Lamb

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sum it up in a sentence (or two): Taken from the subtitle, this book is The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. A late addition to the Bible, this "Gospel" gives us a look into those years between Jesus's birth and death that aren't really mentioned in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

First thoughts: Lamb is surprisingly respectful and thoughtful. Crude and a little far-fetched at times, yes. But clearly Moore did his homework to make this story rooted in some form of history. And it does answer burning questions while staying true to some form of theology. Questions like: What was Jesus (Joshua) like as a kid? As a teen? Did he have friends? What was daily life like? Plus, it's entertaining - especially having a guess as to how things end, I wanted to know how these characters get there.

Favorite characters: Biff and Joshua (Jesus) are quite likable, and they play off each other's strengths and weaknesses. Maggie (Mary Magdalene) is also a very real and relatable character.

Favorite quotes:

"Children see magic because they look for it." Biff, p10

"A Messiah has to bring change. Change comes through action." Joshua, p202

"Love is not something you think about, it is a state in which you dwell." Joshua, p253

Final thoughts: For all its humor and fun, Lamb gets real at the end. It made me tear up a little. It humanizes the story of Jesus's final days, provides alternate explanations for some events, and brings a sense of closure. I'm a little disappointed in the things Moore left out in stopping before the very very end, but everything still felt "in character" with the rest of the book. This would be a great book to read during Lent!


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