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michaelculbert's review
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
valkyriejmu's review
4.0
One of my favorites after Catch-22 (Itai, keep trying--it took me a few years to get started to, but it was delightful when I finally finished), partly because it's so deliciously blasphemous you feel a little bit naughty reading it.
jasper's review
2.0
The voice was great, and it was indeed funny, but toward the middle I started getting tired of the circling narrative. It didn't feel like there was any plot or direction. By the end I got back into it because the plot showed itself again. Maybe if I read it a second time knowing the direction I would be able to appreciate the voice even more.
sharkie's review
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
slucyd's review
3.0
Guys this book! Whew. OK so, backstory. I’ve read no Joseph Heller at all before this but my husband has read Good as Gold, Closing Time and Catch-22, all of which he enjoyed. So he bought this during our mega pre-Honeymoon Waterstones shopping trip. Towards the end of our holiday he complained that I’d managed to read so much more than him and decided that he’d choose my next read. This isn’t really something I’d choose for myself at all and if I were to read a Heller I probably would have gone for Catch-22. Anyway, long story short he was delighted to see that this slowed me right down. Like, right down Our Honeymoon was in November and I just finished reading God Knows two days okay. With other books on the side but still. Still! So. Yeah. It was a toughie.
I finished reading to the end partly because I don’t really like to leave books unfinished, but also because, surprisingly, I didn’t hate it. I definitely didn’t love it but there’s a lot to enjoy. Essentially, it’s the biblical King David telling the story of his life from his deathbed. Most of the book is addressed directly to the reader in King David’s voice. At times this voice is funny, retelling moments from the Bible with added digs, fleshed out characterisations and odd anachronisms. There are also conversations with a cast of characters ranging from his sons to Bathsheba and King Saul. Sometimes it felt a little like a humorous introduction to the Bible (apparently, specifically Samuel I and II) and I think it would make it easier for me to access it in the future.
After I’d finished reading I looked through a few previous reviews for the novel and discovered that generally, for people more familiar with the Biblical tales, the humour really hits home and it’s a hilarious and enjoyable read. For me personally it was extremely repetitive. While the tales of battles, Kings dethroned and arguments with God were interesting, they were revisited to the point of exhaustion. While we move chronologically through the story David also jumps back and forth in time constantly, comparing moments, foreshadowing decisions and griping about individuals. While that might be realistic it made the book feel twice as long as it needed to be.
Ultimately this wasn’t a book I would necessarily go out of my way to recommend to people and it’s one with, in my opinion, some flaws. I enjoyed a lot of it but I felt like I had to work hard to get to those moments. That said, I think there are people for whom this may be a rollocking read!
I finished reading to the end partly because I don’t really like to leave books unfinished, but also because, surprisingly, I didn’t hate it. I definitely didn’t love it but there’s a lot to enjoy. Essentially, it’s the biblical King David telling the story of his life from his deathbed. Most of the book is addressed directly to the reader in King David’s voice. At times this voice is funny, retelling moments from the Bible with added digs, fleshed out characterisations and odd anachronisms. There are also conversations with a cast of characters ranging from his sons to Bathsheba and King Saul. Sometimes it felt a little like a humorous introduction to the Bible (apparently, specifically Samuel I and II) and I think it would make it easier for me to access it in the future.
After I’d finished reading I looked through a few previous reviews for the novel and discovered that generally, for people more familiar with the Biblical tales, the humour really hits home and it’s a hilarious and enjoyable read. For me personally it was extremely repetitive. While the tales of battles, Kings dethroned and arguments with God were interesting, they were revisited to the point of exhaustion. While we move chronologically through the story David also jumps back and forth in time constantly, comparing moments, foreshadowing decisions and griping about individuals. While that might be realistic it made the book feel twice as long as it needed to be.
Ultimately this wasn’t a book I would necessarily go out of my way to recommend to people and it’s one with, in my opinion, some flaws. I enjoyed a lot of it but I felt like I had to work hard to get to those moments. That said, I think there are people for whom this may be a rollocking read!
una_10bananas's review
dark
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
smcleish's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog here in May 2004.
Even for the most dedicated Heller fan, and the impact of [b:Catch-22|168668|Catch-22|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359882576s/168668.jpg|814330] created vast numbers of them, his [b:second|10718|Something Happened|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347496100s/10718.jpg|2703812] and [b:third|10714|Good As Gold|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349064974s/10714.jpg|13348] novels are frequently heavy going. But then eventually (over twenty years into his career, for he was never a particularly prolific novelist) came God Knows - immediately accessible, hilariously funny and wickedly subversive.
The idea behind God Knows is simple. David, King of Israel, author of the psalms, recounts his life while on his deathbed, in the voice of a twentieth century American Jewish patriarch. To work, this has to be done extremely well, as is it no easy thing to write a narration that convincingly comes across as being from the mind of a man recognised as one of the greatest poets in history.
