Summer Lightning

Although best known for his stories about Bertie Wooster and his manservant, Jeeves, P.G. Wodehouse also wrote 11 novels and a number of short stories set at the fictional Blandings Castle and featuring the mischievous antics of the aristocracy. Martin Jarvis breathes life into the befuddled pig fancier Lord Emsworth; his domineering sister, Lady Constance; his besotted nephew, Ronnie Fish; and his bachelor brother, Galahad Threepwood. His articulate narration is done in a singsong style, matching perfectly the risings and fallings of the action. The plot involves a "pig-napping," a pair of romantic entanglements, and Galahad's memoirs, which threaten to embarrass the entire English ruling class. Each character comes alive with Jarvis's expert interpretations. He gives unfaltering attention to Wodehouse's writing such that his timing, his accents, and all aspects of his vocal delivery shine in this highly entertaining story. S.E.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine


Wodehouse has been narrated hilariously by a number of readers in the past few years, and John Wells now takes his place among them. He narrates the body of this work in measured British tones, but when he voices a character, he becomes another man (or woman). His aged Lord Emsworth, for example, is breathtakingly dotty, sounding perfectly vacuous and dazedly confused by everything. Even the women come across well, from Lady Constance, to the young love interests. The story is another Blandings Castle tale of impersonations, misunderstandings and upper-crust hauteur. With Wells' skill together and Wodehouse's humor--this audiobook is irresistible. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine