The Green and the Gold: A Novel of Andrew Marvell: Spy, Politician, Poet Review

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(More customer reviews)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

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In his second historical novel, Peachment introduces us to Andrew Marvell, the beguiling 17th century poet and writer of"To His Coy Mistress", also a spy and politician. Marvell delightfully captured in his metaphysical poetry every aspect of love lost and gained. And yet, ironically, the man himself was a solitary figure whose reflections and tremendous insight allowed beauty to spill from an otherwise lonely existence. Peachment's Marvell allows us to witness those aspects of his life that we never would glean from history alone, as we follow him throughout his childhood, his travels in Europe, his firsthand experiences of the Cromwellian Civil War, and his endless battle between a deep-seated suspicion of women and a passionate yearning for them.

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