Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.12 AVERAGE
3.12 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
One of Wodehouse's early, public school works, the blow-by-blow descriptions of cricket matches (at least I think that's what they were) make for slow going; the flashes of wit that later became synonymous with Wodehouse's writing are especially welcome when they surface. The prefect's uncle himself (a delightfully underhanded and conniving character) disappears after the first third of the book, disappointing this reader.
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Many Wodehouse fans do not care for his school stories, dismissing them as mere juvenilia. I am not among their number. There is nowhere on earth Plum was happier or more comfortable than the studies and cricket pitches of the British public school, and it shows.
This is a particularly early effort and structurally, it shows. It is not sound. It rattles along, like Gethryn's bicycle with the punctured tire. But it has lovely Wodehousian sentences and boys and cricket and pretty much does what it says on the tin.
This is a particularly early effort and structurally, it shows. It is not sound. It rattles along, like Gethryn's bicycle with the punctured tire. But it has lovely Wodehousian sentences and boys and cricket and pretty much does what it says on the tin.
P.G. Wodehouse is very good with characters. I've read oodles of books that had characters I couldn't care less about, but I'm only part of the way into this book, and I can't wait to see what happens next to the characters, because I care about them.
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Wodehouse's second novel, and his first to take a decidedly comic slant. This is still a school story, with large chunks of the second half taken up by cricket games that mean very little to me, unfortunately. In the intervening year between The Pothunters and this novel, though, Wodehouse has clearly been praised for his dry turn of phrase; the tone feels more familiar, with at least some of the dry, ironic observation that peppers his later work.
The "Prefect's Uncle" of the title is the most Wodehousian invention, in the most Wodehousian plotline—so it's a shame that it basically fizzles away right at the middle of the book. He hasn't quite learned to balance the different elements of his plot, and there are still too many characters, but . . . he's getting there.
The "Prefect's Uncle" of the title is the most Wodehousian invention, in the most Wodehousian plotline—so it's a shame that it basically fizzles away right at the middle of the book. He hasn't quite learned to balance the different elements of his plot, and there are still too many characters, but . . . he's getting there.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lots of amusing turns of phrase, but feels a bit disjointed and requires some patience with lengthy descriptions of cricket. Still pretty funny for a second novel.
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes