I was very impressed with this story. The writing is great. It is a book that you will think about after you have finished reading it.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Grab some ouzo and settle into this one. The Nude is a gripping, provocative book about a woman's journey to an island in Greece to buy an alluring statue. Sex, migraines, booze, vandalism, protests, and succession planning get in the way. This book will make you feel more cultured and smart than your typical beach read, but it's accessible and the narrator's pretentiousness is enjoyable, rather than unbearable.

If you want a slow burn, enjoy books by Elena Ferrante and Alexis Landau, or need a book to accompany you on a sexy, chaotic vacation, I highly recommend this one!

a lot of elements intrigued me to the point where i thought this was my perfect book. art, a summer in greece, unlikable characters doing unlikable things, facing repressed trauma. unfortunately it all just felt a bit dull. i was hooked in the beginning until it ended up feeling like a chore to read. the writing didn’t grip me, nor did the characters who just felt like vehicle for the things that happened to them.

i enjoyed the conversations on art and art history, particularly when the characters questioned who does art really belong to and the ethics behind buying art and moving it to an entirely new country. unfortunately i needed a little more than that to really love it.

Delighted to include this title in the July edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

Elizabeth is sent to Greece on behalf of the museum she works at to secure the sale of a newly discovered Hellenistic statue, but things aren’t quite what they appear. What ensues is a richly drawn psychological tale of Elizabeth’s relationship with people she meets on the island, most notably married couple Theo and Niko. The author sets the scene as a very surreal, dreamlike stage bordering on the nightmarish.

Elizabeth has her own demons, and when someone starts vandalizing the statue before the sale is complete, she has to grapple with the politics surrounding it. Is the buy and sale of historic art commodification of culture? Exploitative of the country of origin? Who has the right to buy and sell these pieces?

This was dense and slow but the way the author sets this Greek island up as seedy and a little scary instead of idyllic really hit the nail on the head for me in terms of enjoyment. The writing was intelligent and really does ask these important questions of the reader as well about the ethics of the art world.

This is a great summer read for lit fic lovers. Atmospheric and indulgent prose, an art deal with mysterious complications, and a protagonist losing her grip on reality. Strong themes of shame, desire, and morality. It felt a bit "Call Me By Your Name"-adjacent with the lush descriptions of the European summer heat paired with homoerotic tension. At the same time, it delves into the sticky ethics of art dealing and the realities of navigating such a male-dominated field as a woman. I thought the characters were well-developed and true to life. I loved Theo and her relationship with Elizabeth in particular. I found the ending a bit underwhelming, and I thought it wasn't as compelling as it could be in places. Overall though, a very solid read and a great debut. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

The Nude is another tale of a woman undone and of obsession. Set in Greece, she is set to make the biggest deal of her entire career that evidently goes wrong. There aren't many literary fiction books that explore the themes of art exploitation or theft, so this was an interesting read. I couldn't relate to characters but that made the reading experience better in a way. This was a fever dream of a read for me.

Thank you Net Galley and Atria Books for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Publishing July 23, 2024

The Nude is C. Michelle Lindley’s disorienting and captivating debut novel. Set on a Greek island, Elizabeth is sent to secure the sale of an artifact for her museum. Although, it seems fishy from the jump. What befalls her is the unraveling of herself and a clear knowledge that not everything is as it seems. This is literary fiction at its finest whilst evoking a sour feeling amongst its reader as you try to determine where it will go.

Grappling with reality, she loses her mind and succumbs to the allure of all around her. Feels inexplicably like a fever dream or migraine haze. I can’t say there’s a single likable character, but that adds to the power of the read.

tldr; i’m always a fan of a pretentious story where the woman slowly loses her mind

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an advanced copy through Netgalley.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this free ARC in return for my honest review.

Not sure I was their target audience or reader.

Elizabeth reckons with power dynamics and cultural upheaval on a small Greek island, launched into the throes of a museum curation deal that threatens to go horribly wrong. Choppy musings full of words that feel fun on the tongue, enveloped in themes of hunger, sensuality and shame with the tension of an indulgent Dutch still life.

“The Nude" by C. Michelle Lindley is a debut novel that captivates with its slow-burn narrative and beautifully crafted premise intertwined with the world of art—an aspect that immediately piqued my interest as well as its striking cover.

The novel follows the protagonist, Elizabeth, whose sanity begins to unravel as she journeys to Greece on a mission to acquire a coveted sculpture for a New York museum. Her experience is tumultuous, marked by chaos and a descent into personal turmoil.

Set against a backdrop that is as sultry as it is vivid, Lindley's depiction of Greece is utterly transportive, making you want to explore its landscapes and indulge in its culinary delights. The plot subtly weaves a sexual and sensual undertone throughout, rendering it an ideal companion for a beach vacation—precisely where I found myself absorbed in its pages. This is not a straightforward read, but the atmospheric quality of the writing fits perfectly.

Lindley's prose is feverish, tackling complex themes such as gender equality, obsession, and the traumatic pasts of its characters, alongside the morally ambiguous and often dark world of international art looting and museum acquisitions. The narrative is compelling, its powerful writing style ensuring that each page beckons the reader onward, though not necessarily through page-turning action but through a persistent pull to uncover more.

