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    Restoration
    Restoration
    Restoration
    Audiobook14 hours

    Restoration

    Written by Rose Tremain

    Narrated by John Franklyn-Robbins

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Restoration is a panoramic novel of life in 17th-century England, from the restoration of vitality to the empire after the onslaughts of the London fire and the plague, to the restoration of purpose and wakefulness in the life of Robert Merivel, who places his faith in the greatest symbol of a forward-moving era-the King.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateDec 2, 2011
    ISBN9781456124243
    Restoration

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    Reviews for Restoration

    4/5

    358 ratings28 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I would probably have liked this more if I had not read it immediately after Hilary Mantel's Bring up the Bodies, which is infinitely better. It's rather too episodic for my liking, but I did enjoy it enough to want to read the sequel.
    • 5/5
      Restoration is a warm, funny and touching historical novel narrated in the first person by Robert Merivel, a ridiculous, greedy and lustful courtier who finds favour with King Charles II quite by chance, only to have his seemingly good fortune whipped away from him. We follow his downfall and his efforts to rectify his situation, only for things to go wrong again.I absolutely loved this novel. On paper, Merivel doesn't seem particularly likeable, but there is some kindness and thoughtfulness to his character, which comes out more as the story goes on. I was almost breathless as I came to the end, hoping against hope that he would get a happy ending. I really enjoyed the historical setting, too. I don't know a lot about the 17th century, but I felt immersed in the world that Tremain has created, with just the right amount of historical detail.I'm delighted that there's a sequel to enjoy, and even more pleased that I have all of the rest of Tremain's output to discover, too!
    • 4/5
      Robert Merviel gains favour in the court of Charles II through the inadvert curing of the King's favourite. The story of his subsequent falling out of favour and restoration is told through the eyes of this blustering bumptious court hanger-on. An excellent, rollicking tale.
    • 5/5
      superb and full of surprises. Comic, sad, informative, reflective, nutty, disgusting, inspiring. And effortlessly read by Paul Daneman. Always liked Tremain's books but this is far and away her best - and the moment I went back to Audible there was the sequel which I didn't know anything about.
    • 2/5
      I kept waiting for it to improve.
    • 5/5
      I've read a couple of other novels by Rose Tremain, and I've always liked her work, but this was the first of her books to really wow me. I thought this book was amazing. It's told from the point of view of a foolish sycophant at the court of Charles II. But Robert Merivel transforms over the course of the book, and the transformation is thoroughly believable.

      The writing in Restoration is quite different than Tremain's usual style; it's told in the first-person and the voice reminded me a bit of Sarah Waters's work (although the plot itself is nothing like anything Waters might write). The voice and period details felt very authentic to me. Most importantly, Merivel feels like a real person, and I never felt that Tremain was sneering at him. He does foolish things, but Tremain never loses sight of the human underneath, and that focus is what makes this book really work.

      Tremain intended this book as a commentary on the excesses of the Eighties, and I think the parallels to consumer culture still work. But even if you ignore the commentary, Restoration works as a marvelous character study of a flawed, vapid, but ultimately redeemable man.
    • 3/5
      Restoration is set during the reign of Charles II. Robert Merivel holds the position of veterinarian to the King's dogs, as well as acting the part of the King's fool. When the King needs a cover for his mistress Celia, he marries Celia off to Merivel, on the condition that Merivel can never fall in love with her. Merivel is given a large estate, and takes up painting and playing the oboe, living a debauched and idle life. When Celia displeases the King, however, she is sent to live on Merivel's estate, and he in turn displeases the king by falling in love with her. This king disowns Merivel, and he must make his own way in the world. We follow Merivel on his rags to riches to rags story.Tremain has created a vividly-crafted work of historical fiction, with great detail and humor. There are fascinating descriptions of life in the 17th century. Tremain says that Restoration was her "fictional response to the climate of selfishness and material greed that began to prevail in our society during the Thatcher years, from which we have never recovered, and for which we are now beginning to pay a terrifying price."3 stars
    • 5/5
      Excellent character study of a man's restoration to usefulness and dignity set against the tawdry goings on of Charles II court, a Quaker refuge for the insane, and work a day London. Robert Merivel relishes being a "man of his time" only to have his time and his passions become his undoing. Cut off from his patron, The King, he seeks out his old friend and fellow anatomy student for help. His friend, John Pearce, is working at a madhouse where Merivel also begins to help, and to rebuild himself, only to fall again. And thus he must remake himself again. Excellent writing; Tremain paces the plot well, neither getting bogged down nor rushing. Merivel is wonderfully crafted, full of pathos, humor and insight, even at his weakest moments.
    • 4/5
      I wouldn't normally read historical fiction such as this, because I'm too old and demented to be able to learn new facts about history. I'd rather just stick to the current era and read stuff that's more directly relevant to my life. I like Rose Tremain's work though, so I embarked on this journey through the time of restoration England in the baroque era. I am actually interested in the baroque era, as that's when the best music was composed. I'm also a bit interested in medicine, which is a focus of this story. What I found most interesting though, was the main character's coming to terms with his own faults. I presume most of the historical material was accurate (the plague, the Great Fire of London), but I did notice one error: the main character referred to "Halley's comet". Sure, they knew about the comet at that time (1660s), but it wasn't named after Halley until about 100 years later. Overall, a good read and even I could find relevance to my current life.
    • 4/5
      Merivel happens to cure the king’s sick dog by accident, and as a result is elevated to be part of the court. Officially as doctor for the dogs, but in reality more as a kind of jester – an outlandishly dressed, constantly sloshed, farting and joking clown. Until he is given a more serious task. The king’s favorite mistress needs to get married for the sake of respectability, and Merivel is the king’s choice. Convinced this loud womenizing lout is unable of deeper feelings, the king makes him baron, gives him an estate in the country, and the occasional task of looking after lady Celia. Merivel can’t believe his luck, and lives a more than happy life at his Norfolk manor. Until the unthinkable happens. He falls in love with his own wife. From there on this rude romp takes a much more serious turn – or two - of which little can be said without spoilers. But Merivel’s story is a classical Bildungsroman, and his journey is both gripping and sad as well as funny. Sure, one or two characters are a bit larger than life, but that just adds to the flavor. It’s also refreshing, for once, to find royalty portrayed as actually worthy of the awe and respect they get. Here, king Charles is really both wise and elevated, almost sage-like.Without stressing it, this is also a well researched book. I especially liked the glimpses into where the medical science stood in the 17th century, and the vivid descriptions of fire in London.Historical fiction is not my thing, and this is not likely a read I’d picked for myself. Now I’m just happy to see we have another Tremain on our shelves.
    • 4/5
      Enjoyable historical fiction with a feet of clay hero well drawn by the author.
    • 5/5
      This was my third five-star read out of 71 books read so far this year; I don't hand out that rating very easily, and when I do, it's because the book has surpassed any expectation I may have had, made me want to start again right from the beginning as soon as I'd finished it, and opened up a universe which was somehow magical to me. As far as expectations go, they were pretty high, as this novel first came to my attention because it had been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and I had read very positive reviews for it, so it had been on my wishlist for a long time. My first book by Rose Tremain, which was among my favourites of 2013, was Music & Silence. There's a certain quality about Tremain's writing, or about the way she tells her stories, or about the characters she creates or all of these put together, which I find very exciting. From the first words, I'm