11 July 2015

Review #270: Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva by Eliza Redgold



My rating: 5 of 5 stars


He answer'd, "Ride you naked thro' the town,
And I repeal it;"

----Lord Alfred Tennyson


Dr Elizabeth Reid Boyd, a.k.a, Eliza Redgold, a lecturer-cum-contemporary-romance-writer, pens the story of Lady Godiva in her new historical fiction, Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva, where the author vividly as well as compassionately captures the real story behind Godiva's naked ride through the streets of Coventry, that is based upon Tennyson's famous poem, Godiva.






Synopsis:

We know her name. We know of her naked ride. We don't know her true story.
We all know the legend of Lady Godiva, who famously rode naked through the streets of Coventry, covered only by her long, flowing hair. So the story goes, she begged her husband Lord Leofric of Mercia to lift a high tax on her people, who would starve if forced to pay. Lord Leofric demanded a forfeit: that Godiva ride naked on horseback through the town. There are various endings to Godiva's ride, that all the people of Coventry closed their doors and refused to look upon their liege lady (except for 'peeping Tom') and that her husband, in remorse, lifted the tax.
Naked is an original version of Godiva's tale with a twist that may be closer to the truth: by the end of his life Leofric had fallen deeply in love with Lady Godiva. A tale of legendary courage and extraordinary passion, Naked brings an epic story new voice.


This is not the first time that I'm reading the story of Lady Godiva and about her tragic yet heroic tale. For ages, authors and poets are giving a different version to Godiva's life, especially about the aftermath of the naked ride. Previously, I've read Godiva by Nicole Galland, that was a very, very disappointing as well as sad take on Godiva's life, in fact, the author got all her facts wrong, especially, featuring Godiva as a promiscuous woman.

Anyhow, Dr Elizabeth didn't disappoint me in any way, moreover, she made me fall in love with both the characters- Godiva and Lord Leofric. This book doesn't accounts Godiva's life story, but the events right before and after the naked ride and especially what led Godiva to take such a ride in fact by remaining chaste.

Lady Godiva was an admirable as well as she was someone whom her countrymen loved and respected her without any questions, and that the author have painted in her plot strikingly. Her marriage to Leofric was an arrangement, as Leofric wanted to take control over Coventry as well as to protect Godiva from some evil characters, soon Leofric who was also the ruler of his hometown, Mercia, claimed that since both the states are under his control, equality should be maintained, so people of Coventry must pay equal taxes to that of Mercia, hearing which Godiva thought that she fell in love with a traitor as she loved her Coventry more than her husband and asked him to lower the taxes otherwise her people will starve during the hunger months. So Leofric said that if Godiva rides naked through Coventry, then will repeal or rather lift the taxes from Coventry. And Godiva doesn't fail her husband's words for the sake of her Coventry folks. Naked on her horse named, Ebur, covered only with her long flowing auburn hair, Godiva rode through Coventry, and on the day of her ride, people of Coventry went inside their houses and had shut their windows and doors expect only one who is said to be struck blind, the moment he tried to lay his eyes upon Godiva. Later, she quietly went into her bower (room), shaking and terrified and as well as heart-broken, but what happens next is for you to find out.

The writing style is fantastic, extremely sophisticated yet easy to comprehend with the emotions that the author have skillfully instilled while narrating the story. the narrative is kept short and effective as well as engaging. The prose is thoroughly elegant and eloquent, and it felt like reading a classic novel. Since the story only accounts about Godiva's heroic ride through Coventry, so the pace is fast as the book is kept quite short.

All the characters in the book are skillfully as well as strongly developed. Though the characters are there for a brief period of time, still the author have went into the depth to sketch their portraits with compassion. Godiva's characterization is brilliant, as the author sensitively sketches her demeanor and tries to put her up as one hell of a courageous, brave and Anglo-Saxon noble woman of those times, whereas her husband, though might strike a bit villainous and evil with his ways, but he will seem like an extremely passionate as well as strong man. Godiva left an impressionistic mark upon my mind and quite possibly, Dr. Elizabeth's take on Godiva, will not let me forget about one of the most epic characters of history.

There is an erotic undertone in the prose of the story, since the chemistry between Leofric as well as Godiva has been portrayed with deep passion and the way a love should be between a man and a woman. It was vivid and made me feel the passion running down among Godiva and Leofric.

"Peeping Tom"- we know what it is! Now do you have any idea, this term actually comes from the story of Godiva, while riding naked, there was a guy named, Tom who tried to watch Godiva from his window, when all of a sudden he was struck blind, thus the term "Peeping Tom". Lastly, I'd like to hats off to the author, for getting a thorough research on Godiva's life before penning her story and I must say, she did it quite wonderfully, not letting her readers to believe in some folklore but in the real story.

Dr. Elizabeth's take on Godiva is far better than Galland's take on Godiva and all through out the book, I was captivated by the flair and the charm of Lady Godiva and her story.

Verdict: Historical fiction lovers must read this book.

Courtesy: Thanks to the author, Dr Elizabeth Reid Boyd, for providing me with an ARC of her book, in return for an honest review. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author Info:
Eliza Redgold is an author, academic and unashamed romantic.

Eliza Redgold is based upon the old, Gaelic meaning of her name, Dr Elizabeth Reid Boyd. English folklore has it that if you help a fairy, you will be rewarded with red gold. She has presented academic papers on women and romance and is a contributor to the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Romance Fiction. As a non-fiction author she is co-author of Body Talk: a Power Guide for Girls and Stay-at-Home Mothers: Dialogues and Debates. She was born in Irvine, Scotland on Marymass Day and currently lives in Australia.

Her forthcoming historical fiction "NAKED: A Novel of Lady Godiva" is to be published by St Martin's Press, New York.

By day a mild-mannered university lecturer with a PhD, by night she is also a wild-mannered writer of historical and contemporary romances for Harlequin.

"Writing makes me braver. It has inspired adventures (and misadventures!) in travel, nature, art, literature and even gastronomy. I hope my books will inspire you too! They’re for people who love a good story, but want to discover new things. They also feature adventurous heroines who are prepared to take risks in life and love. Though in life and in love, of course, things never go quite as planned … If that sounds like you, read on ..."

Visit her here


Book Purchase Links:

2 comments:

  1. I am glad this one seems like a more realistic portrayal than the ones you read previously! I like my books to be historically accurate as well.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your feedback!