Secondhand Souls

Christopher Moore

Book 2 in the series:Grim Reaper

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hilarious adventure

quirky characters

urban and supernatural elements

witty and humorous writing style

absurd traits and caricatures

chaotic soul collection

juvenile and irreverent humor

uneven pacing

comedic fantasy sequel

clever dialogue

surreal situations

In "Secondhand Souls" by Christopher Moore, readers are taken on a hilarious and fantastical adventure filled with quirky characters and surreal situations. The book serves as a sequel to "A Dirty Job," where the protagonist, Charlie Asher, finds himself embroiled in a series of events involving the underworld and the collection of souls. The writing style is described as witty and humorous, with a touch of irreverence and clever dialogue that keeps readers entertained throughout the story.

Characters:

The characters are quirky with absurd traits, but many lack development, making them feel more like caricatures.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is marked by humor that can be juvenile and irreverent, characteristic of the author's previous works.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot continues from its predecessor, involving chaotic soul collection and absurdities without developing many interesting storylines.

Setting:

The setting is primarily in San Francisco, weaving together urban and supernatural elements.

Pacing:

The pacing is uneven, with slow sections and a sense of urgency that doesn't always align with the plot development.

It was a cool, quiet November day in San Francisco and Alphonse Rivera, a lean, dark man of fifty, sat behind the counter of his bookstore flipping through the Great Big Book of Death. The old-fashion...

Notes:

Secondhand Souls is a sequel to Christopher Moore's book A Dirty Job.

The story is set in San Francisco, featuring supernatural elements and quirky characters.

Charlie Asher, the main character, is stuck in a 14-inch body made from animal parts after events in the first book.

The book features a hilarious mix of dark humor, mythology, and absurdity.

There are several returning characters from A Dirty Job, including Minty Fresh and Sophie, who is the embodiment of Death.

The plot involves Death Merchants who struggle to collect souls due to chaotic underworld events.

There are numerous references to ghost stories, particularly involving the Golden Gate Bridge.

Characters occasionally engage in juvenile humor, which some readers find offensive.

The book has been noted for having less focus and a more scattered plot than its predecessor.

Christopher Moore's writing style blends the profane with the profound, making for an entertaining read.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include references to explicit humor, crude language, and themes surrounding death and a chaotic underworld.

Has Romance?

There is a medium presence of romance, particularly revolving around the relationships between Charlie, Audrey, and other characters.

From The Publisher:

In San Francisco, the souls of the dead are mysteriously disappearing-and you know that can't be good-in New York Times bestselling author Christopher Moore's delightfully funny sequel to A Dirty Job.

Something really strange is happening in the City by the Bay. People are dying, but their souls are not being collected. Someone-or something-is stealing them and no one knows where they are going, or why, but it has something to do with that big orange bridge. Death Merchant Charlie Asher is just as flummoxed as everyone else. He's trapped in the body of a fourteen-inch-tall "meat puppet" waiting for his Buddhist nun girlfriend, Audrey, to find him a suitable new body to play host.

To get to the bottom of this abomination, a motley crew of heroes will band together: the seven-foot-tall death merchant Minty Fresh; retired policeman turned bookseller Alphonse Rivera; the Emperor of San Francisco and his dogs, Bummer and Lazarus; and Lily, the former Goth girl. Now if only they can get little Sophie to stop babbling about the coming battle for the very soul of humankind . . .

Ratings (22)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (15)
Liked It (2)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (42):

Read It (25)
Want To Read (14)
Not Interested (3)

1 comment(s)

pincus

Loved It

2 months

Not quite as brilliant as A Dirty Job but still a must read for any fans of Charlie Asher, The Emporer, or Christopher Moore.

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