Another Blandings story: more young lovers and old fools (one might almost think he drew his inspiration from the Commedia dell'Arte), more indomitable aunts and, of course, more imposters. The plot, with its twists and highly improbable turns, is that of a classic farce. The silliness is rescued by its very over-the-top unlikelihood and by the sheer beauty of the comedic writing.
Selected quotes:
- "He had just about enough intelligence to open his mouth when he wanted to eat." (1.1)
- "A slow, pleasant voice, like clotted cream made audible." (1.3)
- "Lord Emsworth ... always took a little time to collect his hands and feet when about to potter from a given spot." (8.2)
- "the Aunt, the whole Aunt, and nothing but the Aunt." (9.1)
Other P G Wodehouse books reviewed on this blog may be found here.
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