This is a great debut, it’s slow burning and I loved the Greek island setting. It’s beautifully written with great descriptions and I found the exploration of the ethics of the antiques business fascinating.

I have rated this down slightly because I didn’t particularly like Elizabeth and didn’t feel like the plot was very strong and captivating.

Overall, a good literary fiction book with some interesting facts.

There are unreliable and unlikeable narrators (affectionate), and then there’s Elizabeth, The Nude’s protagonist.

It’s 1999 and an American art historian travels to a Greek island to procure a sculpture of obscure origin, an endeavour not without its complications. Concurrently, Elizabeth is at the mercy of debilitating migraines, has a mountain of unprocessed familial trauma, fighting to make her mark in a testosterone-rife work environment. In the background, protests are rife and though their context isn’t given in the book, my knowledge is that Greeks were protesting the war in Yugoslavia and NATO’s involvement, which further demonstrates the cultural significance of this one sculpture being pursued by Americans.

Though very much slow burner, I don’t think the story would’ve worked any other way. Elizabeth’s narration is often hazy at best, giving the story a fever dream feel which feeds the mystery aspect well. Questions are raised around the ethics of art as a ‘trade’, ownership and the preservation of culture and the morality of ambition. Though less prevalent, there’s also a fascinating exploration of female desire, sex as a means of obtaining and maintaining power and the fallout of lines being crossed (please check TWs).

Although I personally would’ve liked a little more from the ‘climax’ and ending – which felt ever so slightly rushed and open-ended – given the style of narration, with a protagonist as erratic as Elizabeth, the ambiguity fits the narrative well.

This book started off so strong and I thought it was gonna be so fun but around 60% I just don’t care what the statue is or how it ends. Maybe if this book was half the amount of pages it would probably be a banger but unfortunately, it’s a pass for me..

A sultry internal lens of a woman continuing to be deeply impacted by the loss of her sister, self soothing though medication, sex and plouging her mind into her career. Felt like was living through the haze of either her migraines and drugs.
The Greek Island setting, food and art dealing and culture and context was captured well.
The reviews looking for a sultry Greek affair were unsatisfied, I understand as don't think this was what the deeper meanings in the book were about

In 1999, historian and curator Elizabeth Clarke was dispatched to a secluded Greek island to evaluate a potentially significant statue of a nude woman recently recovered from the sea. This statue could be a major acquisition if its authenticity is confirmed and a deal is secured. Elizabeth, driven by ambition and the prospect of a promotion, faces not only the challenge of verifying the statue’s legitimacy but also the complexities of her relationships.

Upon arrival, Elizabeth meets her interpreter, Niko, and his wife, Theo. The dynamics between them add an intriguing layer to her mission. As she navigates her professional duties, Elizabeth must also contend with the local resistance to removing the statue from its historic home, highlighting the ongoing debate about the ethical implications of relocating culturally significant artefacts.

The novel captures the atmospheric charm of the Greek island setting and portrays the cultural tensions surrounding the artefact. While Elizabeth herself may not be the most captivating character, the rich descriptions of the island and the presence of a few shady characters, including a rival museum employee, keep the story engaging and immersive.

It's the end of the 90s and Elizabeth Clarke, art curator for a museum where she might get a promotion soon, travels to Greece to arrange the acquisition of a statue which has been found by the Greek coast, but in international waters. Once there, she meets a Greek colleague from the Greek museum that is drafting the acquisition deal, Niko, and her wife Theo, a photographer. This friendships changes dramatically Elizabeth's stay in Greece, and it pushes her to question her own personality, her past, and her sanity.

What I loved the most about this book were the descriptions. Lindley has the absolute talent of making the reader see, taste and smell what she is describing. I think this aspect was by far the most accomplished one in the novel. The story is also very interesting. It starts a bit slow, and it takes a while to feel immersed in the story, but then it takes off at around 20% and it becomes compelling. There might be too much that Lindley wants to accomplish in a short-enough novel: mental health issues, sexual violence, therapist-client relationship, dysfunctional families, drug use, etc. This overload of important topics makes the book sound a bit pretentious. Nevertheless, I didn't really care: I enjoyed reading it, and I throughly appreciated the description of Greece and the discussions on beauty. On a side note: the book is set in the late 90s, but there's nothing really that makes us experience that. I kept forgetting we were in the Nineties and kept thinking it was a contemporary story. It would have been nice to highlight the temporal aspect as well as the geographical one. Even though it wasn't perfect, I recommend this book because it was enjoyable, well written and perfect for summer.

