STARRED Book Review: Ohmigod!

Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

A funny, inventive story about a man with anxiety and the return of god

God’s back. Finally. Everything is saved. Right?

How many people have thought about what life would be like if their god came back to Earth as he’s promised? What would you say? What would you wear? Aaron Asadi takes the return to places you’ve never imagined (and won’t expect) in Ohmigod! 

God returns on a day as normal as any other. Sam is just hopeful that the trash people will come to take his bins on time. Little does he know, his world is about to be turned upside down and his anxiety is about to hit the roof.

As Sam’s mother is worrying herself into a rut and his ex-girlfriend is trying to escape the mundane, Sam is taking things day by day, listening to his podcasts and riding the waves that god makes upon his return. 

First, don’t be intimidated by this subject matter. Asadi does a stellar job tackling a touchy subject with respect and care while also seeing his idea through with humor. He gives all sides of religious arguments enough space, and his main character  couldn’t be much more neutral to it all. Both religious and nonreligious readers will enjoy this book because it deals with humanity and the way our world really works.

I enjoyed reading Ohmigod! for a lot of reasons, but perhaps the biggest is how Sam ties all of these big ideas together. With a premise like god returning, it’s easy to think the main character is all in or all out on religion, but Sam plants himself firmly in the middle almost by accident. When there is reason to panic, he feels the urge to panic. When things are calm, he eases up. His anxiety takes the center stage in his life, upstaging even god himself. 

While some of the biggest events in history are taking place, his mind is often elsewhere; he thinks about how he came off while texting his ex-girlfriend, wonders what impression he’s made on his new gardener, considers if he should hire a professional cleaner. At times his obliviousness is comical, but it also feels like an accurate representation of his anxiety-riddled mind. Not even the return of god can get him out of his own head. 

While absolute havoc is being wreaked on the world, it’s also being talked about in the online world. Sam follows a podcast that breaks down the happenings with a lively and opinionated host who gives him perspective on how people are actually responding to the current events. There are also a slew of texts and live updates from the government guiding people on what new protocols they need to follow. God’s announcement and speeches are live-streamed too. 

The story takes place in current times, with Covid not far behind us. The onslaught of information feels familiar and reflects the toll that never-ending information can have on people. In this case, it contributes to a sort of numbness, maybe as a form of self-preservation. I’m still debating what I think everything means in this story—the mark of a damn good, thought-provoking novel.

Asadi keeps readers constantly guessing too. With the return of god, pretty much anything can happen next—and it does! This book is surprising to say the least. A couple times, my mouth hung open. I gasped. Laughed. And yet, the writing style is so casual that things feel calm right before they explode. It makes big reveals feel even bigger. 

I read Ohmigod! with haste and excitement. Asadi takes what could be a common or simple idea and transforms it into something inventive and digestible and funny and kinda scary but also somehow super chill. I could talk about this book for a long time. Someone ask me! It’s easily one of the best books I’ve read this year.

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