The Green Kingdom

by Rachel Maddux, Nancy A. Walker (Editor)

The dream of a green kingdom, a new world, a place to start over - this is the vision that compels the five central characters in this novel to seek a hidden land. The story is at once the age-old tale of utopia and dystopia and the saga of Americans at mid-century, with a history of economic depression, the midwestern dust bowl, and two world wars. First published in 1957, The Green Kingdom was Rachel Maddux's first novel, an ambitious undertaking that had occupied nearly twenty years of her life. Central to the novel is the act of creation - from naming the plants and animals of the kingdom to bearing children. Both Justin Magnus and Erma Herrick discover the wellsprings of their creative energy as they discover the kingdom and, finally, each other in a story that is by turns mystical and realistic, the product of a vivid imagination and keen powers of observation. The Green Kingdom itself is a metaphor for whatever circumstances can make a person feel some control over fate. To live in the Green Kingdom is to inhabit what Maddux calls "the climate of potentiality, " and to read The Green Kingdom is an intense experience in which we imagine our own responses to this land that Maddux so carefully delineates.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

561 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my family, reading this book is a rite of passage. My mother, who rarely censored my reading growing up, did ask that I wait to read this one until I was old enough--so that I would truely appreciate it and love it. And I did. A fantasy about a small group of people who disappear into a secret kingdom. It's really about relationships and a woman's coming into herself. Another of my comfort books that I re-read often.

[Kate Melville · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't get through it. I was about 1/2 in and I just had to stop. It's too wordy, too philosophical , too conceptual, too character-driven for my tastes. That being said, I do believe she was a talented writer, but her style is so far from what I normally read, I had to drop it. If you like books with a well-developed plot, this isn't the book for you.

[Tbfrank · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Green Kingdom has been on my 'to read' list for a long time and at last I found a copy. Just where I came across a reference to this novel from 1957 escapes me; perhaps Margaret Atwood mentioned it in one of her introductions, or perhaps it was Ursula Le Guin.
The manuscript reportedly consumed 20 years of Ms. Maddux's life, planning and writing, and the depth and density of the work reflects the time and effort the author spent on her very first novel.
The Green Kingdom is a secret world hidden behind a portal that opens once every 10 years accompanied by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Justin Magnus, composer, widower, bereft of 4 sons lost in the war, survivor of a suicide attempt, harkens back to a nostalgic time when his grandfather described the hidden world and the wonders he witnessed. Possessed of a crude map with projected dates the portal will open, he is determined to see the Kingdom for himself.
He drives to a small town far to the west, a place he'd visited on a concert tour. He'd made the acquaintance of Erma and Arthur Herrick. Erma, an admirer of his music, was enthralled by the thought of the Kingdom. Arthur ran a publishing firm that was failing. He had a dream of creating a Human Record, crudely a diary of every man and woman's life, stored in a repository for future generations to reference. Justin was attracted to the idea, believing if such a record of his son George's life, he might understand the child he never really knew.
Joe Roberts worked with Arthur, a talented individual who's abilities were stunted through lack of opportunities. He believed himself in love with Gwendolyn but knows he is not yet in a position to provide the home she wants and deserves. Gwen, bored and spoiled, feels competition from her sisters to possess a suitable house and family. Joe would fit the bill if he were a little more ambitious and gave up his job with Arthur.
Justin invites them along. The five journey across the Southwest getting further and further from civilization, highways and roads until they pursue the final leg on foot. Never really expecting to find it, they are surprised when the ground moves and the portal appears. After some hesitation they enter, the earth shakes, rocks tumble, and the gateway closes behind them.
Likened to Lost Horizon, this novel is different in that the 5 encounter no natives, no others from the outside world, only strange plants and animals. They have an opportunity to build a life in a new place according to their wishes, if they work together.
The tale is not one of a struggle to survive. Hard work is required but the Kingdom lends itself to their needs and Joe blossoms, demonstrating his abilities to create what they need. Gwen is never reconciled to their effective imprisonment for 10 years and succeeds in driving a wedge between Joe and Arthur. Justin rediscovers his love of music and starts a new symphony. Arthur is tormented by his desire to create a history and the knowledge that of the five only Erma seems capable of fulfilling his dream. Erma spends her energy tending to them as if they were all her family, substituting her care for the child she's unable to bear. Arthur and Erma become estranged and Justin falls in love with Erma.
Tragedy, love, hope, and fate are entwined as much as the fecund growth of the Kingdom swallows up every human device.
Born in 1911, Rachel Maddux was 18 when the Great Depression began. Living through that difficult time, bracketed by two world wars with the atomic age hard on the heels of the global conflict, it is easy to see why the idea of the Green Kingdom took hold of her imagination: an escape to a world that’s new, untrammeled, uncomplicated by modern life. There is a sense of Simak and Bradbury in her writing, a flavor of middle America we lose when we forget the Heartland.
The world of the Green Kingdom is richly detailed as is the complexity of the characters and their interrelationships. The musings on the nature of civilization, man's impact on the environment, human interactions, and social responsibilities are but a few of the thoughts and ideas Rachel Maddux explores, too many to fully appreciate in a single reading.
A haunting story, sad yet filled with moments of joy and fulfillment.

[Carolyn Hill · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF I got through half of this (288 pages out of 561) before finally giving up. This is a very strange book, and not at all what I was expecting judging from the enthusiastic endorsements here (and on the paperback format page) and from a recommendation from an Instagram friend. It gave me the feeling of a 1950's black and white B movie (fitting enough as it was published in the mid-50's originally): rather heavy philosophizing in the midst of a preposterous sci-fi/fantasy plot. It didn't work for me. I'll be donating this book to the public library.

[Ceil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an older book...1957...but for the most part, it doesn't matter. I read it in my 20s, and I am rereading it now, thirty years later. It is still a good book, a sad and haunting fantasy. There are books that my mind links together. This book is linked to Jack Finney's Time and Again and Portrait of Jennie by Robert Nathan. It's the "feel" of these stories, a sadness and loss more than the storyline.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting how different I felt about this book when I read it back in high school, as opposed to the recent read. I thought it was amazing the first time, and had thought about it over the years, so I found it through inter-library loan. And I was disappointed the second time; it just didn't catch my attention and seemed almost boring. Maybe some books just shouldn't be re-read!

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book club read this utterly haunting work. It's obviously a first novel, but it leaves a profound effect. More distopia than Utopia, it explores man's greed to bend things to his will; it suggests that simple survival requires mankind to "ruin" nature, and it questions human kind's ability to be totally selfless. Great book for discussion.

[Jock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many hundreds of books, both fiction and nonfiction, and "The Green Kingdom" may be at the top of my Best Books of Any Kind I've Read list. The book had a profound effect on me when I was in college. I don't want to give anything away, so my review will consist of me saying nothing about the book's contents. I urge everyone to read it.

[Grae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful

[Martin18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that stays with you. Remarkable characters and great writing. Have read it about three times already. About time for another read.