What: In this book by Marie Phillips, the twelve Greek gods of Mt. Olympus are alive and living in modern-day London. They've come down in the world a bit, though --- Artemis is a dog-walker, Aphrodite is a phone sex worker, etc. They all live together in a run-down flat and have spent most of the past several centuries bickering.
Two mortals, Alice and Neil, get caught up in the double-crossing, hero-questing, and world-saving. Much to their dismay.
Comparable to: Neil Gaiman also did the whole deities-walking-around-like-people thing with American Gods. This has a smaller, zippier scope.
Opening lines: "One morning, when Artemis was out walking the dogs, she saw a tree where no tree should be."
Representative dialogue:
"Why would you tell me the truth?" said Hera.
Apollo considered this.
"Mainly I'm trying to drop my siblings in the shit," he said.
Now it was Hera's turn to consider.
"Well, I'll admit that does sound like you," she conceded.
You might not like it if: You fear the gods will get angry about being described so frivolously.
How to get it: Buyable, borrowable, Kindle-able. Also! It's being made into a movie. So start picturing Christopher Walken as Zeus.
John Turturo is cast as Hades! This is perfect.
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