book review: Godiva by Nicole Galland

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The basics: Godiva is fictional retelling of the infamous Lady Godiva, her husband, and best friend Lady Abbess Egdiva.

 My thoughts: I'm particularly fascinated by old, old history. There's something about trying to imagine life more than a few hundred years ago that challenges my mind. This phenomenon is at least partly attributable to my lack of knowledge about the actual history of these time periods, but Lady Godiva is a name I've heard for years and was curious to learn more about someone who definitely fulfills the bumper sticker, "well-behaved women rarely make history." Nicole Galland, a new-to-me author, makes Godiva come alive from the novel's first pages. I love dynamically drawn historical characters based on real people, and Godiva is a delightful one.

What I liked and appreciated about this novel even more, however, was how lively Galland drew the setting. Often I struggle with how to picture the world in old historical fiction, but as I read Godiva, I was so caught up in the story, I never stopped to ask myself if I was making false visual assumptions. Throughout this novel, I felt like I was watching a movie almost as much as I was reading a book, and this sensation is not normal for me.

The verdict: Godiva is a fun, adventurous, and fascinating historical romp. Galland brings both Godiva and the time period to life in a beautifully visual novel.

 Rating: 4 out of 5
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: July 2, 2013
Source: publisher via TLC Book Tours

 Convinced? Treat yourself! Buy Godiva from an independent bookstore, the Book Depository or Amazon (Kindle edition.)

Want more? Visit all of this tour's stops, visit her website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

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Comments

  1. AndiJuly 17, 2013 at 9:42 AM

    This one sounds like a winner. I also want to read I, Iago, by Galland.

    ReplyDelete
  2. NicoleJuly 17, 2013 at 11:38 AM

    Thanks for this lovely review, Ms. Nomad! Creating a sense of the visual is always the biggest challenge for me, so I'm especially tickled that element worked so well for you. Cheers, Nicole Galland

    ReplyDelete
  3. AudraJuly 17, 2013 at 12:12 PM

    Just started it, and I'm loving it. I was quite taken with Galland's Iago and am equally smitten with her Lady Godiva. I think you absolutely need to get I, Iago!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 19, 2013 at 6:44 PM

    I'm glad you enjoyed getting to know Godiva ... she was certainly a fascinating woman!

    Thanks for being on the tour. I'm featuring your review on TLC's Facebook page today.

    ReplyDelete

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