Heavy Weather

Blandings Castle #5

by P.G. Wodehouse

Lord Tilbury's blood pressure is rocketing skywards. The Hon. Galahad Threepwood's decision not to publish his scandalous reminiscences will lose him a small fortune. But he's one of the bulldog breed who don't readily admit defeat.

Monty Bodkin, abruptly given the boot by Lord Tilbury, has taken up his secretarial duties at Blandings Castle, home of Lord Emsworth and his adored pig, Empress of Blandings. There, it seems the publication - or otherwise - of the memoirs is becoming a "cause celebre".

Three camps are forming: those who want the book published, those who want it suppressed and those who, including Monty on one side and Percy Pilbeam, private detective, on the other, who have been sent to steal it. Whichever side they're on it's bound to involve blackmail, theft and the abduction of the Empress . . .

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Classics, Comedy, Audiobook, British Literature, Literature

249 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1933

About the author

Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE, was a comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success during a career of more than seventy years and continues to be widely read over 40 years after his death. Despite the political and social upheavals that occurred during his life, much of which was spent in France and the United States, Wodehouse's main canvas remained that of prewar English upper-class society, reflecting his birth, education, and youthful writing career.

An acknowledged master of English prose, Wodehouse has been admired both by contemporaries such as Hilaire Belloc, Evelyn Waugh and Rudyard Kipling and by more recent writers such as Douglas Adams, Salman Rushdie and Terry Pratchett. Sean O'Casey famously called him "English literature's performing flea", a description that Wodehouse used as the title of a collection of his letters to a friend, Bill Townend.

Best known today for the Jeeves and Blandings Castle novels and short stories, Wodehouse was also a talented playwright and lyricist who was part author and writer of fifteen plays and of 250 lyrics for some thirty musical comedies. He worked with Cole Porter on the musical Anything Goes (1934) and frequently collaborated with Jerome Kern and Guy Bolton. He wrote the lyrics for the hit song Bill in Kern's Show Boat (1927), wrote the lyrics for the Gershwin/Romberg musical Rosalie (1928), and collaborated with Rudolf Friml on a musical version of The Three Musketeers (1928).

Reviews

[Mario the lone bookwolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pretty complex Wodehouse, one has to take breaks from laughing to follow the interconnections.

I am not sure if the characterization stayed realistic towards the end, but it was, as always, a highly entertaining, very witty, Big History, laughing about how they acted, thought, and especially talked these days, read.

Wodehouse is big at making his characters´ ideologies and mentalities look ridiculous without them even recognizing, it´s the core element of his writing style and many aspects of satire and comedy itself with thousands of variations, tropes, and characters rotating around the funny match made in the combination of arrogance, bigotry, and ignorance and stupidity, blurred self concept, and narcism.

The 2 serious elements behind the giggle are the mechanisms of marriage and eccentricity of rich people who don´t know what to do with their time.

How and why human breeding and relationships have been instrumentalized for advantages, faith, tradition, whatever, was a very tragic and sad thing, as it brought so immense suffering to many involved. Sheer luck and coincidence could bring the love of ones´ life or the devil into the bedroom, the parents and social norms decided what to do. Society is far away from being free from these conventions, it´s just only socioeconomic status and not all the other weird, historical factors anymore.

Eccentricity can be harmful or harmless, but in most cases, it´s a sign of decadence and in some, a case of mental illness. The line between hobby, perfection, obsession, and OCD is very thin and if someone has the cash to do whatever she/he wants, it can escalate quickly, just look at the pile of corpses god emperors and kings of the past created for their hobbies, not even thinking a moment about the consequences for others although they died in front of them. Today the suffering is outsourced and no bloodstains are visible, but extremely expensive hobbies that eat away massive resources are nothing to be proud of.

I am waiting for an author who makes fun of the current delusional ideas in a similar way.

