Cover Image: Jeeves and the Leap of Faith

Jeeves and the Leap of Faith

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Member Reviews

The book was archived before our group could download it. We are sure that we would have enjoyed the book judging from the reviews it has received.

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I really tried to enjoy this book, a modern Jeeves story which contains all the elements of the originals. It was entertaining in places, but seemed to drag a bit and I found myself getting frustrated with much of the humour as I just wanted to get through the story and have the plot resolved.

I think other readers would enjoy this a lot more, as the writing was good - just not for me.

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The big question is of course - can Ben Schotts really recreate two loved characters convincingly with all the idiosyncrasies? The answer, mostly, yes, in a way as he pays respectful homage to the original creator of Jeeves and Bertie Wooster - P.G. Wodehouse.
It is perhaps a little different in plotting and premise, but the humour and characterisation in the main is there. In someways the premise of them doing a favour that involved MI5 is humorous in itself, with a mix of pastiche and modern jokes, as Schotts brings it respectfully up to date. Readers will be able to tell there is a passion for Jeeves and Wooster that comes from the author and transfers onto the page.

Once you get into the setting, then the characters can be enjoyed. The entertainment that is needed when certain things in the world is bleak, emerges and is all there, creating fun escapism for a whole new audience of readers and for those who have already acquainted themselves with the ubquiteous characters that do indeed provide a panacea to darker times.

It's all in all, a fun book.

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Just Joyous…
It was with extreme trepidation that I picked up the first in Ben Schott’s Jeeves series, as a lifelong aficionado of Wodehouse I naturally had my concerns. I needn’t have worried. So, it was with extreme delight that I picked up this, the second in the series. Chaos ensues at the Drones, the government needs a helping hand and Bertie is back! Wholly entertaining from start to finish, with the expected eccentric and gloriously bumbling cast of characters and a madcap plot in which to revel. Just joyous.

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I love P.G. Wodehouse and, as such, I was really interested to read what is essentially a re-boot of one of my all time favourite literary series. Whilst I can't say that it fully meets Wodehouse's standard, I actually rather enjoyed this entertaining romp. It's witty, fun and quirky - just what I would expect from Bertie Wooster and his right-hand man Jeeves. A great bit of escapism, what?!

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I approach literary pastiches with a lot of wariness, I really haven't much cared for the James Bond ones, for instance. It's very difficult to successfully write humour, and it must be even harder to write in the same rhythm as another writer-specially one as beloved, and as idiosyncratic as Wodehouse. You need have no such worries with Ben Schott's absolutely delightful 'Jeeves and the Leap of Faith'. I shouldn't be too surprised though, my husband and I have been fans of his excellent almanac-style Schott's Miscellany for years now, as avid quizzers, we were quite sad when he stopped doing those! It's incredible how deftly Schott manages to make this a completely original story while sticking to the familiar beats of Wooster-world-an aesthetic disagreement between Bertie and Jeeves, Gussie and yet another unfortunate engagement, mistaken identities, and disgrace for the vile Roderick Spode. There's a lovely homage to one of Wodehouse's most famous scenes-an inebriated Gussie embarrassing hapless Bertie Wooster. The book has you in splits on nearly every page, and at the same time, it's an excellent plot as well, weaving in 2 other Edwardian genres-hijinks at Oxbridge, like the best of Waugh ( a famous teddy bear makes an appearance), and spy novels in the vein of John Buchan. Bertie's love interest is delightful, and if you've ever wondered why someone as intelligent as Jeeves chooses to stay in this particular really difficult profession-the book has a surprising ,and wholly plausible explanation for it! Compiling Schott's Miscellany seems to have been a bit of practice for his Wodehouse pastiches-the style those almanacs were written were a combination of wryness and trivia are perfect for Wodehouse-like use of highbrow literature and philosophy to comic effect-there are 2 standout sequences, one involving Bertie leading the prayers ( in Latin) at Gonville & Caius College, and the other a spectacularly intelligent and just as spectacularly hilarious conversation with a philosopher, who really was at Cambridge at this time period. I read those multiple times, screaming with laughter and also in complete awe of the writing. The end notes of the book were an absolute delight, not merely a dry enumeration of all the references, but Schott's opinions of them. I bought the earlier book as soon as I was done with this one (Jeeves and the King of Clubs), and I'm desperately hoping there will be a third book as well! This is as close to perfection as a book can get, and I can't recommend it enough.

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Jeeves and the Leap of Faith is the second of Ben Schott’s homage to the Jeeves and Wooster cannon and it’s a joy. Full of all the characters we know and love from the original material Schott lovingly reproduces them in exciting and silly knew adventures. This time Bertie has been sent undercover to Cambridge to keep a watchful eye on goings on but obviously things don’t go to plan; there’s arrests, there’s unlawful night climbing, there’s dastardly book runners and worst of there’s aunts scheming for matrimony! Jeeves the ever Faithful Gentleman’s Gentleman has to divine a Plan to safely scoop them from the soup. A fun and frivolous romp just as it should be.

