Gods Behaving Badly : A Novel

Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse - and none too happy about it. "Witty and entertaining, Gods Behaving Badly is an auspicious debut that outrageously libels the classical pantheon." - James Urquhart, Financial TimesAnd they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ. even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees - a favourite pastime of Apollo's - is sapping their vital reserves of strength. Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, 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? "It's like Hesiod's Theogony meets MTV’s Real World. (..) As it traces Neil and Alice’s sweet and predictable little love plot, Phillips’s novel sometimes threatens to descend as well, into something like bathos. But for the most part her nonchalant transposition of the ancients into post-postmodern life is seamless, amusing and blessedly unpretentious. It may not be ambrosia, but it’s some pretty good trail mix." - Alexandra Jacobs, The New York Times Book Review In this “witty and entertaining” twist on Greek mythology (James Urquhart), the once all-powerful gods find themselves scraping by in a run-down London townhouse as they learn how to be human—and try not to destroy the world in the process. Being a Greek god is not all it once was. Yes, the twelve gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse—and none too happy about it. And they've had to get day jobs: Artemis as a dog-walker, Apollo as a TV psychic, Aphrodite as a phone sex operator, Dionysus as a DJ. Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning, and even turning mortals into trees—a favorite pastime of Apollo's—is sapping their vital reserves of strength. Soon, what begins as a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills. Two perplexed humans, Alice and Neil, who are caught in the crossfire, 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? The twelve Greek gods of Olympus are alive and well in the twenty-first century, but they are crammed together in a London townhouse--and none too happy about it. Even more disturbingly, their powers are waning. For Artemis, Aphrodite, and Apollo, there's no way out--until a meek cleaner, Alice, and her would-be boyfriend, Neil, turn their world upside down. When a minor squabble between Aphrodite and Apollo escalates into an epic battle of wills, Alice and Neil are caught in the crossfire, 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?--From publisher description The Twelve Gods Of Olympus Are Alive And Well In The Twenty-first Century, But They Are Crammed Together In A London Townhouse--and None Too Happy About It. Even More Disturbingly, Their Powers Are Waning.... [and] A Minor Squabble Between Aphrodite And Apollo Escalates Into An Epic Battle Of Wills. Two Perplexed Humans, Alice And Neil, Who Are Caught In The Crossfire, 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? --from Publisher Description. Marie Phillips. Alive and well in the twenty-first century in spite of the need to hold jobs to support themselves, the twelve Greek gods of Olympus work as dog walkers, TV psychics, and sex operators before a pair of humans is swept up in a battle of wills between Aphrodite and Apollo. One morning, when Artemis was out walking the dogs, she saw a tree where no tree should be.