[Henry Avila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blandings Castle a staid, fading, humongous edifice which has seen long ago better days with the Honorable Galahad Threepwood the notorious brother writing his dishonorable, salacious memoirs of his misspent youth , he names names that will make his old friends uneasy, nervous, yes quite petrified... now respectable people and wanting to remain so. Written in the lowest depths of The Great Depression of 1933 the free inmates inside the citadel never noticed, they were too involved in their easy, rich but dull lives. Lord Emsworth presides however the real ruler is sister Lady Constance Keeble, she dominates the weak brother. The good man's passion is Empress of Blandings his prized pig, sadly numerous threats to kidnap his love. The lord sees phantoms everywhere ...creeping around the estate to steal what else, the magnificent... lovely, valuable, always eating...she is a very hungry pig indeed what else can it do? A proper healthy...
swine too , Emsworth even hires no surprise, a guard, alias the pig man . Another sister visiting Lady Julia Fish with a problem ( with all four siblings in Castle oh my) ..son Ronnie wants to marry a...
chorus girl Sue, the horror... that divides the family, women disapproving...the men, they don't care. Wealthy Lord Tilbury a publisher buys Galahad memoirs but it doesn't stick, the honorable title is not quite an accurate description, the magnate discovers , but being a boss will never give up money easily . Others step in, turmoil brews, some want the book to be read by the curious paying public, nevertheless various characters would be happy if it were trashed and burned with only ashes remaining. The author P. G. Wodehouse was incapable of writing a funny, great book from this legendary, and talented British genius a genuine...
master scribbler, without... an amusing butler, here the calm Mr. Beach. Following the chaotic proceedings he with both eyes wide open sees much, often regretting this inclination and difficulties maybe in his future life can arise?...
As a detriment to himself, a situation which may cause job loss, nefarious a better word for his ungentlemanly behavior. But that is for the readers to discover...More than an acceptable effort in the farcical series in fact, a splendid product.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Empress of Blandings 🐷 is the best character in the series 😁 that's indisputable

[Roman Clodia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man with the resource and initiative to extract a thousand pounds from Lord Tilbury for a piece of property which he knew to be in the process of being digested by a pig was surely a man of whom one wished to see more

This is peak Wodehouse and a glorious classic farce. A scandalous manuscript, quarrelling lovers, a badly moustached private detective and not one but two formidable women all foregather at Blandings Castle where Lord Emsworth just wants to be left in peace with his flowers and his beloved pig, the Empress.

The regular characters of Lord Em, Gally and Beach are now firmly in my affections though I couldn't help but miss the Efficient Baxter. PGW's ability to keep a dizzying plot in play is second to none as is his absurdist imagination. But what seals the deal for me is his stylish and witty way with words ('it ought to be a snip for a man of my gifts, especially if I show myself pig-conscious') and his immaculate comic timing.

This follows on almost immediately from Summer Lightning and both confirm the Blandings world as a place of utter delight.

[Nigeyb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute corker. Peak Wodehouse.

Heavy Weather (1933) forms part of the Blandings Castle saga. It's the fourth full-length novel to be set there, after Something Fresh (1915), Leave It to Psmith (1923) and Summer Lightning (1929). Heavy Weather follows straight on from the events described in Summer Lightning.

Whilst lacking any weep-with-laughter scenes, Heavy Weather is as beautifully written as usual. At this stage in his career, and having already written almost 50 books, P.G. Wodehouse was incapable of writing a bad sentence. Indeed every word conveys his wit and skill, and is chock full of life reaffirming content. Heavy Weather also marks the memorable first appearance of Monty Bodkin, who would go on to feature in two later novels

Needless to say Heavy Weather is another superb farce: guaranteed to have you chuckling regularly and grinning from ear to ear throughout.

Heavy Weather could only be improved if we'd actually got to discover the details of the mysterious incident of Sir Gregory Parsloe Parsloe and the prawns. All we'll ever know is that it took place at Ascot, "the year Martingale won the Gold Cup", and it made Beach the Butler laugh so much he fell off his deck chair.

5/5



Heavy Weather by P.G. Wodehouse

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always funny. Another story about Blanding Castle and yet more attempts to steal the Empress and Lord Elmsworth pride and joy. Ronnie his nephew is in love with Sue a chorus girl who his mother Lady Julia and Aunt Connie completely disapprove.

Through in a race for Sir Galahad manuscript which would embarrass the aristocracy with a memoir of their comical exploits and you have a recipe for mayhem. Add to the mix Monty an ex fiancée of Sue’s and misunderstandings then hilarity ensues.

