More Gratuitous Plum Blogging

Here's a review and recommendation of P.G. Wodehouse's Jill the Reckless by Will Duquette that I just came across over at the Blowhards' place.

I find this quite interesting because I wrote my own review of this book a couple months ago and, rereading it, find that I disliked it for more or less the same reasons Will enjoyed it. I'm not saying that either of us is right or wrong, but reading his review might give you a different perspective on things.

Speaking of Wodehouse and reviews, I also recently finished another new-to-me novel of his, Spring Fever, another non-Bertie & Jeeves, non-Blandings story. Unfortunately, I've already forgotten enough about it that I can't give a detailed review. All I recall at the moment is that I generally did not much care for the characters, particularly Augustus Robb, the reformed Cockney burglar turned valet, who is supposed to be the comic foil at the heart of the piece. Also, although the story contained several classic Wodehouse chapter-ending plot twists, it is not nearly as well constructed as some of his masterpieces.

As I realized that I had read two new Wodehouse novels in a row and not cared for either of them very much, I began to get a horrible suspicion: my copies of both of these books are part of a new hardcover reprint of Plum's works by Overlook Publishers. I dislike the artwork on the covers of this new series intensely. Is it possible that my reaction to the books' covers has been clouding my judgement of their content? Could I really be as shallow as all that?

Of course, this is only two books. I suppose the only thing to do is keep buying new volumes as they come out and keep building up my data.