic and bring the newly dead back to life as part of his Christmas "miracle." The juxtaposition of the Christmas message and the violence in town are seen in sharp, ironic relief, and the question of whether there are any heroes in this novel and whether Raziel is truly an archangel come to the fore. A no-holds-barred, let-it-all-hang-out free-for-all which gives a whole new meaning to "the willing suspension of disbelief," this is a fast-paced narrative that will keep you in stitches. The zanies on your Christmas list probably will not bat an eyelash at its profanity, its vulgar hilarity, and its unexpected satiric twists and turns. Unless your staid and proper Aunt Martha has a great sense of humor, however, you may want to think twice about giving it to her as a gift. Mary Whipple
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not for granny, 23 July 2005
Wow! My brother recommended this book for me and he wasn't wrong! A fantastic read, particularly good for Robert Rankin fans.My one quibble with the book is that it ended. It should have gone on and on... a perpetual book, if you will.
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7 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Where angels [should] fear to tread, 26 Nov 2004
Not much happens in Pine Cove. It doesn't seem like the sort of place for Christmas miracles. But then Bethlehem wasn't a bustling burg, either. Given the California December weather, the coastal community has developed a ritual to ward off mid-winter ennui - Lonesome Christmas. Given the fluctuations in marriages and other relationships in the town, it's inevitable that "singles" will want some company for the holidays. There are also some poor in the town, in the best Dickensian tradition. Giving those people a nice tree for the holiday provides Moore's opening scene.Housing developer Dale Pearson is forced to plant a new pine tree for every one he removes to build a home. An efficient man, Dale has plumped them all in one small plot. That makes it easy to nick one at Christmastime. Someone's been doing that and he sets out to catch the tree-napper in flagrante delicto. When he does, he's wearing a Santa costume for a party. He catches the tree thief, who turns out to be his ex-wife, but there's a scuffle and Dale is left with a spade stuck in his throat. "Santa's" demise is witnessed by a child, whose language skills are a high point of the book. He's special in other ways, also. The body, however, disappears. This confuses Theo Crowe, the law-enforcement agency in the town. Everything about Dale's going missing perplexes Theo. Many things perplex Theo, not the least of which is his wife, Molly. A former B-movie star, she's the town's nut case. Actually, that's unjust, since finding anyone truly sane in Pine Cove would be a fruitless quest. However, Molly's been certified by the State, which as least gives her a legalist edge on the rest of its citizens. Dale's disappearance is offset by the emergence of an angel, encountered in separate circumstances by both Theo and Molly. The angel, Raziel, is no stranger to Moore fans. He's dealt with one child, although tardy by ten years. Now, he's looking for another. He wants to do his job properly this time. The child turns out to be the murder witness, Josh. Still unnerved by the sight of the throat-slashed gift-giver, Josh blurts out his dearest wish to the angel. The angel, having not a shred of understanding of human affairs, proceeds to comply. The resulting activities give Moore the opportunity to display his wit and style their fullest expression. You never ask "why?" of a Moore story, nor yet a "how?". You sit back and let him take you on a bumpy sleighride of improbable events, unlikely people and quirkily resolved scenarios. Moore puts his characters through a hilarious sequence of events. All in the name of Christmas spirit[s]! Raziel's portrayal displays his poorly hidden scorn of the supernatural. Moore crosses the line from purely humorous narrative to the mildly philosophical. Raziel isn't truly stupid. He simply has no way of understanding the human sphere. How could he? He works under a sense of logic Mr Spock would envy. Moore's approach to the supernatural is novel and effective. It forces reconsideration of the myths we hold. With his animated prose and innovative ideas, he is treading new paths in fiction. He may well be classed as the North American challenger to Britain's Terry Pratchett. For this reviewer, no greater accolade can be offered. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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