Godiva: An Epic Historical Novel of Legendary Romance and Rebellion in Anglo-Saxon England - Softcover

Galland, Nicole

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0062026887 ISBN 13: 9780062026880

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks, 2013

Synopsis

Nicole Galland, author of The Fool’s Tale, turns her clever pen toward re-imagining the famous legend of Lady Godiva in this expertly crafted historical novel set in Anglo-Saxon England.
 
A 12th-century noblewoman, Lady Godiva is infamous for riding naked through Coventry to relieve her people of her husband’s unfair and oppressive taxation. Leofric, Earl of Mercia, said he would ease the tax burden if she would ride through the streets, wearing only her glorious, long hair. In doing so she risked everything, including her home and well-being.
 
Told with humor and precise attention to detail, Nicole Galland’s Godiva brings to life the adventures of the legendary lady, her husband and her best friend the Abbess Egdiva in thrilling detail. It’s an entertaining tale of courtly intrigue, deceit, and romance that is sure to captivate fans of literary and historical fiction.

About this title

About the Author

Nicole Galland is the author of the historical novels I, Iago; Godiva; Crossed; Revenge of the Rose; and The Fool’s Tale; as well as the contemporary romantic comedies On the Same Page and Stepdog, and the New York Times bestselling near-future thriller The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. (with Neal Stephenson).

From the Back Cover

From the author of The Fool's Tale comes a brilliantly crafted retelling of the legend of Lady Godiva

According to legend, Lady Godiva lifted the unfair taxation of her people by her husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, by riding through the streets of Coventry wearing only a smile. It's a story that's kept tongues wagging for nearly a thousand years. But what would drive a lady of the court to take off everything and risk her reputation, her life, even her wardrobe—all for a few peasants' pennies?

In this daringly original, charmingly twisted take on an oft-imagined tale, Nicole Galland exposes a provocative view of Godiva not only in the flesh, but in all her glory. With history exonerating her dear husband, Godiva, helped along by her steadfast companion the abbess Edgiva, defies the tyranny of a new royal villain. Never before has Countess Godiva's ride into infamy—and into an unexpected adventure of romance, deceit, and naked intrigue—been told quite like this.

Reviews

Godiva is amusing, practical, lively, and relatable in this clever retelling of the legendarily naked lady’s story, Galland’s fifth novel. Filled to the brim with courtly intrigue, dangerous misapprehensions, crossings and double-crossings, and enough high humor to ensure at least some giggling through many portions, the story begins by ably portraying Godiva as fiercely loyal to her beloved husband, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, while also quite capable of using her feminine wiles to ensure his people also remain loyal to him. Galland’s reinterpretation of history rests on the harsh, impoverishing tax known as the heregeld, introduced to England in 1040 by its improbably Danish king, Harthacnut. After his death, his half brother, Edward, ascended the throne yet, unfortunately, did not rescind the wildly unpopular heregeld. Lady Godiva’s genuine yet often blithe attempts to spare her people a dreadful fate spurred by the heregeld make up the bulk of the story line, while a romantic subplot involving unlikely players adds interest. Entertaining and funny, this easily classifies as a historical-fiction beach read, unlikely as that may sound, although purists may quibble with Galland’s historical liberties. --Julie Trevelyan

Edition details

• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062026887
• ISBN 13: 9780062026880
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 336