The Code of the Woosters
The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
At the behest of his aunt, Wooster sets out to recover his Uncle’s cow creamer from the evil duo of Sir Watkin Bassett and his accomplice Roderick Spode. To give you some background, a cow creamer is a collectors item for rich men of sophistication who have plenty of time on their hands. In short, a cow creamer is something you collect if you have time to kill and money to spend. Sir Bassett and Uncle Tom are just the sort of men who have both in plenty. Through the most adroit skulduggery, Sir Watkins has managed to pinch the said item from under Uncle Tom’s nose. It is the said item that Bertie must recover from Totleigh towers lest he is denied entry to Brinkley court dining rooms.
Wooster is at it again as he takes on the retired judge and his dictator man friday. Spode, who happens to be the leader of a fascist organization (that is when he is not busy designing women’s underclothes) intimidates Wooster by threatening him with physical harm if he doesn’t desist from flicking the creamer. Wooster, not one to be browbeaten easily, slithers over to his trusted butler for solutions. Jeeves, never one to let down a master in a pickle, hatches a cunning plan to contain the marauding Spode. Jeeves uses his underground network to dig up dirt on Spode and finds the chink in his armor, namely his past as a ladies tailor. Spode, emasculated thus, serves as a constant comic device throughout the book.
On yet another front, Wooster has to mend Gussie’s relationship with Madeleine lest he has to replace Gussie as the groom. He is daunted in his efforts by Gussie’s doltishness. Yet again, Gussie, in order to overcome his fear of the pulpit, resorts to measures of the most extreme nature. On Jeeves’ urging, he has been maintaining a journal that contains incriminating rants against Sir Watkins. Gussie, in a fit of, well, being himself, looses the diary which subsequently falls into the hands of Stiffy, Sir Watkins’ niece. Needless to say, mayhem ensues.
Wodehouse is the consummate master at work as he lays out a knotty plot interspersed with sentences that split the reader at the sides. Living up to the Wooster code Wodehouse never lets a pal down !