Lord Tilbury the publisher or known as old stinker by Clarence’s brother. The poor put on butler Beach dealing with the lord, Ronnie and Sir Galahad’s manuscript. Such a wonderful entertaining farce.

What leaps out when reading Wodehouse is his wonderful amusing descriptions. ‘Shropshire had become a Turkish bath. The sky seemed to press down like a poultice. ‘

[Jean-Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heavy Weather or Wheels Within Wheels. It definitely took about fifty pages for the wheels on this one to gain traction, but still it never really took off. Where Summer Lightning had an overabundance of plot, this one felt a little light. Certainly lacking in the usual romantic entanglements, not to mention that Ronnie and Sue were struggling for an appearance by the end. The plot revolves around them, but they don't actually have much of a part in it. Beach is as usual the absolute greatest, but the denouement wasn't so much a delectable culmination of events as a sharp left turn towards a happy ending. Did there need to be a sequel? Nope. But already looking forward to the next one.

[Bokeshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wodehouse is the sun on rainy days. Ridiculous, glorious, unforgettable!

[Cecily · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fourth Blandings novel, following straight on from Summer Lightning. Most of the same characters (plus Monty Bodkin and Lord Tilbury) still causing confusion and heartache by turning up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Lots of people trying to steal Gally's memoirs, some to destroy them, others to publish them.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

August 2016 reread: One of Wodehouse's finest, full of zany plots and counterplots. I love his humor but have discovered (somewhat to my dismay) that not everyone shares my taste in humor/comedy. If you like Jeeves & Wooster but haven't discovered the delights of Blandings Castle yet, please start with Something Fresh (sometimes titled "Something New") as the comedy builds if you read the series in order. Even so, this is pretty darn funny as a standalone if you like this style of writing!

[ꕥ Ange_Lives_To_Read ꕥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not my favorite from Wodehouse. It showcases many instances of his trademark wit, but it seemed to me he just rearranged a few elements of "Summer Lightning/Fish Preferred" and presented it as a new book. It had all the same characters, and similar situations. There were people trying to prevent Gally's memoirs from being published; and people trying to prevent Ronnie Fish and Sue Brown from getting married; and people trying to steal the Empress (a pig.) I couldn't distinguish between the two books if I had to, and it took me a long time to get through this one because I found it all a bit tedious.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very charming and cozy, put me in a humorous state of mind. 4.5 stars

[ALLEN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many readers think that P.G. Wodehouse’s comic novels consist entirely of the urban, Jeeves-and-Wooster cycle. But that would be a mistake, because a significant portion of the author’s 90 books are set in the Shropshire countryside, at Blandings Castle, presided over by the Ninth Earl of Emsworth and his prized back hog, Empress. HEAVY WEATHER (1933), mixes up greed, guilt, skullduggery, young love, and inclement summer weather with a cast that includes a London private eye, minor nobility, sweet local ingenues, caustic relatives, and old boys who are older than they used to be. Even the sow has a role to play and of course there’s an unflappable butler, Beach. Specifically, the plot centers around a manuscript that is bound to cause great embarrassment to the Earl and his aging friends. They want to keep the book from being published -- but newspaper magnate Lord Tilbury of London stands to make a lot of money off it and will go to great lengths to ensure its publication.

Of course, Wodehouse fans -- and those new to the genre -- are likely to appreciate in particular the author’s satirical take on Interwar speech, itself a mixture of upper-class lingo, slang, and leftover Edwardianisms:

From the book:

“If my niece Myrtle can’t play Chopin’s Funeral March in forty-eight seconds, I hope this house will be struck by lightning this very minute.” And by what I have always thought rather an odd coincidence, it was. There was a sort of sheet of fire and a fearful crash, and the next thing I saw was Puffy crawling out from under the table. He seemed more aggrieved than frightened, I remember. He gave one reproachful look up at the ceiling, and then he said in a peevish sort of voice, “You do take a chap so dashed literally!”