While the novel predominantly satisfied my curiosity, I found myself wishing for a deeper exploration into the intricacies of antiquities acquisitions—a theme that seemed overshadowed by the focus on the protagonist's personal traumas. Nonetheless, this aspect did contribute to the novel's rich tapestry of themes.

I found The Nude a complex and difficult book to review. The narrator is quite different from how she presents herself, and the concept of the nude runs in various directions throughout the novel. We learn about her through her actions, and less through her thoughts. She seems rather unaware of her true motivations. Over time, we are supposed to see her fully, as in the nude, but by the end, there is still some mystery as to who she really is. She's an incredibly flawed person, yet we see her having risen to a career high. So there is more to her than she is letting the reader know.

It is a serious work, not hard to read or immerse oneself in, but the focus is difficult to grasp, as the narrator seems to not truly understand herself or her own actions. It is a book of greed, both acquisition and appetite, both sexual and edacious.. The themes of art acquisition are explored, with intriguing characters; the twists and turns are neatly shown. Max and Theo are hard to fully grasp, however, which makes them slightly unreal. The parallels between the body and the manufactured artwork is well done.

The ending is very satisfying and I would recommend this novel as interesting literary fiction, on a subject that is seldom explored.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a slow burn story about art and curation, love and sexuality, motherhood, grief and loss - all set in beautiful Greece. I’d put this in my category of, Weird Little Books.
We follow Elizabeth - an art historian who is about to make the biggest sale of her career in Greece. From there, she meets a cast of untrustworthy and strange characters whilst dealing with her own issues and trauma. A bizarre Greek Easter party, a mutilated statue, a woman named Theo that is really sexy and scary, -I imagined her looking like Cleopatra, idk- a wayward condom, a bee eating child. And if this doesn’t make you intrigued… I have no idea what will.
I really enjoyed this one. What a fascinating and beautiful debut!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.

If this is a debut, I can't wait to see what else Lindley comes out with. Lindley's writing is captivating, and it brings you right into the world of these characters and the island they are on. The writing is stunning and shows a true talent in Lindley. The slow-burning relationships amongst the characters mixed with the writing creates an amazing story

The Nude by C. Michelle Lindley offers readers a captivating glimpse into the world of art appraisal, weaving a compelling narrative set against the backdrop of Greece's rich cultural tapestry. The protagonist's journey to procure a coveted piece unfolds with meticulous detail, immersing readers in the complexities of the art world. Lindley's vivid descriptions breathe life into both the characters and the scenic locales, making each page a visual delight. The exploration of themes such as ambition, authenticity, and the pursuit of artistic mastery adds depth to the storyline, leaving readers pondering long after the final page. The Nude is a masterfully crafted tale that will resonate with both art enthusiasts and anyone who appreciates a well-crafted narrative.

A stunning debut that delves into the ethics of antiquities and obsessions. Beautifully written.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A fever dream of a story.
Elizabeth Clarke is sent to an island off the Greek Coast to purchase an unusual find. Her livelihood and her promotion are at risk as she is tasked with ensuring that her small museum gets the rare sculpture at whatever the cost. When she arrives, she is charmed by a local couple.
As the days unravel, Elizabeth battles the heat, the humidity, her own addictions and the potential attractions to islanders. It's not long before her own core beliefs are challenged and she is forced to reckon with who truly owns art.

This novel seems like. a dream now that I have finished it. C. Michelle Lindley has created her own work of art that allows her (and all of us) to question the world of art, ownership of masterworks and the dark history hidden in all museums.. #atriabooks #thenude #cmichellelindley

An art laden work of fiction with a deep psychological intensity, this novel is well-written with a sense of depth and the surprising twists and turns you never saw coming. Perfect for fans of art history, psychological thrillers, and somehow, not a stretch to say, Madeline Miller.

Elizabeth Clark, an art historian, travels to Greece to acquire a rare female sculpture that was discovered. Full of culture and beautiful scenery, this novel was very atmospheric.

With her translator and his wife showing her around the island, she discovers that acquiring the statue may not be as easy as she had thought.

I don’t have a detailed review as I couldn’t absorb the words on the page. I found myself having to read chapters over as the plot and characters were forgettable.

I wanted to love this novel, but it obviously wasn’t the right moment in time to read it.

Overall, I think this novel will capture the attention of art history readers and ones who love a beautiful setting with local culture.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Literary fiction is one of those genres for me that just works when it works and can’t always explain why or why not! Fortunately, this worked for me, especially in the first half. The strongest aspect, for me, was most definitely the sense of place. Lindley was able to expertly evoke the feel, taste, and smell of Greece. It seeps off the page. I felt as though I was also stewing in the heat, eating bread and fish, and drinking a bit too much alcohol alongside Elizabeth, the main character. What more could you want from a July release? It’s also hard to say if it was a creative choice or just the author’s writing style since this is a debut, but I felt the writing aptly reflected the mindset of someone who could quote Homer and distinguish the composition of a piece by sight as easily as they could lose their wallet or not find their way home. It’s also evident that the author has spent a lot of time looking at art herself, which makes sense given her background, but it stood out to me in the subtle ways she would describe a seemingly benign aspect of both the art itself and the character’s journey. I found myself highlighting numerous small but insightful observations throughout! 100% grateful to be able to read her debut early, as well as excited to see what else the author writes in the future! Big fan!