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Despite marriage to a millionaire's daughter and success as a vice-president of Donaldson's, Inc., manufacturers of the world-famous Donaldson's Dog-Joy, Freddie Threepwood, Lord Emsworth's younger son, still goes in fear of his aunts when at Blandings Castle. Full Moon tells the story of how he faces them down while promoting the love of Bill Lister and Prudence Garland. A charming Blandings comedy with a full Wodehouse complement of aunts, pigs, millionaires, colonels, imposters, and dotty show more earls. show lessTags
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Reading P.G. Wodehouse's “Full Moon” it can difficult to believe he wrote the novel behind enemy lines, a prisoner or virtual prisoner of the Nazi army. This Blandings story is as light, frantic and hilarious as any he wrote.
Biographer Robert McCrum cites the following lines from the novel to suggest what might really have been going on in Wodehouse's mind during this period: "In every situation, when the spirit has been placed upon the rack and peril seems to threaten from every quarter, there inevitably comes soon or late to the interested party at the centre of the proceedings a conviction that things are getting too hot. Stags at bay have this feeling. So have Red Indians at the stake. It came now to Bill."
Well, maybe. But show more Wodehouse had lines much like those in many of his novels. His characters were always getting into impossible situations, then getting out again thanks to Jeeves, Galahad, Freddie or some other hero. What amazes me is that he could write so breezily in France or Germany, wherever he happened to be at the time, with a war going on around him, sometimes within his hearing.
Wodehouse plots often revolve around young love, the problem of making a marriage possible despite all obstacles. In “Full Moon,” he doubles the stakes, giving readers two couples in love. In one case, the suitor, an American millionaire the girl's parents would welcome into the family needs a drink to work up the courage to ask her to marry him, but every time he takes a nip he sees an image of a frightful-looking man. That frightful-looking man is actually Bill, who despite his looks is a wonderful man, but one with little money. This girl's mother erects strong defenses to keep Bill away from Blandings Castle. Not until the last few pages does Wodehouse work all this out to the satisfaction of everyone, especially the reader.
When one reviews a Wodehouse novel, it can be all but impossible to refrain from quoting a few of his most notable lines. They are just too choice to pass up. Normally these are the funniest lines in the story, but the lines that struck me most powerfully in “Full Moon” were those that open the novel, which aren't funny at all but rather quite beautiful. It goes on for a page or more, but here is a sampling:
"The refined moon which served Blandings Castle and district was nearly at its full, and the ancestral home of Clarence, ninth Earl of Emsworth, had for some hours now been flooded by its silver rays. They shone on turret and battlement; peeped respectfully in upon Lord Emsworth's sister, Lady Hermione Wedge, as she creamed her face in the Blue Room; and stole through the open window of the Red Room next door where there was something really worth looking at -- Veronica Wedge, to wit, Lady Hermione's outstandingly beautiful daughter, who was lying in bed staring at the ceiling and wishing she had some decent jewelry to wear at the forthcoming County Ball. A lovely girl needs, of course, not jewels but her youth and health and charm, but anybody who had wanted to make Veronica understand that would have to work like a beaver."
Never mind the humor in “Full Moon,” how did Wodehouse write that under the watchful eye of Nazis? show less
Biographer Robert McCrum cites the following lines from the novel to suggest what might really have been going on in Wodehouse's mind during this period: "In every situation, when the spirit has been placed upon the rack and peril seems to threaten from every quarter, there inevitably comes soon or late to the interested party at the centre of the proceedings a conviction that things are getting too hot. Stags at bay have this feeling. So have Red Indians at the stake. It came now to Bill."
Well, maybe. But show more Wodehouse had lines much like those in many of his novels. His characters were always getting into impossible situations, then getting out again thanks to Jeeves, Galahad, Freddie or some other hero. What amazes me is that he could write so breezily in France or Germany, wherever he happened to be at the time, with a war going on around him, sometimes within his hearing.
