Colette Tamburini – Online Editor
Time to find the Antichrist and stop the Apocalypse! Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (1990) is a supernatural fantasy novel written by English authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. It follows an angel and a demon, Azriaphale and Crowley, who are content with living in the human world for many years. But with a prophecy foretold by the witch, Agnes Nutter, predicting the Apocalypse will come with the rise of the Antichrist, the two friends are not too happy with that.
Azriaphale and Crowley both take in a child to raise as nannies, thinking they are keeping Satan’s son and to never have him decide on Good and Evil. But with a few misunderstandings, the real Antichrist, Adam Young, is at another place. It is up to the angel and demon to find him before the end of the world becomes a reality.
One of my favorite moments of Good Omens is the close friendship between Azriaphale and Crowley. They have this natural chemistry that spark hilarious moments between them. My personal favorite out of the two is Azriaphale. He seems to be a relaxed guy who doesn’t want to go to war and would rather read books.
Characters like the Four Horsemen are also compelling and intriguing to follow. It is hilarious to see the normally feared horsemen be somewhat regular people like how famine is a fast-food tycoon and Death being a biker is a perfect role.
Another element I appreciated in Good Omens is how the authors explored the philosophical nature of good and evil, how the world is gray and not black and white. “It may help to understand human affairs to be clear that most of the great triumphs and tragedies of history are caused, not by people being fundamentally good or fundamentally bad, but by people being fundamentally people.” I think this quote should be reflected and it truly shows the realness of how our world has caused both pain and harmony.
I also enjoy the humor Pratchett and Gaiman bring to Good Omens. This can easily be compared to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy with how the universe can be ridiculous and it is up to us to just go with the flow and live life to the fullest. One of my favorite quotes from Good Omens is Death shouting “DON’T THINK OF IT AS DYING…JUST THINK OF IT AS LEAVING EARLY TO AVIOD THE RUSH” and I truly relate to that.
The most disappointing aspect of Good Omens was the ending. Personally, I felt kind of cheated from getting a proper ending and instead get a “resolved” one that seemed everything is back to normal. I am not too mad about it but if the authors had taken more time with the ending, it would’ve been more impactful.
Overall, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch will be enjoyed for those who want to get a good laugh and to connect with Aziaphale and Crowley’s relationship. But keep in mind that the plot is at best okay and at worst unengaging, especially with that lackluster conclusion.
