This is the third book which I’ve read recently about life at Blandings Castle and I did find it enjoyable although it didn’t have me laughing out loud as much as the first one did – Something Fresh.
It’s mainly about Gally, who I must admit is a great character, he’s Lord Emsworth’s younger brother and in his younger days he got up to all sorts of high jinks, such as only those in so-called ‘high society’ could. He has been writing his memoirs which are full of scurrilous stories involving people in respectable positions now, and although he had sold them to Lord Tilbury (a publisher) he has thought better of it and decided to destroy them. Lord Tilbury is determined to get his hands on the manscript though as he knows he would make a mint from their publication.
Meanwhile all is not well in the romance stakes where the young people are concerned, mainly because Ronnie is determined to marry a chorus girl called Sue but Lady Julia and Lady Constance are determined that he will not marry her.
And then there’s the Empress of Blandings, a magnificent pig who only cares about eating – as pigs do.
Silliness reigns in these books – but sometimes that just hits the spot.
Uncle Gally is one of my favorite characters. Wodehouse did write great uncles, in contrast to the horrifying aunts! I also enjoyed the sequel, The Luck of the Bodkins, set on an ocean liner on its way to New York – I think it was the first of his books I read not set in England.
Lisa,
I’ll have to look out for that sequel. I can think of quite a few vintage male authors who conjured up ghastly women but when I think about it, I’ve known quite a lot of harridans in real life. I much prefer the fictional variety though. Such fun!
I still haven’t read Wodehouse – must get to him this year!
Anbolyn,
You should give Something New a go – you can get it from Project Gutenberg I’m sure.