Was it worth the wait since the last novel.... personally I say YES. Unlike Polo and Riders national hunt racing has for most people a rather unexciting cloth-cap, raincoated rain soaked north country image, tainted by animal rights activitists campaigning against the sport because of the many equines that do die, unlike the glamourous summer flat racing with its high points of Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood et al, which despite all her ability to deal with the subject is reflected I feel in ...

Was it worth the wait since the last novel.... personally I say YES. Unlike Polo and Riders national hunt racing has for most people a rather unexciting cloth-cap, raincoated rain soaked north country image, tainted by animal rights activitists campaigning against the sport because of the many equines that do die, unlike the glamourous summer flat racing with its high points of Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood et al, which despite all her ability to deal with the subject is reflected I feel in the other reviews so far submitted. Frankly, I am surprized Jilly chose jump racing over flat racing for her novel.

Jilly has taken great effort not to "over-horse" this book based around horses. She has skillfully taken enough ingredients to give it a distinct flavour, but not drowned the overall plot in barrow loads of jargon or bored the non-initiated with attempts to explain the nuances of day to day racing life or its connection to hunting. It is this that allows the plot free rein (pun intended) to canter through the tale as if actually travelling in a race: slow in places, taking hurdles, tackling bends, but carrying us eventually helter-skelter twice round the course to a satisfactory finishing post then safely home to a nice cosy warm stable and a bran mash.

I actually learned more about how to plant up my flower borders in deep shade conditions than about horseracing!

Yes all the usual suspects are mentioned from the other books, together with an update of what has happened since their last appearances, plus interesting character studies of every stereo-type we are likely to encounter in modern life in person or via the news. Most current social foibles ie dogging, smoking pot, using i-pods, texting, email, pubs closing down, WAGS, price of petrol, supermarkets taking trade from village shops, hedge funds failing, pension crisis, terrorism, senile dementia, arms dealing, plastic surgery, immigration, religious fanatics of all denominiations, gay marriage, crisis in the church, falling congregations, animal cruelty, pornography, the devaluing of older women, adultery and many others find a place in the storyline. I wonder if, like when one reads Jane Austen and learns of the life and times in her books, this book will inform and amuse those in years to come as a kind of social commentary of our times.

Yes there are times you will laugh out loud at the antics and events (I will give no spoilers here), but you will experience sorrow and tears too.

I enjoyed her use of simile ie comparing The Berkshire Stand at Newbury Racecourse to meringue peaks on page 253!
I was irritated by the continual quoting of poetry as a form of banter between the "luvvies".

For real horseracing fiction I will stick with Richard Pitman, John Francome, Dick Francis, but for an extremely enjoyable dalliance into this genre, Jilly Cooper has done it again.

Reading the acknowledgements at the end of Jump is like a Who's Who and what's what of racing, and given the knowledge and experience of those named I wondered if these pages actually related to the story I had just read, or merely reflected how long and how deeply Jilly researched her subject in order to decide what to leave out as superfluous to the story or as source material for her next book..................... we will have to wait and see. As possible new titles for Jilly I suggest "Whip-It" (usual characters involved in a Greyhound racing caper) or "Give Tongue" (re fox hunting - this is the technical term for the noise fox hounds make, lol).

I too am a huge JC fan, I have always loved the Riders/Rivals/Polo series, and also - as others have said - did not enjoy quite so much the Wicked/Pandora books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Jilly again at her best.
I really disliked some of the characters too, but I think that you are supposed to - who wants characters that you feel nothing for! I was happy to see the Campbell Blacks back and Lysander etc, would have liked to have seen more of them - I did feel a little uncomfortable at...

I too am a huge JC fan, I have always loved the Riders/Rivals/Polo series, and also - as others have said - did not enjoy quite so much the Wicked/Pandora books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Jilly again at her best.
I really disliked some of the characters too, but I think that you are supposed to - who wants characters that you feel nothing for! I was happy to see the Campbell Blacks back and Lysander etc, would have liked to have seen more of them - I did feel a little uncomfortable at first with some of the stereotypical aspects written into Rafik's character, but was very pleased to see how this was turned around (don't want to give anything away!).
Loved Etta and Trixie, though felt the whole thing with Trixie's parents and affairs was rather overlooked? same with a few others, seemed they were rather swept over.
This book is very long, and as I devour books I always love one that takes me a long time to read, I read a bit every day on holiday and it still took me 2 weeks - I really enjoyed this book, it sweeps you up in the intrigue, excitement and sympathy.
One thing which really made me feel sad was the death of one of her most longstanding and beloved characters - again I won't say who for those who havent yet finished or opened the book, I wish she hadnt though!! Another wonderful book, I can't wait to see what she will come up with next in this run of books, I hope we don't have to wait long! Bravo Jilly!
Put this on your Christmas list.

It is arguable whether this book is darker than Score! what with the multiple murders and crazed psychopath on the loose! However more characters die in this book and with the Muslim influence creeping in more so than Wicked it has a darker political and animal rights message than most previous books. Don't mistake me, it's an excellent book, full of all the wit and mesmerising characters hurtling along at breakneck speed as you'd expect of any other Rutshire chronicle. But it has more body, ...

It is arguable whether this book is darker than Score! what with the multiple murders and crazed psychopath on the loose! However more characters die in this book and with the Muslim influence creeping in more so than Wicked it has a darker political and animal rights message than most previous books. Don't mistake me, it's an excellent book, full of all the wit and mesmerising characters hurtling along at breakneck speed as you'd expect of any other Rutshire chronicle. But it has more body, more depth, that little something extra that takes it into the world of real books instead of pure entertainment, but not in a boring way. If you even get bored reading one of Rutshire chronicles you are either too thick to understand it or so lacking in compassion and empathy that you can't get the plot or the characters. A brilliant example of her work and well worth a read or 10, thumbs up!