Apart from the difficulty in matching up to his literary merit, David is an excellent choice for this type of novel. He has quite a lot of space devoted to him in the Bible, which records many fascinating events in his life but which also leaves room for Heller to expand on the characterisation of him and those around him (Heller's portrayal of Solomon is particularly amusing). The picture painted of him is neither black nor white in 2 Samuel in particular is neither black nor white morally, making him a more interesting subject for a novel than (say) the prophet Daniel. And there is his importance as an influence on history and an icon for Jewish culture - it is no accident that the star of David was made the symbol of the Zionist movement and now appears on the flag of the state of Israel. (As he asks out at one point, "Does Moses have a star?".)
A lot of the humour in God Knows stems from the use of anachronism in a way that reminds me of Caryl Brahms and S.J. Simon. An example of the type of joke used is when David tells his generals to "send a wire", only to be reminded that telegrams haven't been invented yet (the joke being not only that they don't exist, but also that every one knows what they are). This kind of humour is one which quickly becomes wearing, so it's good that Heller doesn't use it to excess; it would have been easy to put jokes along these lines into every paragraph, and that would have killed the novel stone dead. He also makes most of its uses more subtle than the example I've given. Much more pervasive is the use of anachronism in a more indirect form, as Heller gives characters stereotypical Jewish roles from twentieth century America; this also introduces an element of satire.
David's life inclded a fair amount of personal unhappiness, so God Knows is not a sunny novel, even if the humour in it is not as bleak as that in Heller's earlier novels. It is part of the Jewish father stereotype to complain about his children, but David really had a lot of grief from his - the death of Bathsheba's first child, slain by God as punishment for David's sin in sleeping with another man's wife and sending her husband to his death; the rape of his daughter Tamar by his son Amnon; the rebellion of his son Absalom. (And Heller adds the stupidity and humourlessness of his son Solomon - "Schlomo, that schmuck".) However, to Heller, David's relationship with God was the most significant in his life, and though he makes David make light of it, it is clear that the character regrets the withdrawal of God's voice of guidance more than anything else (this was another consequence of his adultery with Bathsheba).
From a literary point of view, God Knows is one of the least significant of Heller's novels. On the other hand, it is among his most accessible and enjoyable - and it will make you laugh out loud.
Even for the most dedicated Heller fan, and the impact of [b:Catch-22|168668|Catch-22|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359882576s/168668.jpg|814330] created vast numbers of them, his [b:second|10718|Something Happened|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347496100s/10718.jpg|2703812] and [b:third|10714|Good As Gold|Joseph Heller|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1349064974s/10714.jpg|13348] novels are frequently heavy going. But then eventually (over twenty years into his career, for he was never a particularly prolific novelist) came God Knows - immediately accessible, hilariously funny and wickedly subversive.
The idea behind God Knows is simple. David, King of Israel, author of the psalms, recounts his life while on his deathbed, in the voice of a twentieth century American Jewish patriarch. To work, this has to be done extremely well, as is it no easy thing to write a narration that convincingly comes across as being from the mind of a man recognised as one of the greatest poets in history.
Apart from the difficulty in matching up to his literary merit, David is an excellent choice for this type of novel. He has quite a lot of space devoted to him in the Bible, which records many fascinating events in his life but which also leaves room for Heller to expand on the characterisation of him and those around him (Heller's portrayal of Solomon is particularly amusing). The picture painted of him is neither black nor white in 2 Samuel in particular is neither black nor white morally, making him a more interesting subject for a novel than (say) the prophet Daniel. And there is his importance as an influence on history and an icon for Jewish culture - it is no accident that the star of David was made the symbol of the Zionist movement and now appears on the flag of the state of Israel. (As he asks out at one point, "Does Moses have a star?".)
A lot of the humour in God Knows stems from the use of anachronism in a way that reminds me of Caryl Brahms and S.J. Simon. An example of the type of joke used is when David tells his generals to "send a wire", only to be reminded that telegrams haven't been invented yet (the joke being not only that they don't exist, but also that every one knows what they are). This kind of humour is one which quickly becomes wearing, so it's good that Heller doesn't use it to excess; it would have been easy to put jokes along these lines into every paragraph, and that would have killed the novel stone dead. He also makes most of its uses more subtle than the example I've given. Much more pervasive is the use of anachronism in a more indirect form, as Heller gives characters stereotypical Jewish roles from twentieth century America; this also introduces an element of satire.
David's life inclded a fair amount of personal unhappiness, so God Knows is not a sunny novel, even if the humour in it is not as bleak as that in Heller's earlier novels. It is part of the Jewish father stereotype to complain about his children, but David really had a lot of grief from his - the death of Bathsheba's first child, slain by God as punishment for David's sin in sleeping with another man's wife and sending her husband to his death; the rape of his daughter Tamar by his son Amnon; the rebellion of his son Absalom. (And Heller adds the stupidity and humourlessness of his son Solomon - "Schlomo, that schmuck".) However, to Heller, David's relationship with God was the most significant in his life, and though he makes David make light of it, it is clear that the character regrets the withdrawal of God's voice of guidance more than anything else (this was another consequence of his adultery with Bathsheba).
