literature
Zadie Smith breaks new ground with “Fraud”.
Zadie Smith presents a historical novel that has many current references. photo
© Fabian Sommer/dpa
Bestselling author Zadie Smith publishes a historical novel for the first time. “Fraud” is heavy fare and is about fraud and colonialism – but many of the ideas in the book are very topical.
Ten years after his disappearance, a prodigal son resurfaces England up. Suddenly Roger Tichborne is less educated, overweight, no longer speaks French and his tattoo has also disappeared. It’s actually obvious that this man is an impostor – but his mother believes in her son’s return after a shipwreck.
This makes her the only one in the noble family and the relatives do not want to accept the man as a family member and heir. The case ends up in court and causes a stir in 19th century England, because the “aspirant”, as he is called, develops into a heroic figure for the poor who rebels against existing power structures, despite the many signs of fraud.
What sounds like the stuff of a novel actually happened – the British best-selling author Zadie Smith has now wrapped the Tichborne case in “fraud”. Smith, who has previously celebrated success with contemporary literature, is now daring to write a historical novel for the first time.
The experiment is undoubtedly successful. Nevertheless, current references become clear when reading. The Tichborne supporters support the “contender” with demonstrations, slogans, posters and money collections – the comparison with the former US President Donald Trump is obvious.
“Fraud” is a complex book; the trial is only one of several narrative strands. The author interweaves the evidence in court with the story of the slave and witness Andrew Bogle. She unsparingly describes brutal abuse in the Jamaican slave camp and the effects of colonialism.
In contrast, the plot surrounding the writer William Ainsworth, whose success is declining, seems almost absurd. Ainsworth struggles with the loss of relevance and is in constant competition with none other than Charles Dickens. The dinners and banter between various British intellectuals add another layer to the book.
Smith’s new novel quickly gets going with short chapters and many jumps in time. The author captivatingly takes her readers back to the Victorian era. She gives each character room to develop on 528 pages. “Fraud” is a book that is so complex that reading it once is almost not enough to fully understand it.
Zadie Smith: Fraud, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, 528 pages, ISBN 978-3-462-00544-8
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