- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Picador; New Ed edition (16 Jan 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0330487345
- ISBN-13: 978-0330487344
- Product Dimensions: 19.2 x 13 x 3.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,591,624 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
John Mullan in Guardian, May 2003
Marvell's character is boisterously imagined... It is all absurd, yet oddly enjoyable. The novel is written with a careless, carefree gusto.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
A very witty and compelling imaginary portrait of the life of genius, from the author of CARAVAGGIO
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
I will usually force myself to finish a book I started. There are, however, some details that will put me off completely, one of which is a very poorly edited book. The narrator in this particular story is a historical character, Andrew Marvell, whose life played out in seventeenth century Europe. On page 35 (paperback ed. 2004), Marvell exuses himself for having had a "Freudian slip". Note to the author: The Freudian slip expression refers to the work of Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), father of the psycho-analysis technique. Alas, in the days of Marvell, the rather modern idea of psycho-analysis was not yet born, much less expressed in referral to Freud.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
exciting look at Andrew Marvell and the era
2 Jun 2004
Format:Hardcover
Though much is known about seventeenth century English poet Andrew Marvell, there are periods with little or no information available. Showing courage or chutzpah, Christopher Peachment fills those voids by extracting what is known about this metaphysical poet and his times to create a marvelous work of historical fiction.
Marvell comes across as a paradox. He was a loner who trusted few and over time concluded that life was meaningless though he had friends such as John Milton and easily switched allegiance to an ever changing of the guard. He enjoyed women sexually, but detested females perhaps as Mr. Preachment implies due to his growing up gap towards his older sisters.
Other major points include his attraction to his twelve year old student Mary Fairfax of Appleton House, his responsibility for lighting the Great Fire of London to goad a mob to assault Catholics, and a weird tryst in Spain.
This novel stars an engaging seventeenth century poet ("To His Coy Mistress" and "Upon Appleton House"). Though well-written, Mr. Preachment fills in the blank years such as the early 1640s with speculation and creative license. This makes for an exciting look at Andrew Marvell and the era, but also difficult to decide what is based on accepted facts about the subject and what is extrapolated from the era. Still THE GREEN AND THE GOLD - A NOVEL OF ANDREW MARVELL: SPY, POLITICIAN, POET is an engaging look at a lyrical romantic poet who in midlife turned to satire as England became a house divided.
Harriet Klausner
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The Green and the Gone
29 Sep 2004
Format:Paperback
I was really excite to read it because I generally love historical novels and in particular novels about real historical figures. Unfortunately, I was disappointed.
While supposedly a "playful" historical telling of Andrew Marvell's life (spy, politician, seventeenth-century poet), I finally gave up on page 63, mired in the middle of a seemingly never-ending battle scene to which Marvell was an observer. While perhaps I didn't have the historical background to understand the details behind this particular battle, I was able to at least figure out that it was the Parliament (Oliver Cromwell) against the King. I guess I would have preferred a story that tells me a little more about the history and context of the action.
In addition, I was also disappointed by the character of Marvell himself. Albeit that I likely did not give Peachment's character much time to develop, having given up on page 63, I still was not sufficiently engaged in the portrayal of this rookie spy to understand even an inkling of his intentions or motivation.
It used to be that I would suffer through mediocre books just to say I had given them a fair shake. Not so anymore. Marvell, you may have been an interesting fellow, it's just a shame that you couldn't be here to choose your biographer.
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