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This is Schott's second outing with Bertie and his ineffable man Jeeves (try eff-ing Jeeves, you just can't do it) and he continues to emulate Wodehouse's style beautifully. There is a delightfully complicated plot - involving pending financial disaster for the Drones Club (to be solved by a tortuous accumulator), Spode seething and plotting and Gussie Fink-Nottle's romantic travails - which leads Bertie to end up impersonating a clergyman at Cambridge University (and climbing the odd wall and roof in the process). The writing and dialogue are witty and clever and, although Bertie is slightly smarter than you remember from the original novels, Jeeves is still inscrutably all-knowing. The little details are all there (the conflict between master and manservant in this story is over wallpaper with a foxhunting theme) but the attitude to Spode's fascism, for example, has been firmed up to reflect modern mores. Aunts, of course, remain aunts and want to marry Bertie off to young ladies they approve of: the young gentleman, however, has other ideas. But now, his ideas are moving towards choosing his own bride rather than continuing his single life...

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I have always been a Blandings person when it comes to PG Wodehouse's books. I have the Psmith collection as well, but for some reason, I never actually worked my way through the entire Jeeves set. I have read a few, here and there but not enough to qualify as someone who knows the people in that world.
That said, seeing Bertie Wooster and Jeeves in this avatar has made me curious if I am finally ready to give them a shot again. This reimagined series has Jeeves and Bertie as spies for the crown. I have not read the first book of the series, but given the way this ended, I know that reading this instalment would be a necessity to make sense of the next! Thankfully I felt pretty comfortable reading this without the first.
Like Wodehouse's original works, this begins innocuously enough with debates about crosswords as well as wallpaper. Multiple different problems snake and twist their way around each other, but only some get solved by the time the book ends. Bertie's troublesome aunt and even more troublesome friends and enemies continue to pop up regularly while he tries to do a simple (on the surface) task for his country. It took me a while to get into the groove of it all, but I laughed like I usually do for the original Wodehouse capers once I did. I laughed while waiting to see what would happen to the more serious aspects of the narrative.
I really appreciated the appendix at the end where the author provided not just the details about the places and phrases used with helpful meanings but also indications of why the characters would act in the manner he wrote them in the book based on where they occurred in the original. This felt like reading a whole extra book - in a good way!
I am unsure of how to talk about the book to people who have not read or read and not liked Wodehouse's works, except to say that this is a story of a man and his gentleman's gentleman (who literally runs the show) and in their busy world help pairs of lovebirds (sort of), try to track jewel thieves, stay sane with family around and finally do their best work as spies. It is written in PG Wodehouse's language with twisty sentences, and the underlying sarcasm was fun to unearth.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience as well as my previous affinity to the works of PG Wodehouse.

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I love Wodehouse and I didn't know what to expect. I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed and I liked this story that made laugh.
The atmosphere and the characters are very similar to the original, the humor is great and the plot is entertaining.
I hope there will be other books like this one.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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A deliciously madcap journey as we follow the daily adventures of Wooster and Jeeves, as they navigate bookies, philosophers, aunts and potential wives in another homage to P.G. Wodehouse from Ben Schott. This time around, Schott has ensured that a bonkers cast of characters surround our intrepid duo as they continue to battle through their surprisingly perilous lives. As Wooster continually meanders into trouble; by either supporting his friends in their hour of need (the Drones club is facing financial ruin) or through his efforts mysterious intelligence services. Jeeves is the one constant by providing his usual laconic responses to his master’s latest drama and always coming to the fore with a solution. The hilarity is provided by the continual insights provided by Wooster (often unwittingly) into his society and also by Jeeves into the actions of those around him. Add into this mix, an troublesome aunt set on finding the perfect wife for Bertie (despite said wife having very different plans), Bertie’s heart belonging elsewhere, a furious Spode and a lovelorn Gussie and you have the perfect recipe for a hilarious and chaotic adventure that will lift your spirits and lead you to laugh out loud.

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Without a doubt I am a fan of Jeeves and Wooster, first brought to my attention from the television series with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in respective roles. I think it is the only time I have actually gone and read a book (in fact more than one J & W story) after watching the programme.

But to this, a 'homage' to the great Wodehouse with all what you would expect in a tale of Wooster ups and downs, aunts and Gussie Fink-Nottle's, Madeline Bassett's and the Drones Club. If you had a tick list of everything to be included in the book then this ticked all of them.

