# Clovenhoof

By Heide Goody & Iain Grant · Clovenhoof, book 1

Profile: https://hahafiction.com/books/clovenhoof-0d0f1abc/

Satan has been fired. Stripped of his position in Hell and sent to suburban Birmingham, he must live as Jeremy Clovenhoof while Archangel Michael keeps an eye on him. Ordinary people have no intention of giving their new neighbor the respect he considers his due.

## What makes it funny?

The former Prince of Hell needs a job, friends and a girlfriend, and must learn to host a dinner party. His probation officer happens to be an archangel. Simon Fairbanks’s review singles out a cynical Satan bewildered by domestic life and religious figures given unexpectedly comic roles.

### The comedy at work

Goody and Grant put supernatural rank up against suburban expectations. Jeremy’s old authority does little for him among the neighbors, while the institutions of Heaven and Hell acquire familiar human faults. Fairbanks describes the social satire as good-natured and the ensemble as sympathetic.

### Try this if…

Religious irreverence and everyday social mishaps drive this one. Readers in book groups name it when recommending funny books, with some specifically pointing to the first volume. The review describes largely self-contained chapter adventures, which may suit reading in short stretches.

### Good to know

Expect irreverent treatment of Heaven and Hell, with murder, cannibalism and armed robbery among the book’s advertised events.

## What to expect

- Genre: Fantasy
- On the shelf: Urban fantasy
- Kind of humor: Dark comedy · Satire · Situational comedy
- The atmosphere: Irreverent · Warmhearted
- Format: Novel
- Published: 2012

## A few distinguishing details

- Satan’s forced retirement in Birmingham
- Archangel Michael as a probation officer

## Sources & further reading

- Reader discussion: [Reader discussion](https://facebook.com/groups/bookrecommendations/permalink/25581301591517979)
- Author commentary: [Author series and paperback](https://goodyandgrant.com/collections/clovenhoof-books)
- Book information: [Novel and series](https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/heide-goody/clovenhoof.htm)
- Book information: [Published edition](https://books.google.com/books/about/Clovenhoof.html?id=P-n0jwEACAAJ)
- Review: [Book review](https://www.simonfairbanks.com/blog/review-clovenhoof-by-heide-goody-and-iain-grant)