*Thanks to #netgalley for the #ARC in exchange for an honest review*

In theory, this should've been a 4/5 stars. Sapphic pinning and homoeroticism? Yes, give it to me! Art ownership and art theft through colonisation? Also yes! Messy young woman? Duh! Except it just didn't hit. It felt very shallow, in parts because of the length of the book and in others, because of the messiness of the main character, she sounded hypocritical most of the times, and I left this book feeling unsatisfied.

I plodded rather than sped through this novel. There was plenty in there to pique my interest here: sapphic tension, late 90s vibes, exploring the issues around countries 'acquiring' artefacts that the locals would rather remain in their country of origin. There's a sexy energy in the book as the lead character (who has clearly been slowly unspooling in the lead-up to these events) loses her grip on the routines that made her think she was holding it together and dives headfirst into chaos. And yet... I nearly stopped reading once or twice because the story meandered a little too much to be engaging at times. So, for me, it was good but not great, yet I'm still curious to see what this author does next.

The Nude is the messy story of historian and curator Elizabeth Clarke set in 1999. She was sent by her museum to an unnamed Greek island to inspect and purchase a statue of a nude woman. We learn that the recently discovered statute is historically significant to Greece and could be a major win for Clarke's career.

Clarke gets entangled with a number of the island's residents - her translator Niko, his wife Theo, a taxi driver, a photographer - and her colleague, Madison, who shows up to close the deal and undermine Clarke's authority. This moody, lusty atmosphere was done well - particularly when combined with passages about the setting.

There is also the question of ethics and whether a big American museum should be permitted to purchase a piece of Greek history. This aspect of the novel was fascinating and could've been teased out more.

We know that Elizabeth has a problem with pills and some unresolved trauma - the reveal of this comes a little late for me and felt like one too many things in the mix. I felt like this novel started strong and fell off a bit with the ending but I still enjoyed overall - I would recommed reading in during summer and on a beach if you can!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the eARC.

In 1999, historian and curator Elizabeth Clarke was dispatched to an unnamed Greek island to inspect and hopefully secure a statue of a nude woman. It’s been recently plucked out of the sea and is potentially a major acquisition. If it’s authenticity can be confirmed and a deal can be done, that is.

We learn that Elizabeth is an ambitious woman and that a potential promotion has been dangled by her boss if everything works out. We are also made aware that she’s had a difficult time with previous personal relationships. She’s soon introduced to an interpreter who has been hired for her, called Niko, and also Theo, his wife. They’re an attractive and interesting pair. Will Elizabeth form a relationship with one or the other, or even both? It’s possible, but certainly not a given.

Another factor here is that there is some resistance to the thought that the statue may be removed from what local people consider to be it’s historic home. The debate around whether it’s acceptable to remove artifacts that have symbolic and cultural roots, despite the claimed rationale that it is to allow them to be viewed by a much wider audience, is to be a constant shadow in the background.

It’s an atmospheric story, and though Elizabeth isn’t the most engaging presence, I did find sufficient intrigue here to retain my attention. I also enjoyed the descriptions of this sunny place - I’ve visited a number of Greek islands, and the portrayal here is certainly in accord with my own experiences. The addition of a few shady characters – including a fellow employee of the museum – also adds some spice to proceedings.

I enjoyed the book’s literary style and also the sense of ambiguity that surrounds just about every relationship here. It’s an enjoyable read that kept me entertained and interested throughout

I always look forward to what books Verve are publishing! So when I read the alluring premise of The Nude, requesting it through NetGalley was a no-brainer. An Art Historian who specialises in Hellenistic sculpture working on a Greek island? Say no more!

But unfortunately The Nude fell flat, leading me to mark it as a DNF at 40%. Reading everything from Elizabeth’s point of view became stifling, dull and a little two dimensional. The author’s interest and appreciation of art was evident in this debut, but sadly the writing style didn’t inspire me to finish the protagonist’s journey.

Thank you to Verve & NetGalley for the opportunity!

This novel masterfully blends elements of art and mystery. Elizabeth is captivated by the sculpture's unique quality and beauty, feeling that there's something extraordinary about it. As she investigates further, she becomes ensnared in a complex web of intrigue and secrets.

