Review: Just Doomed by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

Is this the right book for you?

Take the DOOMED TEST to find out.

YES / NO

1. Have you ever broken a mirror, walked under a ladder or opened an umbrella inside?

2. Do you often find yourself feeling that everything is about to go horribly, terribly and utterly wrong?

3. Have you ever lost or destroyed a valuable item that didn’t belong to you?

4. Have you just accidentally enraged a very large and bad-tempered bully?

5. Are you 120 years old or over?

SCORE: One point for each YES answer   
3-5 You are definitely DOOMED! You will love this book.   
1-2 You are fairly DOOMED! You will love this book.   
0 You are DOOMED, you just don’t realise it. You will love this book.

I’d like to think that Doomed‘s release date wasn’t by accident. Because, really, releasing a Griffith/Denton Just book on April Fool’s Day is genius.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the Just series, and, despite the three year wait for Doomed – it was worth it. So worth it.

Doomed was everything a good Just book should be: hilarious, a little gross, excellent, laugh-out-loud illustrations and fantastic gags.

I also always particular enjoy the keen observations on life, for example Andy makes a comment that Post Offices are no longer Post Offices, and more like Two Dollar stores with all the extra stuff they sell – so true!

I loved the mix-up of short stories in the book: there was a choose-your-own-adventure, maths problems, diary entries, a mini-cartoon and a ’101 Ways To Be Doomed’ – a list of random situations in which you are doomed – as well as the usual short stories.

Of course, I also found it perfect that the first short story is about the beginning of Andy’s school holidays – how perfect given Australia’s school holidays have just started too! – but then it was ruined when he mentioned ‘Christmas’ holidays – but I supposed you can’t have it all :p

As always, this is an excellent book of epic proportions.

I feel I should end this review on a joke however I am the least funny person going around, so, instead, I’ll end it on the most thrilling thing ever- links!

For more information:
Andy’s website
Terry’s website
Pan Macmillan’s website