Book Report - Jeeves and the Tie That Binds

Jeeves and the Tie That Binds by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bertie is called to Brinkley Court near Market Snodsbury by his Aunt Dahlia to help Bertie's friend-from-childhood Ginger Winship run for Parliament. Being a Jeeves and Wooster story, complications arise of course. Madeline Basset is there and though she is engaged to Lord Sidcup (nee Roderick Spode) there is always the possibility Bertie will end up getting engaged to her. There is also a bloke there with a silver porringer he wishes to sell to Bertie's uncle Tom. It doesn't take much of a leap of imagination to figure that it will go missing and Bertie will be the number 1 suspect. Finally Florence Craye is there, affianced to Ginger; if things go bust there, Bertie could end up engaged to her. And to further mix things up, the club book from the Junior Ganymede Club is involved.

As you can see, a typical Jeeves and Wooster story. This was a delightful find for me - my first read. It's standard stuff with all Wodehouse's great phrases and descriptions. Ginger's chief Conservative opponent for the House of Commons; her husband died prior to the opening of the story. Bertie describes her thusly: "Seeing her steadily and seeing her whole, as the expression is, one marveled at the intrepidity of Mr. McCorkadale in marrying her - obviously a man whom nothing could daunt." (p81). When Jeeve's quotes Shakespeare, they have the following back and forth: "'Shakespeare said some rather good things.' [Jeeves:] 'I understand that he has given uniform satisfaction, sir...'"

At the end we can tell this series is running toward its end; and indeed, there is only one novel left. No, Bertie does not get married but I don't want to say more.

My only disappointment is that things work themselves out while Bertie is away. Seriously, folks, read some Jeeves and Wooster books! They are utterly fantastic.

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