Fraud: A Novel - MXHDR BookWyrm

Hardcover, 696 pages

English language

Published June 22, 2023 by Penguin Press.

ISBN:: 978-0-593-79264-3

(1 review)

It is 1873. Mrs. Eliza Touchet is the Scottish housekeeper—and cousin by marriage—of a once-famous novelist, now in decline, William Ainsworth, with whom she has lived for thirty years.

Mrs. Touchet is a woman of many interests: literature, justice, abolitionism, class, her cousin, his wives, this life and the next. But she is also sceptical. She suspects her cousin of having no talent; his successful friend, Mr. Charles Dickens, of being a bully and a moralist; and England of being a land of facades, in which nothing is quite what it seems.

Andrew Bogle, meanwhile, grew up enslaved on the Hope Plantation, Jamaica. He knows every lump of sugar comes at a human cost. That the rich deceive the poor. And that people are more easily manipulated than they realize. When Bogle finds himself in London, star witness in a celebrated case of imposture, he knows his future depends on …

It is 1873. Mrs. Eliza Touchet is the Scottish housekeeper—and cousin by marriage—of a once-famous novelist, now in decline, William Ainsworth, with whom she has lived for thirty years.

Mrs. Touchet is a woman of many interests: literature, justice, abolitionism, class, her cousin, his wives, this life and the next. But she is also sceptical. She suspects her cousin of having no talent; his successful friend, Mr. Charles Dickens, of being a bully and a moralist; and England of being a land of facades, in which nothing is quite what it seems.

Andrew Bogle, meanwhile, grew up enslaved on the Hope Plantation, Jamaica. He knows every lump of sugar comes at a human cost. That the rich deceive the poor. And that people are more easily manipulated than they realize. When Bogle finds himself in London, star witness in a celebrated case of imposture, he knows his future depends on telling the right story.

4 editions

Lavinia reviewed Fraud: A Novel by Zadie Smith

Review of 'Fraud' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

The Fraud by Zadie Smith is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports readers to 19th-century England, delving into the intricacies of a celebrated criminal trial, the Tichborne case. With meticulous attention to detail, Smith weaves a tale that revolves around Eliza Touchet, a Scottish widow who finds herself entangled in the life of William Ainsworth, a popular Victorian novelist.

William Ainsworth, who was Charles Dickens’ friend and a more successful author in their early years, is portrayed as a waning literary figure who is fighting to stay relevant. He serves as a symbol of the challenges faced by writers during Victorian England, as new literary movements and tastes began to emerge.

The big trial and the unfolding social and psychological drama are what drive the plot of the novel. Eliza Touchet's interest is piqued by one of the primary witnesses in the trial, the enigmatic figure of Andrew Bogle, …

The Fraud by Zadie Smith is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports readers to 19th-century England, delving into the intricacies of a celebrated criminal trial, the Tichborne case. With meticulous attention to detail, Smith weaves a tale that revolves around Eliza Touchet, a Scottish widow who finds herself entangled in the life of William Ainsworth, a popular Victorian novelist.

William Ainsworth, who was Charles Dickens’ friend and a more successful author in their early years, is portrayed as a waning literary figure who is fighting to stay relevant. He serves as a symbol of the challenges faced by writers during Victorian England, as new literary movements and tastes began to emerge.

The big trial and the unfolding social and psychological drama are what drive the plot of the novel. Eliza Touchet's interest is piqued by one of the primary witnesses in the trial, the enigmatic figure of Andrew Bogle, an elderly Jamaican who holds the secrets of a past shrouded in the brutality of slavery.

Smith delves into the darker aspects of the era, shedding light on the British colonial slave trade and the abolitionist movement. Drawing upon historical events and the experiences of characters like Andrew Bogle, Smith portrays the harsh realities of colonization and the complexities of navigating a society where racism and prejudice are deeply ingrained.

No exploration of Victorian England would be complete without acknowledging the influence of the iconic Charles Dickens. Smith deftly utilises his character to delve into the contradictions and complexities of Victorian England. It was an era of major transformations in most aspects of English life, from scientific, economic, and technological advances to changes in class structures and the role of religion in society. Authors like Thomas Carlyle began to direct their attention toward social issues, highlighting the dehumanizing effects of the Industrial Revolution.

Dickens' role as a social commentator and his critique of the worst excesses of Victorian society are explored through the lens of Eliza Touchet. Dickens is credited with bringing novelists to a new level of moral and political stature, something that Eliza Touchet objects to on ethical grounds. Dickens, while celebrated for being sympathetic to the plight of the poor and disadvantaged in British society, has also been criticized for his attitudes, which have been perceived as racist and xenophobic.

Through Mrs Touchet, Smith is challenging Victorian ideas of gender and sexuality. The Victorian era was characterised by rigid gender roles and societal expectations of women. Domesticity, motherhood, and the preservation of moral standards were considered paramount. However, despite the restrictions, women made some progress in the 19th century. While they did not have the right to vote, sue, or, if married, own property, as Britain transformed into an industrial nation, Victorian feminism emerged as a significant political force.

Subjects

narrativa inglese