Having caught up with Schott's first tale I find myself back with Bertie and him being K.C he is called upon a gain to help His Majesty's Government. There are some rather unsavoury sorts in black shorts infiltrating the academic world and we are taken to Cambridge via a swift snifter to catch up with the goings on with at the Drones club.

We encounter the fairy like Madeline Bassett who is uncertain of her current beaus commitment to her and eyes up Bertie from a distance.

Aunt Agatha one of the more feared of Bertie's aunts has a few choice words about his matrimonial status and seeks to rectify it. But when a scheme to perhaps put Aunt Agatha off reveals more than it should it seems Bertie might be able to escape with his status in tact.

Some dodgy turf accountants, taxmen and newt lovers, Bertie finds himself caught up where he doesn't want to be. Though where ever he seems to be so does the delightful Iona who has caught his eye and also that of Jeeves.

Might things be about to change for them all?

This book is spiffing good fun and just the tonic for any dark, down day when you need some spark of light, some chink of normality, because this is as close as we are going to get to new Jeeves and Wooster stories from Wodehouse. I hope there are many more to come.

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I received an ARC of this book via the Publishers and netgalley. I Have tried to read the originals by PG Wodehouse, I am not sure why I was unable to get through them, maybe it was just not the right time for me.

This book does fit very well to the "type" and was a real pleasure to read. There are times when you could do with a notebook to keep hold of who is who (maybe someone could print a who's Who type book). However it was a real laugh aloud book and thoroughly enjoyable. I shall have to find the first in the series and maybe revisit the originals.

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A suitably witty homage to one of the best writers of all time. 4/5.

I love P. G. Wodehouse and the Jeeves and Wooster stories in particular. So I was immediately drawn to this new story but also went in with a sizeable concern: could it possibly live up to the beloved Wodehouse originals?

The answer is: nearly. I enjoyed Jeeves and the Leap of Faith very much. To be honest, I think the comic combination of Bertie and Jeeves is indestructible and, as with the originals, the story itself is pretty incidental. All the truly important elements are here: the small sly jokes, the witty turns of phrase, Jeeves' jaw-dropping ability to always see 10 steps ahead, hideous aunts, preposterous friends...

One new element I liked a lot was the appearance of what seems to be a proper love interest for Bertie. And we know she has real potential because Jeeves seems to approve!

Most importantly, it's funny. Once I got into the story it raised a lot of smiles and the odd snort.

Finally, fans of cryptic crosswords have the bonus of a series of clues littered throughout the narrative and the full puzzle in the endnotes (I've never been any good at them - my brain doesn't work that way!).

Overall: this homage to Wodehouse successfully emulates the master's wit and lightness of touch. An amusing diversion and ideal escapist read at the moment.

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This was a very jolly book. The author almost catches the brilliant light touch of the master and makes a pretty good hand of bringing to life the fun and games of the original creator. Here again we meet our lifelong friends, Gussie Fink-Nottle, the Basetts, Aunt Agatha, lots of Barmys, Stinkers and Stiffys, not to forget Jeeves himself. Its all great fun. One is somewhat disconcerted to find that Bertie developes an almost James Bondian flair for flinging himself around the rooftops of his ancient University, and that this was his hobby whilst up at uni. Not only that, but instead of being absolutely hopeless with the opposite sex and having the utter determination to avoid any sort of commitment, Bertie to our surprise, sems to be handling himself rather well with the females in this tale. It's as though Bertie's more competent younger brother hadf suddenly burst on the scene. None the less, it is to be recommended for those of us who cannot get enough of the antics of Jeeves and Wooster.

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I didn't expect it to match Wodehouse's humour ot talent, no one did but it is rather charming! The usual Bertram vocabulary and confusion is there. Jeeves is great as always. Not a bad book.

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A cracking good read with amusing and interesting characters, this book certainly captured the style of P G Wodehouse. Plenty of laughs and jolly japes. Thoroughly enjoyed it so thank you Net Galley for my preview copy, Recommended.

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I absolutely loved this book! As a longtime Wodehouse Jeeves fan, I was a little skeptical about reading another author's take on the characters, but I needn't have been. The characters stayed true and what a great opportunity to discover some more of their misguided adventures.

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This is a laugh out loud romp which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a true tribute to the wonderful P G Woodhouse and deserves to be read by all devoted followers of the Jeeves and Wooster characters. I can’t wait to read the next instalment.

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Just the kind of light hearted, fast paces, jolly old romp that will lift your spirits during the miserable lock down days of 2020.
It's a huge achievement to be able to write something in the style of such a famous and well loved author, but Ben Schott really pulls it off.
He has mastered PG Woodhouse's flair, language and style but given it some added panache of his own.
Highly recommended for some fun and laughter.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in return for an honest review.

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