The Fraud

The Fraud is Zadie Smith's first historical novel set in Victorian England. It is fittingly large and follows some unexpected characters. It also dunks on Charles Dickens a lot, which is fun. The story at the novel's core is about a court case where an imposter (maybe?) claims he is Sir Roger Tichbourne, who now wants to claim his fortune. This case is told through the perspective of Eliza Touchet, a widow and housekeeper to her cousin, the now largely forgotten author, William Ainsworth. 

It's a little hard to explain how these stories all overlap but despite the book's length, I was never bored. Smith is particularly interested in the story of Andrew Bogle, a star witness in Tichbourne's trial. We get insight into various stories between Jamaica and England. I was particularly invested in the story of Eliza's life. Her youth was particularly scandalous, sexy and even a little bit gay. Who says historical novels need to be dull or even accurate, as The Fraud takes a few liberties with the true events. 

One of the major themes of Smith's novel is the exploration of the fluidity of relationships over a lifetime. We see William through Eliza's perspective, as an enthusiastic young person, a successful author, and a has-been. She is also his cousin, his muse, his lover, and then his desexualised housekeeper. William spends the duration of the novel married to other women but the true love story is between these two characters. In William's youth, Eliza serves as his dominatrix. Eliza is forever indebted to William for supporting her after becoming a widow but the nature of their dominant-submissive relationship tips the scales. In their old age, Eliza keeps William on his toes and serves as his intellectual match. Like any old couple, they sit in companionable silence. In other words, Eliza serves as William's ride-or-die. 

The Fraud challenges us to wonder what our relationships will look like as we grow and change, reluctantly, together. What would your relationships look like if you were stuck in a crumbling house with the same people for an eternity? What are the many ways in which you would relate to the others around you? Would you feel claustrophobic? Would Stockholm syndrome take hold and you become each other's ride or dies? 

In The Fraud, life is long. Smith's writing always sings when we follow her characters over years or generations. We are taken on not just one life journey, but many. This novel was easily one of my favourite reads of last year.