Laughing Gas
ISBN: 9780099514121
Description
Joey Cooley is a golden-curled child film star, the idol of American motherhood. Reginald, Third Earl of Havershot, is a boxing blue on a mission to save his wayward cousin from the fleshpots of Hollywood. Both are under anaesthetic at the dentists when something strange happens - and their identities are swapped in the ether.
Suddenly Joey can use his six-foot frame to get his own back on his Hollywood persecutors. But Reggie has to endure everything Joey had to put up with in the horrible life of a child star - including kidnap.
Reviewed on 27th July 2013
I thought when I started reading that this would be another run of the mill Wodehouse novel (perhaps that's unfair, but the last few I've read have seemed to be approaching formulaic). Not far in though, there is an interesting turn of events that was definitely not what I expected from this author. This change of circumstances throws the rest of the story into a new perspective and made it a really enjoyable tale.
My reading of Wodehouse has however been slightly spoilt by recently watching the latest BBC TV adaptation of Blandings, where the characters seem to become slapstick idiots - not what I recognised from my own readings where the author's wit was dominant. Now I find my mind forcing the dialogue into voices similar to the TV series, which detracts from my former appreciation. I can only hope this goes away soon.
That said, I enjoyed this trip into a different type of adventure, and the remaining 'traditional' Wodehouse elements are made fresh once again.
