Merivel
A Man of His Time
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Published:18th Jul '13
Should be back in stock very soon
In Merivel, Robert Merivel embarks on a quest for renewal in France but faces challenges that test his loyalty and aspirations amidst royal intrigue.
In the aftermath of the Restoration period, Robert Merivel, a physician and former courtier to King Charles II, seeks a new beginning at the French court. His journey takes him to the opulent Palace of Versailles, where the surface glamour of royal life conceals a deeper despair. Struggling to find his place amidst the dazzling yet hollow existence, Merivel's fortunes shift when he encounters the enchanting Madame de Flamanville. This meeting reignites his hopes and inspires him to envision a different future, one filled with love and possibility.
However, the allure of this new life is soon overshadowed by the urgent call of duty. Summoned back to England to care for the ailing king, Merivel must confront the complexities of loyalty and the weight of his responsibilities. As he navigates the treacherous waters of court politics and personal ambition, he grapples with the question of whether he can truly carve out a destiny of his own amidst the demands of those in power.
Merivel is a richly layered narrative that explores themes of ambition, love, and the search for identity in a world that often prioritizes appearances over authenticity. With its vibrant characters and evocative setting, this novel promises to captivate readers, inviting them to reflect on the nature of loyalty and the pursuit of dreams in turbulent times.
Social, political and physical labyrinth -- Frances Osborne * Evening Standard *
Satisfying... agreeably sardonic -- Quentin Letts * Daily Mail *
One of the great imaginative creations in English literature * Daily Telegraph *
An unadulterated delight * Independent *
Rich and satisfying -- Lindsay Duguid * Sunday Times *
A tour de force of literary technique, a treasure house of diligent research and imaginative ingenuity -- Jane Shilling * Telegraph *
Wonderfully entertaining -- Michael Holroyd * Guardian, Books of the Year *
Her feeling for the spirit of the times is triumphant -- Charlotte Moore * Spectator *
A rich, glowing portrait -- Daisy Hay * Observer *
Her characters laugh, cry, plot and flounder so convincingly that they take up residence in your head and refuse to go away -- Mary Crockett * Scotland on Sunday *
This book is richly marbled with intelligence, compassion and compelling characters, leavened with flourishes of lyricism and an attractive tolerance towards human frailties -- Angus Clarke * The Times *
What ultimately makes the book such a joy is simply being in Merivel’s company. His narration is by turns rueful, comic, despairing and joyful; but it’s always bursting with life, always good-hearted - and always entirely loveable -- James Walton * Daily Mail *
A delight -- Lucy Beresford * Literary Review *
At times witty and enchanting, on other occasions full of doubt and self-loathing, Merivel remains a stunning achievement. He is Everyman and speaks to us all -- Virginia Blackburn * Sunday Express *
Exuberance is a very hard thing to sustain in a novel… However, Tremain brings it off brilliantly. As one might expect, this is a very funny novel, full of picaresque adventure, hapless accidents and ingeniously wrought slapstick. However, it is also a very moving and beautiful novel. There are passages here which I found myself reading over and over again simply in order to savour them. Merivel: A Man of His Time may have been a long time coming, but it’s been well worth the wait -- John Preston * Mail on Sunday *
Merivelis excellent company. Writing with a mimic’s ear for conversation, whimsical one moment, grave the next, Tremain has an underlying preoccupation here: the last third of live, love and loss, loneliness and vanity -- Maggie Fergusson * Intelligent Life *
- Short-listed for Walter Scott Prize 2013 (UK)
ISBN: 9780099548430
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 21mm
Weight: 245g
352 pages