This startling book is about what happens when one instance of the Second Coming (Godbody makes it clear that he does this on a regular basis, without public fanfare) consists primarily of the message "love one another" and the re-institution of Agape Feasts, with the healing of sexual wounds as a necessary first step before the rest can take place. It is not science fiction. If you don't believe in the Divine, you could categorize it as Magical Realism. I consider it a Christian myth about sacred sexuality.

Some people don't like the explicitness, but to me it seemed necessary because each person's relationship with sex and their past experiences with it, including their wounds and/or shame, were key to understanding their current situation. And the differences between the startlingly powerful, intimate and joyous sex first experienced by the Curriers sets up the contrast not only to their own past but to the situations of others.

One could accuse Sturgeon of oversimplifying life by portraying a community in which everything comes back to sex, but if you think of this book as a myth rather than a novel it makes it easier to accept. And let's face it: a lot of peoples' issues are rooted in sex, especially sexual wounds, shame, fear, and loneliness.

The other aspect is that of Godbody's utter compassion and acceptance. It doesn't matter what anyone has done in the past. Godbody accepts them utterly, loves them, wants them to be whole and healthy, but doesn't force anything on them. As another reviewer noted below, just being listened to with complete focus and acceptance is healing in itself.

"Godbody" is not about is free love, despite what some other reviewers have said. Godbody the character does not encourage or prompt people to have sex with everyone and anyone. In fact, some people might label him conservative, since it's fairly clear that all the sex takes place between couples who apparently are going to remain focused on each other. (The one exception is a single woman who makes love with Godbody but does not start trying to seduce the other men later.) Instead, what is portrayed is an Edenic, innocent intimacy, where characters are naked, but without stirring inappropriate lust in others, and married/committed couples become happier in their monogamy.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely! But it needs to be approached with an open mind and a certain level of spiritual and sexual maturity if you're going to fully appreciate it.
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Unique, beautifully written. Lots to think about. ( )

In the true spirit of a sixties appropriation of the Jesus story; all you need is love man, and everybody get naked.
I loved it. ( )

GODBODY is about how a messiah-like entity transforms a small, repressed town in the Katskills.

I remember reading this, or attempting to (I'm not sure I was able to finish), back when I was a teenager and it had first been published. I hated it, and then forgot about it for years. Then somehow I thought of it again, and I realized that I had been far too young to understand or appreciate the book. (I don't just mean the sex parts. Back then I wouldn't have recognized a Christ figure if you'd nailed him up in front of me. And just other life stuff.) So I thought, if I ever came across it again, I'd give it another try. This was partly because of Sturgeon's reputation as an author, and partly because I was curious to see how my perceptions had changed.

At first, I thought I was going to hate it still. At the beginning of the story, Reverend Dan Currier encounters Godbody in a field. He touches Dan, who returns home and makes sweet love to his wife like he's never done before. How nauseatingly domestic.

After the first couple chapters, though, it gets better. We're introduced to several other members of the community (except for the epilogue, the entire book is told in first-person): "Hobo" Wellen, the town rapist; Willa Mayhew, gossip columnist for the local paper and self-appointed morality police; poor, victimized Melissa Franck, and so on. We see how Godbody's presence changes even the worst of them.

It's still not a great book - there is a little too much casual mysticism for my taste - but at least I now understand what Sturgeon was trying to say. His message is a nice one, but it's so heavy-handed it's liable to take your head off if you're not careful. ( )

Very fun and interesting ( )