Just William's Luck

Just William #26

by Richmal Crompton, Thomas Henry (Illustrator)

In this full-length "Just William" novel, William and the Outlaws decide to form the Knights of the Square Table, 'rightin' wrongs' for a minor fee ('Small wrongs: sixpence. Big wrongs: one shillin'). In their quest to earn enough money to become tramps, they stop at no amount of do-gooding, embarking on a plan to marry off their older brothers. William becomes a veritable Don Juan as he woos a visiting film star for his brother (much to the surprise and annoyance of his brother's girlfriend). Soon the gang have planned a midnight haunting to scare off old monkey face from the big house on the hill - after all, where else will they find a home for the happy young couple? Martin Jarvis portrays the whole gang in this riotous comedy that leaves William teetering on the brink of disaster and success...'Martin Jarvis' recording of Richmal Crompton's "Just William" stories are works of genius' - "Independent".

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Childrens Classics

256 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1997

About the author

Richmal Crompton Lamburn was initially trained as a schoolmistress but later became a popular English writer, best known for her Just William series of books, humorous short stories, and to a lesser extent adult fiction books.

Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.

Reviews

[Kavita · Rating 3 out of 5]

William Brown and the Outlaws decide to start righting wrongs and organise the Knights of the Square Table (or Gnites of the Square Tabel). But we all know what happens when William wants to be good. Utter chaos! When the gang embarks on a second project of trying to marry off their elder brothers in order to inherit their bicycles, the plot only thickens. Woven in is a plot about a smuggling gang operating in the village. As you may guess, it all comes right in the end with even Mr Brown eating out of William's hands.

This is the first full length novel I have read about William Brown and his exploits. It follows the same pattern as the short stories and I had the sneaky feeling throughout that I had read these plots before. I thought Crompton decided to rehash existing short stories and combine several of them into one big story.

And I was right! This appears to be an attempt to cash in on a successful film of the same name. Unlike so many other authors, Crompton appears to have loved the movie based on her characters and attempted to write down the story. The film itself was made with stories taken from different William books.

I am now curious about the film but I think I prefer the short William stories better. It's still hilarious but somehow I feel something missing.

[Martyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day I will have to read through the William books in chronological order and see if there is any noticeable changes over the years. I think WIlliam was created with an adult audience in mind, but he obviously became very popular with children. Some of the books feel more suitable for children than others. This volume felt a bit more adult-orientated. The swearing felt more prolific, or at least of a type not usually used in children's books. Maybe it was just reflective of what was culturally acceptable at the time. Parts of the plot also felt like they were more aimed at entertaining adults than children - like all the relationship problems of all the young men and women. It was amusing though and I enjoyed it.

[Javier Bollain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinario, el final del libro es lo más divertido que he leído desde hace mucho tiempo. Guillermo es inmortal

[Bilal Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is brilliant in how it examines individual character's in William's circle. For example, through the interaction between William's father and brother at the dinner table at the start of the book a power dynamic is highlighted (which is often strained by William's antics!). These relationships between family members and William, as well as between the Outlaws and the wider world are brilliantly dramatised by Crompton so that they assume a respectability despite their ostensibly trivial nature. What keeps the narrative excellent is Crompton's attenuation perforce of William's antics which often border on the outrageous and hilarious - in equal measure. In short, a thoroughly entertaining read which is perfectly suited to the common reader's palate.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

No idea why I read this when I was 16!

[Mbuye · Rating 5 out of 5]

If reading William at age 75, and finding it has all the fun it had when the reader was 12 or 13, either the reader has frozen into childhood, or the book has a glorious and undying humour despite the changes brought about over fifty years. Naturally, I should prefer to think the latter is the case.

Unlike the other William books, this one describes a whole day in William's life, and gives us, as well, a deep and sympathetic look at William's long suffering family. Of all the William series, this has been a perennial favourite.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique entry in the William series, the only full length novel un in which he appears. I throughly enjoyed this novel.

It had quite a different tone to it from the short story collections, almost to the point of feeling like a Famous Five novel in places.

As I've already mentioned I throughly enjoyed this rather different look into the world of that loveable scamp William Brown and his band of Outlaws.

[Phil Whittall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids love Martin Jarvis' narration but this is not Crompton's strongest offering. I think William works best as short vignettes and the longer story felt like a mishmash of those and didn't quite hold together.

[Pia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humerous, hysterical, it was amazing to the end.