From a literary point of view, God Knows is one of the least significant of Heller's novels. On the other hand, it is among his most accessible and enjoyable - and it will make you laugh out loud.
benjaminharrisonofficial's review
4.0
Pretty well exactly as funny and sad as one might expect. And really good too. In fact, it's really not too far off being five stars, the only thing keeping it from that is that even though I thoroughly enjoyed it and laughed and cried and what have you, it didn't grip me like, say, Catch-22 did. I can't quite explain it. Still a great book though.
jamiereadthis's review
5.0
I was the kid in Sunday school the poor teachers must’ve hated: peeking behind the curtain, pulling the strings on our tidy little Bible lessons to go wide-eyed and watch the real, wild Bible go up in flames. I guess it’s a habit I never outgrew. So there you have me, ever the rebel kid still, relishing the secret that behind all those prettily bow-tied morals are wild kings and bloodbaths and blasphemous sacrilege that no one’s paying any mind.
And here you have Joseph Heller. Since Catch-22 I’ve never wanted to read another of his novels, as one of the two highest compliments possible. I definitely didn’t want to read the sequel to Yossarian in Closing Time (how could I, when the first is so perfect?), and wouldn’t the others just be shadows of that beloved one too? Like that favorite song on an album where the rest can never live up. All because I had no idea Heller took on King David. As soon as I saw this book on the library shelf I jumped on the premise as ecstatic as Joab on that fifth rib.
Ohh-h, did I love this book. Through and through, wrestling Catch-22 like Samson with a hand tied behind his back. The old Sunday-school feeling of getting deep over my head in trouble, of “Oh-h I am gonna get it for this,” only made the pleasure that much sweeter. I don’t think there’s much middle ground for it, either. I think you have to love it or you have to hate it with a fiery, book-burning passion.
Which should be just as much fun.
Leave it to Heller to read the same Bible I have. The Bible that isn’t tidy, that doesn’t make sense, that isn’t abstract saints in stained glass. It’s full of people who are complex and tainted and do belligerent and insensible things. Who are as brave and scared shitless as any of us, who are bursting with love and hate and cruelty and the most dangerous kind of humanity and passion. They laugh. They live. They royally screw up and get royally screwed. And I can’t help but think, this is the David those old stories are trying to tell. Not the serene shepherd, the psalmist, the stalwart king. No: the scrappy, stubborn, cocky, off his rocker, wild, maddening, bitter, beloved kid, utterly sincere and utterly full of shit, heels over head for Bathsheba, burning the kingdom down in flames. The chosen king of this nonsensical God, a God of cryptic riddles, burning bushes and incomprehensible demands. We’re the ones that tried to tame it into sainthood. We’re the ones that do the story in all of its human absurdity the injustice.
Heller’s just someone putting a little flesh and blood back onto the bones: deftly, hilariously, reverently irreverent, with that turn of the knife in your heart all along.
I’m just the one over here, loving every word of it.
And here you have Joseph Heller. Since Catch-22 I’ve never wanted to read another of his novels, as one of the two highest compliments possible. I definitely didn’t want to read the sequel to Yossarian in Closing Time (how could I, when the first is so perfect?), and wouldn’t the others just be shadows of that beloved one too? Like that favorite song on an album where the rest can never live up. All because I had no idea Heller took on King David. As soon as I saw this book on the library shelf I jumped on the premise as ecstatic as Joab on that fifth rib.
Ohh-h, did I love this book. Through and through, wrestling Catch-22 like Samson with a hand tied behind his back. The old Sunday-school feeling of getting deep over my head in trouble, of “Oh-h I am gonna get it for this,” only made the pleasure that much sweeter. I don’t think there’s much middle ground for it, either. I think you have to love it or you have to hate it with a fiery, book-burning passion.
Which should be just as much fun.
Leave it to Heller to read the same Bible I have. The Bible that isn’t tidy, that doesn’t make sense, that isn’t abstract saints in stained glass. It’s full of people who are complex and tainted and do belligerent and insensible things. Who are as brave and scared shitless as any of us, who are bursting with love and hate and cruelty and the most dangerous kind of humanity and passion. They laugh. They live. They royally screw up and get royally screwed. And I can’t help but think, this is the David those old stories are trying to tell. Not the serene shepherd, the psalmist, the stalwart king. No: the scrappy, stubborn, cocky, off his rocker, wild, maddening, bitter, beloved kid, utterly sincere and utterly full of shit, heels over head for Bathsheba, burning the kingdom down in flames. The chosen king of this nonsensical God, a God of cryptic riddles, burning bushes and incomprehensible demands. We’re the ones that tried to tame it into sainthood. We’re the ones that do the story in all of its human absurdity the injustice.
Heller’s just someone putting a little flesh and blood back onto the bones: deftly, hilariously, reverently irreverent, with that turn of the knife in your heart all along.
I’m just the one over here, loving every word of it.
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