Wodehouse plots often revolve around young love, the problem of making a marriage possible despite all obstacles. In “Full Moon,” he doubles the stakes, giving readers two couples in love. In one case, the suitor, an American millionaire the girl's parents would welcome into the family needs a drink to work up the courage to ask her to marry him, but every time he takes a nip he sees an image of a frightful-looking man. That frightful-looking man is actually Bill, who despite his looks is a wonderful man, but one with little money. This girl's mother erects strong defenses to keep Bill away from Blandings Castle. Not until the last few pages does Wodehouse work all this out to the satisfaction of everyone, especially the reader.
When one reviews a Wodehouse novel, it can be all but impossible to refrain from quoting a few of his most notable lines. They are just too choice to pass up. Normally these are the funniest lines in the story, but the lines that struck me most powerfully in “Full Moon” were those that open the novel, which aren't funny at all but rather quite beautiful. It goes on for a page or more, but here is a sampling:
"The refined moon which served Blandings Castle and district was nearly at its full, and the ancestral home of Clarence, ninth Earl of Emsworth, had for some hours now been flooded by its silver rays. They shone on turret and battlement; peeped respectfully in upon Lord Emsworth's sister, Lady Hermione Wedge, as she creamed her face in the Blue Room; and stole through the open window of the Red Room next door where there was something really worth looking at -- Veronica Wedge, to wit, Lady Hermione's outstandingly beautiful daughter, who was lying in bed staring at the ceiling and wishing she had some decent jewelry to wear at the forthcoming County Ball. A lovely girl needs, of course, not jewels but her youth and health and charm, but anybody who had wanted to make Veronica understand that would have to work like a beaver."
Never mind the humor in “Full Moon,” how did Wodehouse write that under the watchful eye of Nazis? show less
A perfect farce, like a 1930’s Hollywood musical, brimming with sublime verbal repartee.
This is the sixth Blandings novel, so we have a familiar set of characters, who with two couples thwarted in love by parents (Aunt Dora - a hell hound!) or the farcical appearance of Blister’s face(!), move effortlessly through comic misunderstandings and false Assyrian beards towards a happy resolution.
The vagueness of Lord Emsworth produces ongoing hilarity whenever he appears in a scene, for example when his younger son, Freddie Threepwood, assures Lord Emsworth that he will not be left “holding the baby” with regards to the cost of some jewellery, and let us see what Lord Emsworth thinks:
“Have no fear you will be left holding the baby - show more ”
Again, Lord Emsworth was interested. This was the first he had heard of this.
“Have you a baby? Is he a boy? How old is he? What do you call him? Is he like you?” he asked with a sudden pang of pity for the unfortunate suckling.
“I was speaking figuratively, Guv’nor.” said Freddie patiently.
Although the lead up to the farces may sometimes feel somewhat clockwork, it is perfectly paced in this delightfully sunny England that never existed, but deserves to.
My Folio Society edition (2004) is beautifully and copiously illustrated by Paul Cox, and I would highly recommend obtaining this edition (originally sold in a set of six Blandings novels) if you are able. show less
This is the sixth Blandings novel, so we have a familiar set of characters, who with two couples thwarted in love by parents (Aunt Dora - a hell hound!) or the farcical appearance of Blister’s face(!), move effortlessly through comic misunderstandings and false Assyrian beards towards a happy resolution.
The vagueness of Lord Emsworth produces ongoing hilarity whenever he appears in a scene, for example when his younger son, Freddie Threepwood, assures Lord Emsworth that he will not be left “holding the baby” with regards to the cost of some jewellery, and let us see what Lord Emsworth thinks:
“Have no fear you will be left holding the baby - show more ”
Again, Lord Emsworth was interested. This was the first he had heard of this.
“Have you a baby? Is he a boy? How old is he? What do you call him? Is he like you?” he asked with a sudden pang of pity for the unfortunate suckling.
“I was speaking figuratively, Guv’nor.” said Freddie patiently.
Although the lead up to the farces may sometimes feel somewhat clockwork, it is perfectly paced in this delightfully sunny England that never existed, but deserves to.
My Folio Society edition (2004) is beautifully and copiously illustrated by Paul Cox, and I would highly recommend obtaining this edition (originally sold in a set of six Blandings novels) if you are able. show less
Wodehouse. P. G. Full Moon. 1947. Blandings No. 7. Ballantine, 1977.
P. G. Wodehouse never expected anyone to binge-read his novels and stories. They were published over a career that ran into its 7th decade. It is not surprising, then, to find similar characters floating around his varied locales. In the Blandings stories, the pig-besotted Clarence is a geriatric version of Bertie Wooster’s friend, the newt-obsessed Gussie Fink-Nottle, and Clarence’s brother Galahad could be a clone of Pongo’s Uncle Fred. If these names mean nothing to you, I envy your first encounter with their stories. Galahad, Gally to his family, has led an adventurous life and accumulated a wealth of risqué and otherwise scandalous stories, but like show more Pongo’s Uncle Fred, he delights in spreading “sweetness and light” by patching up other people’s romances. These efforts usually involve a lot of misadventure that would not be out of place in a Marx Brothers movie. But don’t worry, Empress, the sow, will survive to rule as Shropshire’s fattest pig. show less
P. G. Wodehouse never expected anyone to binge-read his novels and stories. They were published over a career that ran into its 7th decade. It is not surprising, then, to find similar characters floating around his varied locales. In the Blandings stories, the pig-besotted Clarence is a geriatric version of Bertie Wooster’s friend, the newt-obsessed Gussie Fink-Nottle, and Clarence’s brother Galahad could be a clone of Pongo’s Uncle Fred. If these names mean nothing to you, I envy your first encounter with their stories. Galahad, Gally to his family, has led an adventurous life and accumulated a wealth of risqué and otherwise scandalous stories, but like show more Pongo’s Uncle Fred, he delights in spreading “sweetness and light” by patching up other people’s romances. These efforts usually involve a lot of misadventure that would not be out of place in a Marx Brothers movie. But don’t worry, Empress, the sow, will survive to rule as Shropshire’s fattest pig. show less
Blandings is my favourite Wodehouse series, though this instalment is among the least impressive.
Yes, it has some funny moments, but not as many as hoped for. This is partially down to limited appearances by Lord Emsworth, who I consider P. G. Wodehouse’s greatest character creation. The scenes where he does show up, however, are amusing and among the best parts of the novel.
I’m also disappointed that Lady Constance doesn’t grace the pages. I particularly love the dialogue exchanges between her and Emsworth in previous books.
Of the new characters, I really like Veronika. Shame she doesn’t feature more, as she’s very funny.
The plot resembles many other Wodehouse tales, but somehow this one isn’t as engrossing. One reason show more could be the amount of reported speech, a trait the author apllies to all his works, though it stands out a lot more in “Full Moon”. It annoyed me at times, and I couldn’t help wishing he’d put all reported speech into dialogue, as I consider dialogue to be the author’s greatest strength.
In short, a little disappointing, yet still a worthwhile read. Bless my soul, it is. show less
Yes, it has some funny moments, but not as many as hoped for. This is partially down to limited appearances by Lord Emsworth, who I consider P. G. Wodehouse’s greatest character creation. The scenes where he does show up, however, are amusing and among the best parts of the novel.
I’m also disappointed that Lady Constance doesn’t grace the pages. I particularly love the dialogue exchanges between her and Emsworth in previous books.
Of the new characters, I really like Veronika. Shame she doesn’t feature more, as she’s very funny.
The plot resembles many other Wodehouse tales, but somehow this one isn’t as engrossing. One reason show more could be the amount of reported speech, a trait the author apllies to all his works, though it stands out a lot more in “Full Moon”. It annoyed me at times, and I couldn’t help wishing he’d put all reported speech into dialogue, as I consider dialogue to be the author’s greatest strength.
In short, a little disappointing, yet still a worthwhile read. Bless my soul, it is. show less
Yes, the story does sound familiar, with lots of business found in his other books. There's a necklace and trinket at the same jewelers, and the fact that Freddie asks his father, Lord Emsworth, to have the former sent to Paris and to bring the latter back with may be proof that Freddie is as lacking in intelligence and sense as his father thinks. Not that his father thinks very much. There are some funny conversations and the many mix-ups work. I love the idea that Galahad's solution to a problem is to coat a pig with phosphorus and put it in a bedroom.
As Atlas says, this isn't the strongest of the Blandings stories, and sometimes feels as though Wodehouse is just going through the motions. Nonetheless, Wodehouse, even on an off-day, is still a long way ahead of most of the competition, and there are some very good bits, notably the increasingly improbable series of coincidences by which Tipton Plimsoll is allowed to convince himself that he's suffering from alcohol-induced delusions. But Baxter is absent, Beach and the Empress only have walk-on parts, and there's not much in the way of verbal gymnastics going on apart from Freddie Threepwood's slightly surprising new incarnation as a dog-food salesman.
There's no trace of the economic gloom and food rationing of post-war England here: show more Wodehouse was in exile in the US, and such topical references as there are belong to the optimistic 20s and 30s rather than the 40s: cubist art, road-houses near Oxford with swimming pools and ten shilling dinners... show less
There's no trace of the economic gloom and food rationing of post-war England here: show more Wodehouse was in exile in the US, and such topical references as there are belong to the optimistic 20s and 30s rather than the 40s: cubist art, road-houses near Oxford with swimming pools and ten shilling dinners... show less
Classic hilarious Wodehouse. A country house, an American millionaire, a pilfered diamond necklace, a brainless beauty, her scheming parents, a confused peer, and (something new) the world-famous Donaldson's Dog-Joy dog food, assiduously hawked to an eager public by none other than Freddie Threepwood. Enjoy!
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P. G. Wodehouse was born in Guildford, United Kingdom on October 15, 1881. After completing school, he spent two years as a banker at the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank in London and then took a job as a sports reporter and columnist for the Globe newspaper. His first novel, The Pothunters, was published in 1902. He wrote over 100 novels and short show more story collections during his lifetime including A Perfect Uncle, Love Among the Chickens, The Swoop, P. Smith in the City, Meet Mr. Milliner, Doctor Sally, Quick Service, The Old Reliable, Uneasy Money, A Damsel in Distress, Jill the Reckless, The Adventures of Sally, A Pelican at Blandings, The Girl in Blue, and Aunts Aren't Gentlemen. His most famous characters, Bertie Wooster and his manservant, Jeeves, appeared in books such as Much Obliged, Jeeves. He also wrote lyrics for musical comedies and worked as screenwriter in Hollywood in the 1930s. In 1939, he bought a villa in Le Touquet on the coast of France. He remained there when World War II started in 1939. The following year, the Germans appropriated the villa, confiscated property, and arrested him. He was detained in various German camps for almost one year before being released in 1941. He went to Berlin and spoke of his experience in five radio talks to be broadcast to America and England. The talks themselves were completely innocuous, but he was charged with treason in England. He was cleared, but settled permanently in the United States. He became a citizen in 1955. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1975. He died from a heart attack after a long illness on February 14, 1975 at the age of 93. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Full Moon
- Original title
- Full Moon
- Original publication date
- 1947
- People/Characters
- Clarence Threepwood (Lord Emsworth, Earl of Emsworth); Bill Lister; Prudence Garland; Frederick Threepwood (Freddie); Tipton Plimsoll; Lady Hermione Wedge (show all 9); Colonel Egbert Wedge; Veronica Wedge; Galahad Threepwood (the Honourable)
- Important places
- Blandings Castle, Shropshire, England, UK; London, England, UK
- First words
- The refined moon which served Blandings Castle and district was nearly at its full, and the ancestral home of Clarence, ninth Earl of Emsworth, had for some hours now been flooded by its silver rays.
- Quotations
- ".... We talked it over and came to the decision that what he wanted was a shock. Nothing serious, you understand, just something that would arrest his attention and take his mind off his liver. So we borrowed a pig from a ne... (show all)ighboring farm, smeared it with a liberal coating of phosphorous, and put it in his bedroom. It worked like a charm." [the Hon. Galahad Threepwood, p. 159]
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)He trotted off towards the house, going hippety-hippety-hop like an elderly Christopher Robin.
- Original language
- English
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