//by P.G. Wodehouse//published 1956//
So, as I mentioned in my April Rearview Mirror, spring always puts me in a bit of a reading slump. Two things brought me out of the slump: a crazy werewolf-paranormal-YA series that was completely out of my usual realm of reading but completely engaging (review to appear whenever I finish the third book in the trilogy… do you have any idea how sad it is to wait weeks for the third book in a trilogy?!), and, of course, my hero: P.G. Wodehouse.
French Leave is a pretty average Wodehouse read, if I’m honest. There are all the usual ingredients – a dashing and slightly-shady elderly uncle-type, a hardworking and handsome young man, a spunky and adorable heroine, an overbearing and terrifying mother/aunt, another nice although not-quite-as-smart young couple to get mixed up with the primary couple, and a bumbling law enforcement officer. Why, and this is a legitimate question, why is Wodehouse so perfect? How can he take the same ingredients and yet manage to consistently emerge with a book I can hardly put down and that makes me laugh out loud at regular intervals? It’s not as though it’s the element of surprise – his books are frequently predictable – but there is something about them that makes each one unique, even if it is a variation on his favorite song.
I thoroughly enjoyed French Leave, and it was really nice to finally read a book I really wanted to dig into, after several very MEH reads, and even a couple of DNFs. While there is still too much springtime in the air for me to be a full-on winter-reading capacity, French Leave definitely helped get me back into the reading gear. Wodehouse is highly recommended whether you are in a reading slump or not because it is always a perfect time for Wodehouse!
4/5
I think he brings in a fresh perspective on some basic facts of life even while repeating his ingredients. A comment here on old age, a remark there on the corroding power of certain stimulants on the digestive system, and the like.
Yes, it is always a perfect time to curl up in bed with one of his books!
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Love to laugh out loud when I read. Wodehouse sounds like fun. Jo @ Let’s Face the Music
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Oh my, somehow it looks like I never replied to this!
But yes, by all means, EVERYONE should read some Wodehouse! He never fails to lift my spirits. Almost any of his books will do. A Bertie/Jeeves book is always classic, but many of his random one-off books (like this one) are also full of fun. I prefer his full-length novels, while Dad loves his short stories. No matter what, they are always a good time!
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