Showing posts with label Jeeves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeeves. Show all posts

Monday, March 13, 2023

Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit P.G. Wodehouse, Jonathan Cecil

Bertie has been invited (commanded?) to Brinkley Court. He is not excited to go because some of the other guests include Percy, who had recently applied to Bertie for a thousand pounds to put on a play, Florence, formerly engaged to Bertie, and her current fiance, "Stilton" Cheesewright who definitely has it in for Bertie. Stilton is convinced that Bertie would like to once again be engaged to Florence (though nothing is further from the truth; on the other hand, Bertie does sort of end up engaged to her again.)
As usual, there are a series of misunderstandings and shenanigans that follow the Jeeves and Wooster formula but still somehow feels fresh.

Four stars
This book came out in October 15, 1954
Follows Ring for Jeeves
Followed by How Right You Are Jeeves
Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Prime
Opinions are my own

Thursday, May 12, 2022

Jeeves and the Mating Season by P.G. Wodehouse

This story is even more twisted than the usual Jeeves as Bertie sets out to deceive. He shows up at Deverill Hall but is pretending to be Gussie Fink-Nottle. So Jeeves is, obviously not his valet. Instead, it is a friend playing the part, one who is in love but his beloved's family doesn't want her to marry an actor. Esmond Haddock's plethora of aunts understand that feeling as they would really prefer that he not marry Corky who is in town to help her vicar uncle but is, in actuality, a Hollywood actress. One whom Gussie admires and starts to fall in love with when he shows up to the hall as Bertie.
Oh what a tangled (and often confusing with the casual racism of the time that is jarring to a modern ear) web that will take all of Jeeves' brilliance to untangle.

Three and a half stars
This book came out in 1949
Followed by Ring for Jeeves
Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Premium Plus
Opinions are my own

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Joy in the Morning by P.G. Wodehouse

Edwin, the less-than-helpful Boy Scout, makes another appearance in this book as Bertie and Jeeves are in Steeple Bumpleigh. Jeeves has finally won his bid to be able to go fishing on his break. Bertie is supposed to stay in a separate home but it is burned down on his first day there through Edwin's actions. This is not great as Lord Worplesdon (Edwin's father, also father to the fearsome Florence Craye who once tried to marry and "improve" Bertie) needed that cottage to make some super secret side deal that he doesn't want anyone, ANYONE, to know about. 
More engagement confusion as Florence is affianced to the local police constable who definitely does not look kindly on her former fiance. Also, there is also Xenobia "Nobby" Hopwood who wants to marry a friend of Bertie's before he goes off to write scripts for Hollywood but her uncle (Lord Worpledon) doesn't trust writers.
A mass of confusing stories as usual but still a fun read.

Three stars
This book came out in 1947
Borrowed as audiobook from Audible
Opinion are my own

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

The cow creamer. It is all about a silver cow creamer. "Pop" Bassett wants the creamer and steals it out from under the nose of Bertie's Uncle Tom. So his Aunt Dahlia commands him to steal the creamer. Bertie would rather not but he heads out to the estate anyway as he has been sent a series of frantic telegrams from Gussie Fink-Nottle whose engagement to Angela Bassett seems to be on the line. When Bertie arrives, he discovers that Roderick Spode, a man who is in love with Angela but Jeeves is able to spike his guns. There is also an engagement between Stephanie Bink (the niece of Pop Bassett) and an old friend of Bertie's, "Stinker" Pinker, now a curate, as well as some kerfuffle related to a policeman's hat. 
Of course, all is finished satisfactorily and Jeeves has convinced Bertie to sail off on a world-round cruise.

Three and a half stars
This book came out October 7, 1938
Followed by Joy in the Morning
Opinions are my own

Monday, March 7, 2022

Right Ho, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Bertie never learns. In this book, he is absolutely certain that he knows best. However, it will come as no surprise that all he knows is how to create chaos. It is, of course, up to Jeeves to sort out the relationships between Gussie Finknottle and Madeline Bassett (else she might turn her eye back to Bertie(!)). There are also issues arising between his gambling aunt and Uncle Tom once again. 
When Bertie recommends the same course of action to both his aunt and Gussie, he ends two engagements and almost causes Anatole (the unparalleled chef from previous books). Luckily, Jeeves is there to step in.

Four stars
This book came out October 5, 1934
Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus
Opinions are my own

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Thank You, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Ufda. The casual racism in this book does NOT hold up well. The story is, as usual, quite funny but it is not a book that aged like a good wine.
Bertie has gotten hold of a banjo. If you've read previous books in the series, you realize that this is going to be a problem. In fact, it not only gets Bertie kicked out of his apartment, Jeeves leaves him as well. Big Problem. Except Bertie doesn't see it that way. He hires another valet and gets himself out of London since one of his previous fiancee's was seen in the company of two of his former antagonists. Well, it turns out that he might not have reason to worry since the former fiancee is now more interested in his friend Chuffy. But the course to true love never does run smoothly in fiction and it may be that Jeeves's intervention is needed after all.  

Two stars
Follows Very Good, Jeeves!
Followed by Right Ho, Jeeves!
This book came out in 1933
Audiobook borrowed from Audible Premium Plus
Opinions are my own



Carry On, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

 The book opens with Bertie once again being engaged. Well, he's reminiscing about being engaged to a woman, Florence, who wants Bertie's help in stopping his uncle's memoirs from being printed. Jeeves appears to help but the manuscript making it to the publisher means that Florence has dropped the engagement. We also see Bertie almost get engaged but luckily Jeeves helps him out again. 
We also see more of Jeeves' family with his niece in one story and a cousin in another. And one story from Jeeves's point of view, how he is able to manipulate Bertie.
Wodehouse is just really good at weaving in stories and picking up threads from one book to another. If you haven't read previous books in the series, you are probably okay but if you have, there is so much more to enjoy in terms of humor because you get layers of the story.

Three stars
Follows The Inimitable Jeeves
Followed by Very Good Jeeves!
This book came out in 1925
Audiobook from Audible Premium plus
Opinions are my own