willing to follow her wherever she wants to take me. The story is set in the England of 1665 and is told as a first person account by one Robert Merivel, who relates the events as they are happening, probably in the form of a personal journal. All the events take place over the course of approximately one year, and it's a year filled to the brim with events for Merivel in the England of the Restoration. Introduced by his father, a glovemaker to the King, Young Meviel, a student in medicine, meets Charles II for the first time and immediately falls under his spell, so that when King Charles asks Merivel to save one of his dying dogs (his beloved spaniels of course), Merivel jumps at the chance to be part of the inner circle of Whitehall Palace and successfully cures the dog, mainly by doing nothing. Merivel further captures the king's favour with his comical antics, and the king comes to affectionately call him his fool, which delights Merivel, as being in the king's favour and among his friends is a privilege he revels in. He is given a grand estate, and immediately sets about decorating his large house in an effusion of baroque colours, in the most vivid hues, then takes an interest in painting and music, and indeed he observes all around him with an artist's eye. One day the King tells Robert that he would like him to wed one of his mistresses, Celia Clemens. Merivel is a rather ugly man and uncouth in his manners, liking to amuse the court with his frequent farts, among other things, but the king likes his last name and likes to think of his mistress as the future Mrs Merivel. The one condition he sets it that the marriage must not be consummated, and so enamoured is Merivel with his monarch that he immediately accepts the arrangement. Merivel is a great lover of all the finer things in life; along with the decorative arts, fine cuisine and wines, he also enjoys the company of women and rarely denies himself anything, so of course it follows that he is bound to fall in love with Celia, even though the latter detests him to the core. The trap is set, and what rises must fall, and throughout this novel we follow Merivel's progress from King's physician to wannabe artist and musician, to his time spent in the New Bedlam hospital, in Norfolk, where he tries to cure the insane once he has fallen from grace, a place from which he manages to fall from grace even further. Merivel is a fascinating character and though he doesn't dwell much on why he is so obsessed with the king or any of his inner motivations, he doesn't lack in observational skills and describes his daily life and the happenings among these unusual circles of people in a very amusing manner, though the novel doesn't lack for depth. I was very happy to discover that Tremain wrote a sequel in 2012, simply called [Merivel], and it won't be long before I pick it up. I listened to this book narrated to perfection by Paul Daneman, one of those narrators I liked so much that I immediately tried to find what other books I could get by him, but unfortunately, this is the only one on offer at present. There will be more Tremain in the near future for me, as she is one of these writers by whom I would love to read the complete works.Most highly recommended!
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. Merivel is such an interesting and genuine character. He is funny, disgusting, and sad all at once. Tremain is a wonderful writer. Plot moves along, characters are believable; setting during Restoration England is true. Historical fiction doesn't get much better than this.
    • 3/5
      Historical Fiction, about a physician, Robert Merivel, in the 17th century who falls out of favor with the King and tries to rebuild his life, all the while pining to be close with the King again. It is very well written, sometimes humorous, and sometimes a bit sad. The medical facts are interesting and seem to be spot on with the time period. Merivel can be very self centered and doesn’t seem to care about anyone or anything except for the one person he can’t have. There were times Robert was such a cad that you wanted to smack him but he is a character in every sense of the word. However, he is an interesting character and I will continue on to the next book in the series, just to see if he ever learns from his mistakes. There is some gratuitous sex and it isn’t action packed in the least, more a day in the life, which does slog down a bit after the middle of the book, but well written historical fiction that I would recommend.The narration by, Paul Daneman is at times absolutely brilliant and at other times cartoonish, and some people will be annoyed by some loud mouth clicks, they aren’t constant but are noticeable when they appear. I got over the mouth clicks , but some characters sounded like a parrot talking and his women could really use some work but there was just something great about the majority of his narration that I would listen to this narrator again because of the parts of the narration that are brilliant.This was my first book by Tremain, and I would definitely read more from her, and I would try this narrator again too.3 Stars
    • 4/5
      This historical novel is set in 17th century London and Norfolk. Our narrator, Robert Merivel takes us on a journey through Court, society, medicine, interior decoration, London brothels, Thames watermen, Norfolk mental asylum. Is he a jester or visionary, a self-centred fool or a principled, loyal man? I found this an original take on a historical novel - the historical context looms large in the novel, but we also see a very personal, individual journey. Recommended.
    • 3/5
       After last month's book club book, anything would have been an improvement - this certainly was.

