Book Review: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

‘Good Omens’ was written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, and was published in 1990. Due to its age some of the humour in this novel is outdated, such as the use of the f-slur.

The novel is a religious comedy, written in third person, that follows an ensemble cast of characters, primarily Crowley, a demon and Aziraphale, an angel, both if whom have a fondness for humanity and Earth. Together, the pair seek to prevent the end of days, a task that ought to have been simple enough grows complicated when they cannot locate the Anti-Christ.

Although I was frustrated at times with the jumpy nature of following so many characters in the novel, I was a fan of seeing the characters interact toward the end. Particularly the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the humour behind Pestilence being thwarted by penicillin, it was these very literal, real jokes that caught me by surprise.

I enjoyed the book, it was a lighthearted, high-stakes novel that humours the foundations on which the end of the world is fixed. I enjoyed reading the banter between Aziraphale and Crowley, and how they attempt to fix the problem when left to their own devices. It was a fun, easy read.