Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Aunts aren't gentlemen by P G Wodehouse

I just came to know that this is the last book completely written by Wodehouse and the last one in which Wooster and Jeeves appear.

Bertie Wooster finds that he has spots on his chest and hops off to Doctor to see everything is fine. The doctor while assuring him that everything is fine, suggests a quiet stay away from the city. Thus Wooster finds himself in a village called Maiden Eggesford, where his aunt Dahlia is also staying. But what Wooster cannot expect in this "quiet" countryside is a peaceful stay.

First, there is Wooster's old collegemate Orlo Potter who arrives in Maiden Eggesford to see his lover, Vanessa Cook. Potter starts suspecting Wooster to be after Vanessa and immediately gives him the warning that if that is true he is going to tear him apart. To make matters worse, Vanessa's father accuses Wooster of trying to steal his cat. Now enters aunt Dahlia who proves that she is not a "gentleman" by plotting a plan to actually steal the cat so that Cook's horse will lose the race and she wins her bet.

Now Wooster finds himself amidst many undesirable situations when Vanessa asks him to marry her, Potter is all ready to tear him apart with bare hands, Cook comes to him accusing him of stealing his daughter and stealing his cat. In these unfortunate situations, Wooster  has no one but Jeeves to help him out. Will Jeeves save his master?

The novel carries the "Wodehouse signature" with hilarious situations and subtle humour. The story belongs more to Wooster as  Jeeves does not have a huge presence in the story. Will recommend this book to everyone, 4 out of 5.