A review by kurtwombat
The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove by Christopher Moore

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

 Christopher Moore was strongly recommended to me over a decade ago by I can’t remember who and I can’t remember when but I’m glad I finally dipped in my toe. Over time I have managed to add four or five of his books to my personal to-read pile at home. Early on while reading this one, I had visions of possibly donating the rest of my Moore pile to the local library for resale. It was odd and kind of engaging and mildly humorous but it hadn’t grabbed me. Something changed about midway through. All the characters locked into place and the mildly humorous became genuinely funny—and kind of  engaging became a romp.  Maybe it took me that long to adjust to the fantasy elements—or should I say one really big fantasy element named STEVE. There was a nice payoff with STEVE  and a certain pharmacist but I might have been just as happy hanging out with the regular townsfolks and their irregular problems. Oh, but I did love that set up and payoff with the pharmacist. Moore’s books are apparently quite popular and there is an element that I appreciated that may factor into it—several of the characters despite what they might be going through maintained a certain gentleness at their core. That being my shorthand for a certain candlelight of decency that hasn’t been snuffed out. (kinda reminds me of the scene from THE INCREDIBLES when the family is escaping and Mr. Incredible joyfully says, YOU KEEP TRYING TO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME BUT I’M JUST HAPPY YOUR ALIVE) While I might generally prefer a harder edge, this is done so well I warmed to it. I will be reading more Moore.