This read had the perfect suspenseful and eerie atmosphere, set against the backdrop of a scorching summer in Greece. Elizabeth's time there is filled with unexpected twists, and her illness heightens the sense of unease. The reader is left pondering the true meaning behind the sculpture.

Although the writing style wasn’t my usual favourite, the captivating storyline makes up for it. The author's prose maintains my interest, even if it takes some effort to fully engage. Admittedly, the plot is somewhat predictable for me, but I still find excitement in watching the main character piece together the puzzle and uncover hidden truths.

Overall, this novel is a powerful read. While some parts were a bit lost on me, I enjoyed the sense of mystery and the challenge of piecing everything together. It was an engaging experience, even if I didn't fully grasp every aspect.

Elizabeth, a curator whose drive overshadows her morals, is fascinated by a nude sculpture discovered on a Greek island. But this novel complicates our understandings of consent, history, and what art ownership really means.

I loved the sticky summer setting of this book and the questions it threw up about artistic integrity and ownership. However, I didn't find it as pacy as I'd hoped, especially with the comparisons to Patricia Highsmith. It didn't keep me engrossed as much as I hoped.

Thank you Netgalley for this review copy.

I found the plot of this one significantly difficult to follow and feel I could benefit from a reread to fully appreciate the craft.
I live for complicated characters, repressed trauma and vivid setting descriptions but this presented me with highly unlikeable characters whose story i struggled to care for.
Lindley’s setting was gorgeously depicted and the themes of art capitalism, cultural appropriation and repatriation would certainly make for great discussions. I think any discussions surrounding this book would mould further into the larger themes and ignore much (if not all) of Elizabeth’s story.
The lack of emotional connection i had to these characters then made the reveal kind of bland.

This was unlike anything I had read before. I've never really explored the art acquisition industry, or thought much about ownership and commodification of other country's art and sculptures, beyond the ownership of the greek statue in the British museum. I enjoyed learning about this, and seeing it from the perspectives of both narratives. The ending was pretty predictable, and at points I found Elizabeth to be a bit too leaned into a particular 'character' trait. I wish we had seen a bit more of Theo and that the relationship between the two women culminated into a little more.

Despite the predictability of the ending, I still enjoyed the twist and loved the relationship between the characters. 3/3.5 starts. Thank you Net Galley!

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 artefact evolves into a trip that will force Elizabeth to contend with her ambition, her desire, and her troubling history.

This is a well written novel with great and detailed characters but I had no fondness for them. I didn’t find them likeable at all. Even Elizabeth was cold and just unloveable. It felt a little slow in places.

in c. michelle lindley’s debut novel, 'the nude' we follow elizabeth, an american curator, as she embarks on a journey to Greece to inspect a captivating sculpture of a woman. this assignment could potentially lead to a promotion in her company. however, what begins as a routine task quickly evolves into a complex exploration of art, desire, and personal history.

the novel skilfully weaves together art and mystery. elizabeth is drawn to the sculpture’s quality and beauty, sensing something special about it. as she delves deeper, she becomes entangled in a web of intrigue and secrets.

lindley creates a chilling and thrilling atmosphere. elizabeth’s stay in Greece takes unexpected turns, and her illness adds to the sense of foreboding. the reader is left wondering about the sculpture’s true significance.

while I may find the writing style challenging, the intriguing storyline compensates for it. the author's prose keeps me engaged, even if it requires a bit of effort to fully immerse. even though, admittedly, the plot may be somewhat predictable for me. however, it excites me to watch the fmc piece together the puzzle and uncover hidden truths.

in the story, the real question is: should art be shared with the public or remain in its original place? this is a great question, inviting us to ponder the delicate balance between preservation and accessibility.

Such a hot and sizzling summer read!!! The characters, the setting but most importantly the story. I really thought I was watching a great drama movie in my head, that’s how lush the writing is.

This book is a gripping debut. Read within a couple of sittings I did not want it to end. A beautiful examination of ethics, womanhood and with features sapphic desire. If you are a fan of “weird lit” then this is a must read.

It was a slower paced novel and very character driven. I felt a full range of emotions throughout this book and part of this definitely came from the vibrant descriptions.

This book did however still leave me with questions which I believe could have been explored more and the reason I can’t quite bring it up to 5 stars.

This was such an interesting read and great commentary on ownership and the consequences of taking what does not belong to us. I found Elizabeth's interactions Theo and Niko and her subsequent relationship with reality and control particularly intriguing The rich description of the setting kept me hooked the entire time. Brilliant.