Pretty, charming, but impoverished Sally Nicholas' humdrum life is turned upside down when fate decides to step in. In this breezy, romantic comedy, PG Wodehouse delights readers with his portrayal of a charming young American girl who unexpectedly inherits a fortune which changes her life forever. The story follows Sally's fortunes and is told in Wodehouse's typical humorous style and keeps the reader thoroughly entertained to the very end.
First published in 1921 as a serial in Collier's Magazine in the US and in 1922 in the Grand Magazine, UK it appeared in book form titled Mostly Sally in 1922.
Sally lives with her brother Fillmore in a cheap boarding house and works as a taxi dancer to earn her living. She is on the verge of getting engaged to a budding playwright, Gerald Foster. The story opens with Sally throwing a party to celebrate her good luck. The guests are fellow boarders and each one of them has a suggestion on how to use the money. Fillmore, who has become even more proud and pompous after coming into wealth, is an unattractive specimen who is not above a bit of skating on thin ice in financial matters at the firm where he works. He also nurses theatrical ambitions. Sally decides to enjoy her good luck and spend her money on an extended holiday in France, where she meets a host of interesting characters. Among them are the bucolic yet steadfast pugilist, Ginger Kemp, and his debonair cousin, the suave Bruce Carmyle.
How Sally finds true love and happiness forms the rest of the story, which takes some enjoyable detours to arrive at its conclusion. Filled with lots of confusion and mistaken identity, laughs and some tears, this is an entrancing read, especially for Wodehouse fans. The cute and vivacious Sally makes a memorable and lovable heroine and the reader is easily drawn into her adventures. This is a story that appeals to readers of all ages.
New Zealand