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The Fraud

By Zadie Smith
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Fraud by Zadie Smith is a captivating historical fiction novel that weaves a rich tapestry of intrigue and social commentary. Set in the 19th century, it explores themes of identity and deception through interconnected stories of diverse characters. As the narrative unfolds, readers are taken on a journey of personal and societal revelations, all while engaging with the dynamic backdrop of Victorian Britain.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3400
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy immersive historical fiction that intertwines complex characters and intriguing plotlines. Delving into themes of identity, justice, and deception, it captures a vivid sense of place and time, offering a rich exploration of societal issues through a gripping narrative.

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The Fraud

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The chronicler of contemporary London, acclaimed and bestselling author Zadie Smith, returns with her first historical novel.

Kilburn, 1873. The 'Tichborne Trial' has captivated the widowed Scottish housekeeper Mrs Eliza Touchet and all of England. Readers are at odds over whether the defendant is who he claims to be—or an imposter.

Mrs Touchet is a woman of many interests: literature, justice, abolitionism, class, her novelist cousin and his wives, this life and the next. But she is also sceptical. She suspects England of being a land of façades, in which nothing is quite what it seems.

Andrew Bogle meanwhile finds himself the star witness, his future depending on telling the right story. Growing 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 realise.

Based on real historical events, The Fraud is a dazzling novel about how in a world of hypocrisy and self-deception, deciding what's true can prove a complicated task.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Zadie Smith's The Fraud is celebrated for its insightful exploration of human complexity and is lauded for its genius storytelling. It is described as an evocative depiction of post-emancipation Britain, tackling themes like class and race with humour and depth. Critics admire its Dickensian charm, rich character cast, and its clever interplay of truth and fiction, presenting an engaging and grand narrative with sprightly dialogue and humour.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241337004

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 September 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Hamish Hamilton Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 234.0mm

Weight: 560g

Pages: 464

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Penguin Books Zadie Smith

About the Author

Zadie Smith is the author of the novels White Teeth, The Autograph Man, On Beauty, NW and Swing Time; as well as a novella, The Embassy of Cambodia; three collections of essays, Changing My Mind, Feel Free and Intimations; a collection of short stories, Grand Union; and the play, The Wife of Willesden, adapted from Chaucer. She is also the editor of The Book of Other People. Zadie Smith was born in north-west London, where she still lives. The Fraud is her first historical novel.

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