Bill the Conqueror by P.G. Wodehouse

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wodehouse is one of my favorite writers, and every time I pick up one of his books I’m reminded why. Bill the Conqueror has a wider cast of characters than I’m used to (given my main exposure has been the Jeeves & Wooster books), but it is none the worse for wear. Bill and Judson are a fantastic pair of heroes, and every character shines with personality as they go on through a ridiculous period of their intertwining lives. I actually found myself laughing rather loudly at some scenes, which doesn’t happen very often.

It is not a deep book. You know how it will end by the end of the first or second chapter. Wodehouse doesn’t try to hide it from you. But with him, the joy is not in uncovering a carefully concealed ending. Rather, the joy of reading Wodehouse is seeing how he gets you to where you want to be, and where the characters are heading. It’s seeing how he twists his words and plays with them, making them veritably dance on the page in front of your very eyes.

A wonderful read if you’re in the mood for something uplifting and a bit silly. Highly recommended.



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