In my opinion HEAVY WEATHER is not among the very best of Wodehouse but it is good enough, and reliably funny.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading something that was supposed to be edifying and wasn’t, it was sheer fun to read something just for laughs that actually delivered. This is classic, wry British humor – upper crust snobs making fools of themselves in an absolutely ridiculous situation. The situation is this: Sir Galahad, a real man about town in his youth, has written his memoirs, and they include dirty secrets on a whole lot of people. All of them are interested in destroying the manuscript, but the publisher, who knows it’s a potential bestseller, is doing his best to get his hands on it, too. Throw in a couple of star-crossed lovers and a half-senile older brother obsessed with his prize-winning pig, and you’ve got one deliciously convoluted plot.

The whole time I was reading this, I kept thinking how well it would lend itself to a movie adaptation. Well, it turns out that the TV movie was made by the BBC in 1995, starring Peter O’Toole as Sir Galahad. I’ve given up movies through Chodesh Cheshvan, and planning on cutting down all year, but this one is on my to-see list.

Apparently, the book is a sequel, but it works very well as a stand-alone. So if you’re in the mood for something silly yet intelligent, give this a try. You won’t be disappointed.

[Julian Worker · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason I adore these books about Blandings Castle and yet I don't like the Jeeves and Wooster books.

I think it's because everyone in the Blandings Castle books is so thoroughly human and has faults. Lord Emsworth only ever thinks about his pig The Empress of Blandings, his sister Connie is always telling him off for some reason, Beach the Butler is not indisposed to have a glass or two of brandy in his pantry when he thinks no one is watching and the young men are in love and incur the wrath of their elders.

And then there's Galahad Threepwood who's written some Reminiscences that will scandalise the great and the good of England. Some characters in Heavy Weather want the memoirs published for monetary gain, others do not and would prefer them to be destroyed.

Everyone knows where the memoirs are kept and they pass through various pairs of hands before the denouement.

Superb and recommended as an outstanding example of a humourous book with clearly defined characters who all interact with each other so well.

[Pinaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wodehouse at his best. The plot revolves around the publications of reminiscences of the Hon. Galahad, the marriage of Sue Brown and Ronnie Fish, and the perpetual threat of stealing Lord Emsworth's pig. Add Monty Bodkin, private investigator Mr. Pilbeam, and the ever-obliging butler Beach, and we have a jolly good novel. Rummy stuff.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humorous, witty, entertaining, delightful novel. Lots of funny moments. The plot involves Galahad Threewood’s threatened, reveal all, memoirs. This book follows on from Wodehouse’s book, ‘Summer Lightning’. The setting is Blandings Castle, England. Another story thread involves Monty Bodkin, despite his wealth, needing to hold a job down for a full year. Finally, Sue and Ronnie’s engagement to be married is thwarted by misunderstandings.

Here are some examples of the author’s writing style:

‘A pictorial record of his hopes and despairs would have looked like a fever chart.’
‘Good god, Clarence! You look like a bereaved tapeworm.’
‘No healthy person really needs food. If people would only stick to drinking, doctors would go out of business.’

This book was first published in 1933.

[Stela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Acum nu știu dacă Wodehouse chiar face parte dintre autorii aceia care, (scuzați anacolutul) dacă le-ai citit o carte le-ai citit pe toate, sau dacă am citit prea repede o altă operă a lui și-am făcut intoleranță, dar cert este că Nori grei deasupra castelului Blandings nu m-a amuzat la fel de mult ca Fulger în plină vară.

În orice caz, dat fiind că opera sa a fost atît de ridicată în slăvi că a fost și înnobilat de regina Angliei, am să-i mai dau o șansă. Peste vreo doi ani sau cam așa ceva.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

After publishing his delightful (and thoroughly satisfying) Blandings Castle entry 'Summer Lightning', Wodehouse followed up with several stand-alone novels before 'heading back' to write a sequel for 'SL'. 

The truth, ultimately, is that a sequel wasn't really necessary. It's fun and all - in a different way - and Wodehouse fans will find much in it to enjoy. But it wasn't really necessary.

Continuing from where 'Summer Lightning' left off, 'Heavy Weather' revives the already-rather-resolved narrative elements of the previous novel, rehashes a few of those elements and accentuates the main one: a gossipy memoir which, if published, is likely to have a deleterious, deer-in-headlights effect on those from the community who are unveiled in the book. 

'HW' basically plays hot potato with that memoir. However, the novel is rather lax with the kind of plot details and farcical surprises that make 'SL' singularly enjoyable. There is seemingly an increase in chatter-for-its-own-sake as well as anguished internal thought processes. ~the result of which can largely have the feel of a less-action-oriented soap opera. 

With frequency, there are also gems to be found - such as this rendering of the book's liveliest character:

The Hon. Galahad Threepwood, in his fifty-seventh year, was a dapper little gentleman on whose grey but still thickly covered head the weight of a consistently misspent life rested lightly. His flannel suit sat jauntily upon his wiry frame, a black-rimmed monocle gleamed jauntily in his eye. Everything about this Musketeer of the nineties was jaunty. It was a standing mystery to all who knew him that one who had had such an extraordinarily good time all his life should, in the evening of that life, be so superbly robust. Wan contemporaries who had once painted a gas-lit London red in his company and were now doomed to an existence of dry toast, Vichy water, and German cure resorts felt very strongly on this point. A man of his antecedents, they considered, ought by rights to be rounding off his career in a bath-chair instead of flitting about the place, still chaffing head waiters as of old and calling for the wine list without a tremor.

Great stuff, that. Oh, and there are also razor-sharp portraits of a couple of nasty, authoritarian aunts. (Always entertaining.)

If you're in it for the wordplay (as fans like myself usually are), you won't be all that disappointed by this sidebar that Wodehouse decided to engage in. But 'Summer Lightning' is the better book. 

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Storms might be raging elsewhere in the grounds of Blandings Castle, but there on the lawn was peace—the perfect unruffled peace which in this world seems to come only to those who have done nothing whatever to deserve it.”

The world of Blandings is one of most popular of Wodehouse’s creations that contains many of his most popular character types. Domineering aunts, eccentric uncles, a young couple whose love is constantly interrupted by shallow misunderstandings, a slithering villain, over privileged—but well-meaning—air-headed young men, an unruffled butler, a captain of industry, and of course, a pig.

Heavy Weather is among Wodehouse’s most satisfying novels. He weaves together the exploits of his characters as only he could toward a joyful, happy ending. For those unfamiliar with Wodehouse with an interest in trying one of his pieces, this is as good a starting point as any. And it is a prequel of sorts to what I consider to be one of Wodehouse’s funniest novels, The Luck of the Bodkins.

[Manuel Alfonseca · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENGLISH: Fifth novel in the Blandings Castle series, direct continuation of the fourth. Everything happens in the next few days, following the same plots: Galahad's book, which everybody wants to get, some to destroy it, some to publish it; Ronnie Fish and Sue Brown, who want to marry; Monty Bodkins, trying to be a secretary to Lord Emsworth, because there are wheels within wheels; and Lord Emsworth, pottering around his majestic pig, Empress of Blandings. Only the Efficient Baxter is missing.

ESPAÑOL: Quinta novela de la serie del Castillo de Blandings, continuación directa de la cuarta. Las mismas cosas suceden en los días inmediatamente siguientes al libro anterior: todos quieren apoderarse del libro de Galahad, unos para destruirlo, otros para publicarlo; Ronnie Fish y Sue Brown quieren casarse; Monty Bodkins, que quiere ser el nuevo secretario de Lord Emsworth, porque hay ruedas dentro de ruedas; y Lord Emsworth, andando alrededor de su majestuosa cerda, la Emperatriz de Blandings. Solo falta el eficiente Baxter.

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wodehouse novel is my ultimate pick-me-up, and Heavy Weather is no exception. Whenever I find myself bogged down by gloomy moods or the grim twists of murder mysteries and psychological thrillers, Wodehouse’s idyllic world offers the perfect escape.

The stakes in his universe are charmingly low—broken engagements, pig-napping, and social faux pas—and yet the plots are marvelously tangled. Heavy Weather follows this familiar formula, but the complexity of the storyline is a marvel in itself. Wodehouse’s ability to weave chaos and then untangle it with wit and elegance is nothing short of genius.

Jealousies, schemes, and misunderstandings abound, but everything resolves with such grace and humor that I’m left feeling lighter and happier. Honestly, I think this is what Nirvana must feel like. 😇😇

[Realini Ionescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heavy Weather by P.G. Woodhouse



P. G. Woodhouse is a master of humor, if I can say that…there are masters of suspense, aren’t they?

I used to watch the Jeeves and Wooster series, with two excellent actors Hugh Laurie and Steven Fry.

British humor is my cup of tea and Heavy Weather is in the vein of British humor.



This is a detective novel, with many unexpected turns of events, centered on a…pig. Pigs seem to appear in comedies, even if the duck won a competition for the funniest animal, after a survey measured around the world people’s opinions on the amusement they feel connected with dogs, cats, etc.



There is another comedy I recommend – A Private Function, one of the most hilarious films I have seen, where a pig has, again, the lead role.



In Heavy Weather, The Empress is the name of an award winning pig, which is kidnapped and eats an important piece of the plot; I will not say what to keep it interesting for you.

In this novel there are people who love each other, others hate them, stupid, shrewd, generous, arrogant and tough characters. The ladies are strong and the men can be very weak. Instead of the Poirot type of detective we have one who makes us laugh with his enterprise.



Things are stolen from under beds; there is the equivalent of a double agent: a hired party who works for two employers, ready to sell one or both of them. There is unconditional love, but also jealousy and misunderstanding.

We get to know a noble butler and ridiculous lords. This is a comedy of errors at times, come to think of it many times.

I think this book is listed by The Guardian as one of the best comedy books and indeed it is witty and entertaining.

[Betawolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the third book of my collection actually following directly on from the second, there's a much greater impression of a continuing narrative. The upsets come from the usual kind of misunderstanding, exacerbated by the machinations of two new characters (Lord Tilbury and Lady Julia), and the fumblings of another young fool (Monty Bodkin). We're already at capacity for harsh-tongued old women and affable fools, so really only Lord Tilbury presents something novel. Recurring from the previous book also is the web woven between a planned but unfit marriage, a memoir and a prize-winning pig.

Unlike the somewhat more idyllic endings so far, this book terminates with something of a dirty move on the part of the young Fish, who holds his uncle's beloved pig for ransom in what is quite uncharmingly a case of blackmail -- the injustice is compounded by the old codger being pressured to submit by many who should be more loyal to him. I'm left rather hoping that their intended motor-business for which the money was extorted goes up in flames.

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heavy Weather (1933) is the continuation of Summer Lightning* (1929). Written within four years of each other, the two books actually encompass a fortnight of time in the life of the characters. As sad as I was to ‘leave’ the fictional Blandings Castle at the end of this my third privileged visit there, I considered what it must have been like to wait for the next P.G. ‘plum’ to be published. Anything like what our generation experienced anticipating the next Harry Potter, or earlier times awaiting their next serial of the latest Dickens?

I read and listened to the Blackstone audio version of Heavy Weather. As usual, Frederick Davidson does a masterful job. You are truly at the castle. You see and hear the characters in all their idiosyncratic nuttiness. My only regret was the book’s end. I did not want to leave. I found myself reviewing the castle’s rules of etiquette, to see if I had broken any—to not be invited back at some future date was the worst of all possible fates! ☺

*Although here on goodreads we show Summer Lightning with a 1954 publication date, it was first published in the United States on 1 July 1929 by Doubleday, Doran, New York, under the title "Fish Preferred", and in the United Kingdom on 19 July 1929 by Herbert Jenkins, London. It was serialised in The Pall Mall Magazine (UK) between March and August 1929 and in Collier's (US) from 6 April to 22 June 1929.

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to Summer Lightning, aka Fish Preferred; the action begins a few days after that book ends. Since I just reread the earlier book, I followed up with Heavy Weather. Like its predecessor, this book represents Wodehouse at his best. As such, it's very funny, but at the same time, it's somewhat more emotional than a typical Wodehouse farce. Through a romantic misunderstanding, two of the main characters are unhappy through much of the book - and I mean deeply unhappy, not Wodehouse funny/unhappy. And one of those characters, Sue Brown, turns out to be the daughter of Dolly Henderson, the only woman Galahad Threepwood ever loved. Gally's disapproving family sent him to South Africa, and by the time he got back, Dolly had married someone else. So in this similar situation, Gally helps Dolly's daughter straighten out her romantic problems, and reminisces about her mother. Read Summer Lightning first, then read this one. It's funny and sometimes touching.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Effortless, light as a feather, perfectly plotted and with some of Wodehouse's most sparkling turns of phrase, Heavy Weather, which picks up the action from Summer Lightning, is a glorious Blandings farce. I first discovered the Blandings saga about fifteen years ago or so and lapped them up one after another. Now, I'm re-reading them at a more relaxed pace and finding new things to love in each. Wodehouse was so prolific, and there are so many of his books that I've yet to read that it may seem odd to be re-reading those that I've already encountered. But when books give this much pleasure, why not?

[Alex Sarll]

Saw an omnibus containing this at a station book swap. Thought about picking it up, but I've got the other two it contained in a format I prefer, so that felt greedy*. Took the very unusual for me step for a Wodehouse of ordering it, rather than waiting to happen across it. Then wondered if I hadn't been foolish, because when was the situation likely to be so obviously desperate that I'd be prepared to break glass and read the last novel I'd not read** in my favourite Wodehouse series, the ultimate comfort read?

And then last week happened, so it turned out that Very Recently Past Alex had planned perfectly.

The strange thing is, while this was as perfectly daft and soothing as I expected, it's also a deeply atypical Wodehouse, being a direct sequel to the previous Blandings book, Summer Lightning. Yes, all of his work exists in a sort of continuity, known to absolutely no one as the Wodehouse Literary Universe or WLU; it has the occasional glitch, such as would often need multiple creators, but nothing terribly major (so Monty Bodkin, one character here, is always much the same loveable ass, but what Monty is short for can vary). Characters who have married in one book tend to remain so, and settle down slightly. Here, though, the resolutions of the previous book are themselves the problems for other characters which kick off this one, set mere days afterwards. Not particularly opaque continuations, true – come in cold and it wouldn't be like starting a fantasy epic on book 7; all you need to know is concisely and amusingly explained. Still odd, though. As also the weather of the title, Blandings oppressed by a heatwave and oncoming storm instead of its usual balmy idyll. Even the way that the story turns not on impostors, such as usually infest this noble establishment, but on people being precisely who they say they are and yet being assumed to have ulterior agendas they do not. And yet, at the same time as being an anomaly, it's also a perfect example of the Wodehouse magic – the aunts and idiots, the wordplay, the ingeniously prepared misunderstandings, the precision-engineered farce. There's a chapter here following Beach the butler which I think might be the funniest thing he ever wrote, no small achievement.

*Though I really ought to add a note telling whoever does pick it up not to start with Something Fresh, the first Blandings book, where Wodehouse doesn't quite know the place yet – there are cold winds, no pig, a monkey, gunplay.
**Not including Sunset At Blandings, but even if that had been finished, I think the implicit but terrible blasphemy of the title would put me off.

[Steven Marciano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant Blandings farce under the belt. I'll never tire of revisiting that old castle and its cast of eccentric characters. They are such a comfort to me. See you again next summer!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first P.G. Wodehouse--feel that the target audience for Heavy Weather was probably your average teenage boy in the 1920s; a group I imagine that was just as hygienically challenged/horrid as teenage boys can be today. Still, the book is "loads" of fun, even for readers far removed from the ven diagram of Wodehouse's original demographic. I enjoyed the way the plot tap-danced from one near miss to another and Wodehouse's language is quite simply fun, fun, fun. I like how he uses dialog such as "Pip pip," and over-wrought (but I like over-wrought!) sentences: "It would have pained the immaculate Monty, could he have known that his prospective employer was picturing him at the moment as furtive, shifty-eyed, rat-like person of the gangster, type, liable at the first opportunity to sneak into the sties of innocent pigs and plant pineapple bombs in their bran-mash."

I'm a fan of the J&W television series, and it took a few chapters to banish Hugh Laurie from my mental landscape, but all in all this was a nice light read.