      I'd heard a lot about this, people ravaing about it as one of the best books they'd ever read, so it always had a lot to live up to. And i can see why it was popular, but parts of it jarred for me, and I just couldn't get over those bits and let it suck me in. Narrated by Robert Merivel, a bit of a good for nothing dandy that thrived at the court of Charles II, it tells of his rise from obscurity to court favourite and marriage to the King's mistress, and his subsequent misadventures.

      Parts of it were great, but as soon as he came back into the court circle, it just felt horribly contrived to me. The ending was curiously un satisfying for this same reason.

      i probably would read something else by her, but I'm not sure I'd reead this again.
    • 5/5
      Robert Merivel is the son of King Charles's favorite glovemaker and a medical student who loves excess in all things. King Charles takes him into his circle, but Merivel ultimately pays a high price for his exalted standing. With nowhere to turn, he travels to a Quaker hospital for the insane to join a friend from medical school who works there. Restoration would be a good book to suggest to readers who enjoy titles such as Pure by Andrew Miller and The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt.
    • 4/5
      The typography was rather like my edition of Season of the Jew, and so was the judicious mix of historical aptness and careful anachronism, or at least nods to contemporary concerns. This made the protagonist a notch more interesting than most historical novels manage. Cameos by Pepys as you'd expect.
    • 4/5
      The narrator is an amusing, likeable fellow, that starts out as a fool, amuses King Charles II, then falls from his grace and learns some wisdom. I had the fortune of choosing this book just as my life took an unexpected turn, so it was absolutely the perfect book for me at this time. Tremaine is an excellent writer and the story is quite absorbing.
    • 4/5
      I read "Restoration" years ago, before the film came out. My main memory is of Merivel's painting style - I think he invented impressionism about 200 years early!
    • 3/5
      WHAT A BOOK! I found this to be one of the most "over-blown" things I have ever read! Actually it is 3 books. The first is so exagerated that I had some trouble staying with it, funny as some of it was. The 2nd and 3rd sections are much more serious. I have to admit I really enjoyed it. My biggest disapointment is not ever finding out what ever befell Celia. (Something bad I hope!)
    • 4/5
      This is one of Rose Tremain's best novels, her ability to create colour, scenery and emotion is brilliant. The film of this is also good, and it was quite pleasant to imagine Robert Downey Jr as I was reading!
    • 3/5
      Audiobook. Nice sideways story of the Restoration. I enjoyed this book. I came by Rose Tremain with her book the Road home. She is a very good writer. Did this historical book very well. Would recommend. Not a great book, but a good one. Especially if you like historical fiction.
    • 4/5
      A young man, son of the king's glove maker and trained as a physician, gets a post at court and becomes completely enamoured of the life of the times (self indulgence, luxury, profligacy—it's interesting that in an interview Tremain said she had fundamental objections to the ethos of Thatcher's Britain but didn't want to confront it directly so picked another period with similar values). Because he actually touched a human heart (in a man who, after an accident, had a hole in his chest that didn't heal—Tremain took that from a real incident) and found that it felt nothing, the King decided Merviel—that's his name—would be immune to real love and marries him to one of his mistresses. Gives him an estate and riches. Of course Merivel promptly falls in love with the forbidden wife and is banished, taking refuge in an insane asylum (a New Bedlam) run by a Quaker physician with whom he want to school. Merivel narrates the story and he's intelligent, sensitive, and basically honest about his own flaws. He made me laugh. Tremain’s primary accomplishment in this novel is Merivel’s voice which she handles beautifully.Because Merivel is not a Quaker and because he can think for himself he has some new ideas about treating the insane, namely that one should look at what lead up to madness, as one looks at the symptoms of physical disease. Tremain has been accused of anachronism in making Merivel has somewhat modern ideas about insanity, but I have always thought that new ideas have been “brewing:” for a long time in many different people before finally find a time and a place and a spokesperson for them. It’s not inconceivable to me that there was a Merivel in the 18th century.I think Tremain is a novelist whose other work I’ll investigate. She seems to tackle a wide variety of projects and to try new fictional experiences. I also like her sense of history in this novel. She’s obviously researched the period very carefully and rendered its ethos expertly, but like all really good fiction it’s written for her own contemporaries and addresses contemporary concerns.
    • 4/5
      first half of this book is one of the funniest i have read; the main character Merivel is a total fop, very witty, i was laughing out loud, loved it, and the next part of the book, as Merival begins his own 'restoration' is moving in a totally different way. there can't be that many hilarious historical literary novels, i'd put this book in my all time top ten and would love it if someone could recommend something similar
    • 5/5
      This novel had me engaged from the first page, and my interest never lagged. Tremain depicts the rise and fall of Robert Merivel, a young and gifted doctor, in the court of Charles II. Along the way, she does a fine job of recreating Restoration society, from the competitive, luxurious court to the struggles of the poor in the countryside, from a group of Quakers devoting their lives to the service of others to Londoners scrambling to keep up with the pace of the times. But the greater part of the story is Merivel's journey of self-discovery and his realization that those things he had been pursuing were not necessarily what will make him happy. Tremain's portrait of the king as a man more wise than his surface might reveal is another fine touch. Beautifully written and researched; highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Set in the time of the English Restoration, Robert Merivel is a physician in his 30s who has never really settled down. He dresses flamboyantly and spends most of his time drinking and seducing women. He endears himself to King Charles by caring for one of his sick spaniels, and joins his Court as physician to the royal dogs. The King then decides Merivel can be most useful to him by marrying his mistress, Celia, but this is to be a marriage on paper only. Merivel gets himself in trouble by actually falling in love with Celia, and when he is betrayed by a spy, the King sends him away. He goes to visit John Pearce, a friend from his student days at Cambridge who runs Whittlesea, a Quaker home for the mentally ill. As Merivel becomes part of this community of Friends, he begins his own period of "restoration," becoming a more complete person able to put the needs of others above his own. However, Merivel is never far from his bad-boy past and he struggles with these demons throughout the novel. While the plot dragged a bit at times and I often wished Merivel would just get his act together, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Rose Tremain brings 1660s England to life with her portrayals of Court life, country life, the plague, and London's Great Fire of 1666. I'm looking forward to reading more of Tremain's work.
    • 4/5
      I thought this was a marvellous book.