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A Mirror for Monkeys
Beneath the floorboards of a ruined house, an 18th-century memoir is discovered. It reveals the life story of William Congreve, the acclaimed English playwright. The lost manuscript is penned by his faithful servant, Jeremy, who tells how they lived together through fierce political division and triumphal nationalism in that era of war with France, the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution. Upon his death a monument in Stowe is erected to honour Mr Congreve. Atop a slender pyramid sits a monkey peering into a mirror, a court wit seeing reflected the ironies of polite society folding in on itself as Whigs and Tories feud with scant ground for compromise. Through the prisms of memory and art, award-winning author John Spurling reimagines this tumultuous period and brings to life historical figures Dryden, Vanbrugh, Swift, Pope and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu as never before. 'Elegant and playful, a tonic for these trouble times'Andrew Taylor, No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Ashes of London ‘A heartfelt memorial to the extraordinary William Congreve and to those who loved him. Spurling provides an imaginative way into a wonderful period for readers who prefer their historical tea mixed with the milk of fiction’Ophelia Field, Author of The Kit-Cat Club, and The Favourite ‘This cleverly constructed portrait of a great playwright and good man starts with the turbulent politics of the Restoration period and ends with a timeless love. As erudite and entertaining as Congreve himself’Carole Angier, biographer of Jean Rhys and Primo Levi
- GenresHistorical Fiction
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 22, 2021
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
John Spurling
24 books10 followersBorn in Kisumu in 1936, and brought up in Nairobi, John came to England aged 10. Two years later he wrote and produced his first play - a schoolboy farce about Julius Caesar's fictitious third landing in Britain.
After National Service in the Royal Artillery, and studying Law at St. John's College, Oxford, in 1960 John helped organise a United Nations plebiscite in the then Southern Cameroons, now part of the Cameroun Republic.
In 1963 he joined the BBC as a radio announcer, where he stayed until he received a two-year grant from a group of West End theatre managers to write plays. This resulted in MacRune's Guevara, performed by the National Theatre in 1969 and recently revived off-Broadway.
John has been a freelance writer since 1966, reviewing, broadcasting and writing two books of criticism – on Beckett's plays and Greene's novels – as well as some 30 plays and, more recently, four novels. In 1973 John became Henfield Writing Fellow at the University of East Anglia and was The New Statesman's art critic from 1976-88.
John's latest books are The Ten Thousand Things, to be published by Overlook (New York) and Duckworth (London) in 2014, and A Book of Liszts, published by Seagull Books in 2011. Arcadian Nights, stories from the Greek myths, will be published by Overlook (New York) on February 2, 2016, and was already released by Duckworth (London) on September 24.
John is married to the biographer Hilary Spurling. They have three children, and live in London and Arcadia, Greece.
John's grandfather was the classical scholar, J.C.Stobart, the BBC's first Director of Education and author of "The Glory That Was Greece" and "The Grandeur That Was Rome"
After National Service in the Royal Artillery, and studying Law at St. John's College, Oxford, in 1960 John helped organise a United Nations plebiscite in the then Southern Cameroons, now part of the Cameroun Republic.
In 1963 he joined the BBC as a radio announcer, where he stayed until he received a two-year grant from a group of West End theatre managers to write plays. This resulted in MacRune's Guevara, performed by the National Theatre in 1969 and recently revived off-Broadway.
John has been a freelance writer since 1966, reviewing, broadcasting and writing two books of criticism – on Beckett's plays and Greene's novels – as well as some 30 plays and, more recently, four novels. In 1973 John became Henfield Writing Fellow at the University of East Anglia and was The New Statesman's art critic from 1976-88.
John's latest books are The Ten Thousand Things, to be published by Overlook (New York) and Duckworth (London) in 2014, and A Book of Liszts, published by Seagull Books in 2011. Arcadian Nights, stories from the Greek myths, will be published by Overlook (New York) on February 2, 2016, and was already released by Duckworth (London) on September 24.
John is married to the biographer Hilary Spurling. They have three children, and live in London and Arcadia, Greece.
John's grandfather was the classical scholar, J.C.Stobart, the BBC's first Director of Education and author of "The Glory That Was Greece" and "The Grandeur That Was Rome"
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 26, 2021
A most entertaining read covering the life of William Congreve, as told by his manservant Jeremy. Historical fiction at its best: superby presented life of William, and the political and social backgrounds of his times, between the Glorious Revolution and the second king of the Hanoverian dynasty. The novel is filled with big names of those days, with wit, a little humour and sharp observations on times and manners, which seems most adequate with regard to this playwright. Congreve was one of the authors whose works I was expected to read but who as a person did not mean much to me. This has changed thanks to this unexpected gem of a novel.
April 25, 2021
An entertaining historical novel about the life and works of William Congreve, an English playwright from the late 1600s, early 1700s. He was well connected with other writers (Swift, Pope and others) and also politics so the story covers a lot of the history of England during this period. There’s a clever structure to the novel as it’s set up as a found manuscript, and the biography is written by Congreve’s servant Jeremy.
April 30, 2021
“This is my monument to the man I served and loved for more than half his life, a mirror for monkeys perhaps, or it may be that I am the monkey holding up the mirror, from the top of which my master’s face stares at me in dismay.” - Jeremy Fetch
My thanks to Duckworth Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Mirror for Monkeys’ by John Spurling in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fascinating novel that chronicles the life of acclaimed English playwright, William Congreve. It is framed as an 18th-century memoir discovered under the floorboards of a ruined house.
The memoir is penned by Congreve’s faithful servant, Jeremy Fetch. This was not his real name but Congreve had named him for the manservant character he had created for his play, ‘Love For Love’. Together they live through these tumultuous times and the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution.
The narrative is vividly peppered with historical figures including Dryden, Vanbrugh, Swift, Pope, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Lady Henrietta Godolphin, daughter of the infamous Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough.
John Spurling is an award-winning playwright and novelist, whose work I was completely unaware of before reading this novel. It is written in the style of the 18th-century yet remains extremely readable. While it took me a short time to get used to the lyrical style, once I did I was mesmerised.
It is witty and playful and was a delight to read. Reading it has certainly made me curious about the literary and political world that William Congreve inhabited. After such a positive experience I have also added a few of John Spurling’s titles to my wish list.
My thanks to Duckworth Books for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘A Mirror for Monkeys’ by John Spurling in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fascinating novel that chronicles the life of acclaimed English playwright, William Congreve. It is framed as an 18th-century memoir discovered under the floorboards of a ruined house.
The memoir is penned by Congreve’s faithful servant, Jeremy Fetch. This was not his real name but Congreve had named him for the manservant character he had created for his play, ‘Love For Love’. Together they live through these tumultuous times and the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution.
The narrative is vividly peppered with historical figures including Dryden, Vanbrugh, Swift, Pope, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Lady Henrietta Godolphin, daughter of the infamous Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough.
John Spurling is an award-winning playwright and novelist, whose work I was completely unaware of before reading this novel. It is written in the style of the 18th-century yet remains extremely readable. While it took me a short time to get used to the lyrical style, once I did I was mesmerised.
It is witty and playful and was a delight to read. Reading it has certainly made me curious about the literary and political world that William Congreve inhabited. After such a positive experience I have also added a few of John Spurling’s titles to my wish list.
April 6, 2021
I’m slightly embarrassed to say I had not previously heard of John Spurling. Given the titles of his earlier works and the reception they have received, I’m not quite sure how I managed that. I quite like the framing device of a found manuscript; I enjoyed A Room Made of Leaves and His Bloody Project. The initial set-up here is clever, a frame within a frame as we are first told by Henry how he came into possession of the manuscript and then introduced to Jeremy who wrote it. It was so deftly done that in a matter of a few pages I had almost forgotten I was reading a novel.
In having a servant writing in his twilight years about his former master, it reminded me of Robert Harris’s Cicero trilogy. Here, Jeremy takes us on a two-page whistle-stop tour of the history of the preceding decades as an introduction to the tales of his master, the poet and playwright William Congreve, and a series of mini-biographies of the great and the good of Restoration London.
Will and Jeremy are pleasant company and I enjoyed their verbal sparring. It’s a jolly romp through Congreve’s life but I’m not sure it’s anything more than that. The stories are told briskly, each attached to one of the astonishing array of buildings in the gardens at Stowe (imagine the rabbit hole I went down looking at Wikipedia and Google Maps). Spurling, via the conduit of Jeremy, has no shortage of wit and I got a real sense of the sentiments and mores of the time. There are some cracking summaries of complicated history and politics dashed off in a few sentences. It reads more like a biography or popular history than a novel but it’s no less jolly for that.
In having a servant writing in his twilight years about his former master, it reminded me of Robert Harris’s Cicero trilogy. Here, Jeremy takes us on a two-page whistle-stop tour of the history of the preceding decades as an introduction to the tales of his master, the poet and playwright William Congreve, and a series of mini-biographies of the great and the good of Restoration London.
Will and Jeremy are pleasant company and I enjoyed their verbal sparring. It’s a jolly romp through Congreve’s life but I’m not sure it’s anything more than that. The stories are told briskly, each attached to one of the astonishing array of buildings in the gardens at Stowe (imagine the rabbit hole I went down looking at Wikipedia and Google Maps). Spurling, via the conduit of Jeremy, has no shortage of wit and I got a real sense of the sentiments and mores of the time. There are some cracking summaries of complicated history and politics dashed off in a few sentences. It reads more like a biography or popular history than a novel but it’s no less jolly for that.
