Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman (1990)
Laura’s Rating: 3/5 Stars
I had heard mixed reviews about this book. Everything from “it’s terrible, don’t bother” to “it’s incredible, you have to read it.” My opinion of the book falls somewhere in the middle. The novel inspired a six-episode television adaptation, which aired in 2019 as a co-production between Amazon Studios and BBC Studios. Good Omens 2 was just announced.
The Analysis:
The book details the last 11 years on Earth before the apocalypse. The beginning of the end is the birth of the antichrist, who is switched with another baby at the hospital. Aziraphale, an angel, and Crowley, a demon, are both part of the ineffable plan, despite both of them rather enjoying Earth in its present state. The duo are unlikely friends but centuries as sworn enemies has given them an understanding of one another. Finally, Enaphema, descendant of great witch Agnes Nutter, has a book of Agnes’s prophecies, which are all true. A young witch hunter named Newt stumbles upon Enaphema and they also form an unlikely duo as the End Times draw nearer.
The concept of the book is quirky and charming. A comedic take on the end of the world, Good Omens expands on classic concepts of heaven, hell, and the end of days. It reminded me a bit of The Good Place or The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, where the story plays with making angels, demons, and the afterlife into something with more pizzazz and humor than traditional stories. The thrill of such a technique wears off a bit after time, but it serves as a fun base.
My main complaint about this book is that there are too many things going on at once. Rather than focusing on one storyline, the authors dip their toes into several sets of ideas and relationships all at once. This choice makes the book confusing at times and all the stories feel half-baked. I wish the authors would have focused on just one or two plots and fleshed them out more because Good Omens ends up feeling chaotic despite not much happening in any particular plot line.The Aziraphale/Crowley story is genius, but the antichrist story is less compelling and the Agnes Nutter story feels almost unnecessary. I enjoyed the concepts a lot but the actual execution of the novel averaged out for me.
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