My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Blandings is a compilation of five short stories and one novella of and about Lord Emsworth, thus set in Blandings Castle. The collection is a result of the six-part adaptation of P G Wodehouse's Bladings series by Guy Andrews. This series was aired on BBC in 2013 as Season 1. Another seven-part adaptation was aired in 2014 as Season 2. I have not watched either, and so will limit my review to the book I have just read.
A myriad of characters appear in the stories - Lord Emsworth and his prized sow the Empress of Blandings being the perpetual recurring ones. Sisters, sons, brothers, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, butlers, constables, secretaries, imposters - the compendium has them all. Wodehouse takes you through the excitement in the seemingly mundane routine of Blandings Castle. A lot has been said about Wodehouse's skill with the written word and storytelling, not to mention the side splitting sense of humour - justifiably so - and this book is yet another testimony to those attributes.
Wodehouse's stories leave me with a sense that all is well a the end, and an unconscious smile - quite literally. I thoroughly enjoyed the collection. Some of them have featured earlier in Lord Emsworth and Others. I had read Crime Wave at Blandings before but gave it a re-read neverthless, for the humour and build up. Rupert Baxter appears in this story and his set right by Lord Emsworth. Pig-hoo-o-o-oey! is a feel good story, revolving around the rotund Empress and Lord Emsworth's devotion to her. Lord Emsworth and the Girl shows us the tender and stern sides of Lord Emsworth. I had not read this before and was a sweet discovery. This is the best feel good story amongst the lot for me. Company for Gertrude spins yarn in Wodehouse's favourite fashion - laying out an imbroglio and then rearranging everything perfectly. The Go-Getter features the incorrigible Hon. Freddie Threepwood who in his efforts to touch one of his aunts for a fortune ends up in unfortunate situations himself. For once he is not getting on to his father's nerves. It was good to have Freddie in the surroundings. The novella - Galahad at Blandings - is a stand out feature of the book. A quick read and classic Wodehouse. If you know what I mean.
A myriad of characters appear in the stories - Lord Emsworth and his prized sow the Empress of Blandings being the perpetual recurring ones. Sisters, sons, brothers, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, butlers, constables, secretaries, imposters - the compendium has them all. Wodehouse takes you through the excitement in the seemingly mundane routine of Blandings Castle. A lot has been said about Wodehouse's skill with the written word and storytelling, not to mention the side splitting sense of humour - justifiably so - and this book is yet another testimony to those attributes.
Wodehouse's stories leave me with a sense that all is well a the end, and an unconscious smile - quite literally. I thoroughly enjoyed the collection. Some of them have featured earlier in Lord Emsworth and Others. I had read Crime Wave at Blandings before but gave it a re-read neverthless, for the humour and build up. Rupert Baxter appears in this story and his set right by Lord Emsworth. Pig-hoo-o-o-oey! is a feel good story, revolving around the rotund Empress and Lord Emsworth's devotion to her. Lord Emsworth and the Girl shows us the tender and stern sides of Lord Emsworth. I had not read this before and was a sweet discovery. This is the best feel good story amongst the lot for me. Company for Gertrude spins yarn in Wodehouse's favourite fashion - laying out an imbroglio and then rearranging everything perfectly. The Go-Getter features the incorrigible Hon. Freddie Threepwood who in his efforts to touch one of his aunts for a fortune ends up in unfortunate situations himself. For once he is not getting on to his father's nerves. It was good to have Freddie in the surroundings. The novella - Galahad at Blandings - is a stand out feature of the book. A quick read and classic Wodehouse. If you know what I mean.
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