June 13, 2021
In the grounds of Stowe House stands a monument to William Congreve, playwright and poet, and in a derelict house in London a latin manuscript is found purporting to be a biography of Congreve. In his tale Jeremy Fetch tells the life of his master through forty years of British history. Here famous characters come and go within the narrative of a talented yet impecunious and somewhat selfish writer.
The device of using a fictionalised biography works well here as it enables some licence with the facts and enough space for embellishment of events. However this is also a thoroughly entertaining romp through Restoration Britain populated by individuals known to history but with a slant on actuality that really works. I felt that the motif of using the follies in the grounds of Stowe to link events in the narrative was excellent. Spurling has a light hand with his writing which means that it seems insubstantial, as a reader I shot through this book in a couple fo hours, yet is actually very learned.
The device of using a fictionalised biography works well here as it enables some licence with the facts and enough space for embellishment of events. However this is also a thoroughly entertaining romp through Restoration Britain populated by individuals known to history but with a slant on actuality that really works. I felt that the motif of using the follies in the grounds of Stowe to link events in the narrative was excellent. Spurling has a light hand with his writing which means that it seems insubstantial, as a reader I shot through this book in a couple fo hours, yet is actually very learned.
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June 13, 2021Thank you to NetGalley for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
A Mirror for Monkeys is a book WAY out of my normal reading wheelhouse and I'm glad to have read it. I'm not generally a fan of English/European literature but thankful to have learned more about this piece of history. This is roughly 100 yrs or so after Shakespeare (late 1600s - early 1700s) and takes place in Europe about a manservant (scribe/assistant) finding an 18th century memoir of William Congreve, English Playwright. It takes you through the times, and various people.
It was a little slower for me-- since, again, not my normal genre and I just took my time. The writing was more so contemporary (which I appreciated because it made it more engaging to read). I did have to research some parts of history.
If you like English lit and European history, you might really enjoy this read!
A Mirror for Monkeys is a book WAY out of my normal reading wheelhouse and I'm glad to have read it. I'm not generally a fan of English/European literature but thankful to have learned more about this piece of history. This is roughly 100 yrs or so after Shakespeare (late 1600s - early 1700s) and takes place in Europe about a manservant (scribe/assistant) finding an 18th century memoir of William Congreve, English Playwright. It takes you through the times, and various people.
It was a little slower for me-- since, again, not my normal genre and I just took my time. The writing was more so contemporary (which I appreciated because it made it more engaging to read). I did have to research some parts of history.
If you like English lit and European history, you might really enjoy this read!
April 14, 2021
The biography of the English playwright and poet William Congreve as told by his faithful manservant and friend Jeremy, is at the centre of John Spurling's latest literary gift A mirror for monkeys, a delightful novel that will take the reader through a magnificent tapestry of English cultural, historical, intellectual and political life from the premises of the Glorious Revolution to the beginning of George II's reign. Teeming with a cast of unforgettable characters and full of humor and gossip, this delightful fictional romp is also a stunning portrait of a nation on the brink of greatness. An unexpected surprise to be enjoyed without any moderation!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Duckworth for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
Many thanks to Netgalley and Duckworth for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
April 22, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Duckworth for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is a really lovely book about a a fascinating central character, the playwright William Congreve as seen through the lens of his manservant Jeremy (being featured in Congreve's work as such). It details the life and character of Congreve. Featuring a charming cast of the bright lights of the time, including a young Voltaire, Alexander Pope and the Duchess of Marlborough. Leading the reader through the complex political and religious upheaval of the 17th and 18th centuries in both England and Ireland, John Spurling conveys information with wit and a side of gossip.
Thoroughly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, the Favourite and the Gin Lane Gazette!
This is a really lovely book about a a fascinating central character, the playwright William Congreve as seen through the lens of his manservant Jeremy (being featured in Congreve's work as such). It details the life and character of Congreve. Featuring a charming cast of the bright lights of the time, including a young Voltaire, Alexander Pope and the Duchess of Marlborough. Leading the reader through the complex political and religious upheaval of the 17th and 18th centuries in both England and Ireland, John Spurling conveys information with wit and a side of gossip.
Thoroughly recommend this book for lovers of historical fiction, the Favourite and the Gin Lane Gazette!
November 18, 2023
This is a curious book and in a way disappointed me. It's set up as a discovered manuscript of the servant of William Congreve. However the book itself feels more biographical in nature and at times is quite fact based. The quotes work well but I wanted more on the development of the characters themselves. Most supporting characters feel like Wikipedia entries. It's a shame as this little written about period is fascinating.
April 20, 2021
An interesting, well researched and well written historical fiction by a new to me author.
it helped me to discover William Congreve and I loved the style of writing and the well plotted story.
