Nude

by C. Michelle Lindley

Genres: Feminist; Literary Fiction; Women's Fiction

Synopsis

A gripping, provocative, and sensual debut novel about an art historian who journeys to a Greek island to acquire a found sculpture for an American museum and quickly becomes immersed in a cultural tug-of-war and a complicated love affair.

1999: An island off the southern coast of Greece. Art historian Elizabeth Clarke arrives with the intent to acquire a rare female sculpture. But what begins as a quest for a highly valued cultural artifact evolves into a trip that will force Elizabeth to contend with her career, her ambition, and her troubling history.

Disoriented by jet lag, debilitating migraines, and a dependence on prescription pills, Elizabeth turns to her charming and guileless translator to guide her around the labyrinthine island. Soon, the island’s lushness—its heat and light, its textures and tastes—take hold of Elizabeth. And when she’s introduced to her translator’s inscrutable wife—a subversive artist whose work seeks to deconstruct the female form—she becomes unexpectedly enthralled by her. But once the nude’s acquisition proves to be riskier than Elizabeth could have ever imagined, Elizabeth’s and the statue’s fate are called into question. To find a way out, Elizabeth must grapple with her past, the role she’s played in the art trade, and the ethical fallouts her decisions could leave behind.

The Nude is an evocative and intense exploration of art, cultural appropriation, and what it means to be a woman helming morally complicated negotiations in a male-directed world.

Release date: July 23, 2024

Publisher: Atria Books

Print pages: 272