The Girl on the Boat

Despite the occasional rambling paragraph, this is Wodehouse at his best. Here the author unleashes some of his funniest scenes and most appealing characters.

Sam isn’t your typical hero. He tells white lies and causes chaos to achieve his goals but is no less likeable for doing so.

Billie is a wonderful heroine and I understand Sam’s desire to marry her. Many of the dialogue exchanges between these two are fantastic.

For instance, the following is a snippet from a dinner scene where Billie discovers she already knew Sam’s father, while Sam - recently rebuffed by Billie - is doing his utmost to be cold and aloof:

>"I never dreamed Sir Mallaby was your father."
"I knew it all along," said Sam.

I've read only two earlier books by this humour genius, now I wish to devour all without wait. This is small book, but full of so many comedy of errors that one cannot not laugh out loud (not of LOL variety) every other page. Author's favourite style is to put two character in contact and communication, each referencing entirely different subject, and bewildering at plausible direction the conversation is taking, yet still trying to salvage, but not really giving away their own confusion in search of clarity. Author breaks the fourth wall often, giving direct commentary to reader on topics related or unrelated to books. One cannot help wondering how well this narrative will suit a motion picture! Must read and you will be thankful that show more you did. show less

Billie - also known as Wilhelmina Bennett - is engaged to a young man whose mother is an eminent writer and lecturer in an obscure field. And she does NOT want her son married. Another young man is also in love with Billie, and ensures that the wedding does not happen... and while this doesn't sound like the opening to a humorous light-hearted novel, in the hands of PG Wodehouse the most sombre of plots take on an amusing hue.

Most of the story takes place on a cruise ship, where romance blossoms between Billie and a third young man.. the plot is complicated still further by a stately British home being rented without its owner's permission.. the owner being the above-mentioned esteemed writer, who is supposed to be doing a lecture tour show more in the USA.

To add to the mixture, there's a warm-hearted butler who likes to read light romances, a friendly (if unintelligent) dog, and a suitably placed suit of armour. The story moves apace, in typical Wodehouse style, ending with rather a farce in the stately home before the somewhat abrupt, inevitable conclusion.

Not a long book; Excellent light reading for anyone who enjoys Wodehouse.

Four and a half stars, really. show less

This isn't as funny as I'd expected it to be, but it's a fun romp nonetheless and is worth reading if you're a Wodehouse enthusiast. Long live Smith the Bulldog! I only wish his had been a bigger role.

A non-Jeeves piece with a cast of characters getting into zany situations. It explicitly calls out the fact that the most interesting characters get very little time on stage, but it does so in a manner in which one can hardly resent the flaw. I was going to call it understated humour, but the amount of hyperbole Wodehouse will throw in here and there makes that an unsatisfying description.

I listened to the audiobook version at Librivox and enjoyed the narration as much as the story itself.

I love a good romanic comedy, and this one is delicious. If you've enjoyed Jeeves and Wooster, you may also enjoy meeting a younger P.G. Wodehouse, still grapling with style and chacterization and situation, but very capable and amusing. In my home town, we were preparing for natural disaster, coming on the anniversary of huricane Katrina, All those I knew were anxious. Before it was over many had lost their homes and posessions, but during the dark nights of evacuation, it was P.G. Wodehouse and this delightful novel read by Tim Bulkeley of LibriVox.org who kept us company and gave us laughter to endure. Please read this book, you will laugh out loud. Reading time approx. 5:42.

Frothy and fun, like all good Wodehouse should be! My favorite Wodehouse is still the entire Jeeves collection, but this was a very good standalone story with a different cast of characters.