I will surely read other books by this author, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
it helped me to discover William Congreve and I loved the style of writing and the well plotted story.
I will surely read other books by this author, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
October 22, 2021
This book is historical fiction at its best. A charming fictionalised account of William Congreve's life and works, taking in the Restoration and the complex political manoeuvring. I read ( and thoroughly enjoyed) Margarette Lincoln's London and the Seventeenth Century just last month, and this book picks up where that ends. England was going through an uneasy period- the last century had seen the execution of a king, multiple riots over religion, a Military dictatorship under Cromwell, the strengthening of Parliamentary democracy, the Restoration, the Glorious Revolution, and further uncertainty about the direction the country was going to take. Queen Anne seemed to favour her Catholic-leaning exiled brother's family, instead of the Hanoverian relations favoured by the Parliament, with the further prospect of civil war. Spurling explores this time, and the main players, through a lovely narrative device- the country estate of Stowe, with its many monuments commemorating British worthies, commissioned by Lord Cobham, with his Whig leanings. Each chapter starts with a particular feature of Stowe, and traces events through that. Choosing Congreve as the linking thread is clearly a wise decision, apart from being an important member of the Kit-Cat Club that a lot of influential men belonged to, his satires were at the centre of policy decisions on censorship and artistic freedoms. His works are placed in the proper context of their times, and even if you've never been interested in his plays, by the end of the book you definitely are. The narrator of the book is Congreve's....Chief of Staff, such as he is, given that he helps him with his translations, and runs his household for him. The book mentions intelligent, witty manservants being a feature of all of Congreve's plays, and I thought that might be an inspiration for Jeeves, but that's also apparently a feature of Ancient Greek comedy. Jeeves has classical roots then!
If you're a fan of the movie The Favourite, this book is recommended reading. The main characters play important parts here as well, and in a far more significant way. The machinations of Sarah Churchill had far more profound political implications for the country, something not adequately emphasised in the movie. The book completely transports you to a very chaotic historical period, and right now, with the present times being so distressing, you really couldn't ask for more!
If you're a fan of the movie The Favourite, this book is recommended reading. The main characters play important parts here as well, and in a far more significant way. The machinations of Sarah Churchill had far more profound political implications for the country, something not adequately emphasised in the movie. The book completely transports you to a very chaotic historical period, and right now, with the present times being so distressing, you really couldn't ask for more!
August 11, 2021
3.4 stars
A very entertaining way to explore the life of a historical figure.
I am grateful to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book for review.
My knowledge of the life of William Congreve was non-existent prior to reading this novel, and I thoroughly appreciate how it gave an overview of politics and society during that time period. I really enjoyed its structure, and how the story was really a collection of "true accounts" found in documents that Spurling has put together for us. I am not usually a fan of biographies /memoirs etc, but I was interested in this one because the setup seemed interesting and I was not disappointed.
My favourite thing about this book was the perspective of Congreve's manservant Jeremy. Jeremy is present for many of interesting interactions and allows us to feel like we have a true fly-on-the-wall view of everything. The story manages to feel tangible, and the characters and scenarios had healthy doses of intrigue and humor. The story is a fun fictionalization of a famous life in 1700s England.
However, the book sometimes felt a bit drawn out, and that is my one critique. I think if you are not already invested in the story of Congreve and how his life intersects with all the other famous literary names of the era, the story starts to drag. At certain points I felt like I was simply on a tour where important places and anecdotes were being pointed out to me. That is a small critique though, since I think many readers would find those portions really enjoyable.
I recommend this to fans of historical fiction and classic literature.
A very entertaining way to explore the life of a historical figure.
I am grateful to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book for review.
My knowledge of the life of William Congreve was non-existent prior to reading this novel, and I thoroughly appreciate how it gave an overview of politics and society during that time period. I really enjoyed its structure, and how the story was really a collection of "true accounts" found in documents that Spurling has put together for us. I am not usually a fan of biographies /memoirs etc, but I was interested in this one because the setup seemed interesting and I was not disappointed.
My favourite thing about this book was the perspective of Congreve's manservant Jeremy. Jeremy is present for many of interesting interactions and allows us to feel like we have a true fly-on-the-wall view of everything. The story manages to feel tangible, and the characters and scenarios had healthy doses of intrigue and humor. The story is a fun fictionalization of a famous life in 1700s England.
However, the book sometimes felt a bit drawn out, and that is my one critique. I think if you are not already invested in the story of Congreve and how his life intersects with all the other famous literary names of the era, the story starts to drag. At certain points I felt like I was simply on a tour where important places and anecdotes were being pointed out to me. That is a small critique though, since I think many readers would find those portions really enjoyable.
I recommend this to fans of historical fiction and classic literature.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews