What does the H in Jesus H. Christ stand for? I'll give you a hint--it's a family name. Beyond that, you'll have to read the book and discover it for yourself.
I interviewed Chris Moore for my writing ezine. At the time, he was in the throes of writing Lamb, and had been instructed by his publisher to keep the project hush-hush, lest a bad B movie rendition torpedo the whole thing. I remember him saying that this book would certainly "piss off more people" than any of his previous works--and from the looks of the reviews cropping up here, the process has already begun.
I've read every one of Christopher Moore's books--I'm a devoted fan. Every time I read Chris Moore in bed, I find myself laughing so hard that my husband refers to me as "the human equivalent of Magic Fingers." I have to believe that someone whose writing can evoke such a reaction has a true gift. Christopher Moore's writing is both funny and deeply humane--he pokes fun at the world with tenderness and benevolence. That style shines through in Lamb, a story retold by Jesus' life-long friend, the irrepressible Levi, who is called Biff.
At first glance, it might seem Biff is an archetype--the guy whose exterior reflects "a--hole," (to quote the angel, Raziel), but who actually possesses a heart of gold. But on further examination, Biff's more than that. He's intelligent (incidentally, the first to theorize that the world was round, and the first to speculate on the existence of gravity), kind and selfless. Sure, he has his faults, but that brilliant combination of jerk/gentleman is what makes him so intriguing.
Those who scoff at this book for religious reasons (and there will be many, I'm sure) are missing the bigger picture. As Moore relates in his afterword, the book was "not designed to change anyone's beliefs or worldview." But, for me, it did. I'm a Christian, and after reading Lamb I came away with a new understanding of Jesus (called Joshua in the book--Jesus is the Greek translation of the Hebrew, Yeshua, which is Joshua) as a human being. The fact that Jesus became human to redeem the world is the core of the Christian faith, and Christopher Moore brings that belief home with an almost magical tenderness. I found it moving to think of Jesus as a real person, and not some mystical, unreachable Godhead. Regardless of Moore's own religious beliefs--it's difficult to determine whether he views Christ as the Son of God, or a fascinating historical figure with a 30-year hole in his life story--Lamb meant something to me, and I know I'll read it more than once.
Is Lamb a perfect book? No. Some of the humor was a little too slapstick to really work. But as a whole, it's a bright spot in a world that has grown far too serious and cynical. Lamb was painstakingly researched; it's poignant and real; and, oh yeah...it's incredibly funny.
