Lamb / Christopher Moore

4/5

In Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore takes advantage of the gap between Jesus's birth and his early thirties to write some stories of his own. Lamb is told from Biff's point of view, who has been raised from the dead in the modern day by the angel Raziel, and asked to write about the first thirty years of Jesus's life. 

Jesus, called Joshua in Lamb, and Biff are best friends. Moore does an amazing job of subtly capturing the dynamics of their relationship. Joshua, as the Son of God, is of course pure and kind, while Biff is impulsive and indulgent. There were times when Biff's sexual indulgences were a little too graphic, but throughout the novel Moore keeps Biff's tone and narration quick-witted and light, more than making up for it. I laughed aloud several times, which is rare for me when reading. Moore conveys the depth of Joshua and Biff's friendship without ever having to explicitly say it, and I greatly admire that. He also successfully writes Joshua as likeable and human, and those are hard traits to write into a character who is supposed to be one hundred percent good. I also enjoyed the sections regarding Biff's current situation, as he writes the past down. Not only did those sections allow us to experience Biff's witty narration in a modern setting, they also reveal how he changed and grew. 

One thing that bugs me slightly is Biff's choice toward the end of the novel, but I can understand why Moore had things go down that way. It was the only path that made sense, if Moore wanted to maintain some sense of plausibility. I teared up a little when Joshua was crucified (okay, that's not really a spoiler). The ending of Lamb is very bittersweet and provides a satisfying sense of closure. Moore wields Biff's voice expertly and commands a range of emotions out of his reader.

Overall, Lamb is a bit long but very humorous, making the ride fun and enjoyable. I loved reading about Joshua and Biff's story, learning about religion and history, and both laughing and tearing up. The book is full of journeys and adventures, and Biff's brilliant narration never falters. I recommend Lamb for fans of humor novels, those who aren't afraid to laugh a bit at religion, and those who love a good friendship.