Naked Truth: Or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes is one hell of a novel. This book uses real newspaper clippings and quotes from speeches to flesh out the story of Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for president of the United States, and her spiritualist sister Tennessee Claflin.

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The summary:

Naked Truth or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit
by Carrie Hayes

Publication Date: February 29, 2020
HTPH Press
Paperback & eBook; 322 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

From Washington Heights to Washington D.C. comes a true American Herstory. Filled with intrigue, lust, and betrayal, this is the fight for sexual equality.

1868, on the eve of the Gilded Age: Spiritualist TENNESSEE CLAFLIN is smart, sexy, and sometimes clairvoyant. But it’s her sister, VICTORIA WOODHULL, who is going to make history as the first woman to run for President of the United States.

It starts with the seduction of the richest man in America. Next, they’ll take New York City and the suffragist movement by storm, because together, Tennessee and Victoria are a force of nature. Boldly ambitious, they stop at nothing, brushing shoulders with Harriet Beecher Stowe and Susan B. Anthony, using enough chutzpah to make a lady blush.

That is, until their backstabbing family takes them to court, and their carefully spun lives unravel, out in public and in the press.

“Unsexed!” – New York Herald, 1872

“Short Haired Women and Long Haired Men.” – New York World, 1872

“Nothing More Than A Shameless Prostitute and A Negro.” – The Guard, Eugene Oregon, 1872

Told from shifting points-of-view and using actual news reportage from the era, Naked Truth is a riveting inside look into the struggle for women’s rights after the Civil War.

“Sometimes it is not enough to be the news, sometimes you have to make the news as well.” –James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Proprietor of the New York Herald

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Praise

“Divisiveness. Chutzpah. Seduction. Politics. Oppression. Spirituality. Gender relations. Betrayal. Healers -vs- scam artists. Fortitude. Dismay. Against-all-odds battles. Fighting the good fight. Just like the plight of humanity today, the historical and excellently well-crafted novel, NAKED TRUTH: OR EQUALITY THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT by Carrie Hayes has it all.” ***** – INDIE READER

“Hayes writes with such care and authenticity that the reader will likely be unsure where the history ends and the fiction begins.” – KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Naked Truth: Or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit is a rich, balanced, and deftly written story that is as moving as it is entertaining.” ***** – Readers’ Favorite

“(Hayes) has found a fascinating chapter in history to explore, and Victoria and Tennie are compelling protagonists: fiercely determined, morally ambiguous, and deeply complicated. Readers with an interest in first-wave feminism, New York history, and detailed storytelling will enjoy mining this debut, which nicely sets up a sequel.” – Book Life

“I thought this novel was brilliant from start to finish. It is fresh, it is vibrant, and the story is one that has been waiting to be told.” ***** – CoffeePot Book Club

“Naked Truth is a smooth fast read. Carrie Hayes’ marvelous interlacing of history with the narrative sparks an American story as well as a woman story. She has made this pair of wily sisters and their slickster father vivid and timeless.” – Gail Godwin, three time National Book Award Finalist

It took me a few chapters to get into Naked Truth, but once I did, I was hooked. This book is written in a very unique way that took me some getting used to. The author shows multiple points of view, and uses real quotes from speeches and newspaper clippings to add to the authenticity of the story. At heart, this is the story of Tennessee and Victoria, and we mostly see Tennessee’s POV.

I knew who Victoria Woodhull was, but I knew nothing about her family, their history, and their beliefs. By the end of the book, I wanted to know so much more about the life of her sister, Tennessee. Carrie Hayes paints both to be complex and deeply interesting women. Much of the story is based on truth, but some is fictionalized or based on author speculation. I had no idea that this family was involved in the Free Love movement, or that this movement was such a big thing during the 1800’s. However, for their brand of feminism, which was truly ahead of its time, it makes sense. These sisters saw marriage as a form of sexual slavery, which at the time it really was, and Free Love was a clear way to avoid this.

 

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Upcoming on my #tbr: From Washington Heights to Washington D.C. comes a true American Herstory. Filled with intrigue, lust, and betrayal, this is the fight for sexual equality. 1868, on the eve of the Gilded Age: Spiritualist TENNESSEE CLAFLIN is smart, sexy, and sometimes clairvoyant. But it’s her sister, VICTORIA WOODHULL, who is going to make history as the first woman to run for President of the United States. It starts with the seduction of the richest man in America. Next, they’ll take New York City and the suffragist movement by storm, because together, Tennessee and Victoria are a force of nature. Boldly ambitious, they stop at nothing, brushing shoulders with Harriet Beecher Stowe and Susan B. Anthony, using enough chutzpah to make a lady blush. That is, until their backstabbing family takes them to court, and their carefully spun lives unravel, out in public and in the press. “Unsexed!” – New York Herald, 1872 “Short Haired Women and Long Haired Men.” – New York World, 1872 Told from shifting points-of-view and using actual news reportage from the era, Naked Truth is a riveting inside look into the struggle for women’s rights after the Civil War. “Sometimes it is not enough to be the news, sometimes you have to make the news as well.” –James Gordon Bennett, Jr., Proprietor of the New York Herald @hfvbt #bookstagram #booklover #wine #wino #historicalfiction #book #books #booknerd #bookgang #bookstagrammer #bookaddict #bookworm #blue

A post shared by Kate | Bookstagram Bitch (@bitchbookshelf) on Sep 29, 2020 at 12:32pm PDT

I was so wrapped up in the sisters’ story, especially Tennessee’s, which shows the reality for women of this time who dared to be themselves. This book also touches on the lack of knowledge about health and illness before the twentieth century.

I did a little bit of Wiki-research of my own after finishing this book because I wanted to know so much more about all of the “characters”. This is the perfect book for history nerds like myself. I loved the unique combination of historical documents and fiction. It took me a few chapters to get into, but once I did, I was addicted. This was a 4 star read for me. Thanks to the author, publisher, and HFVBT for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author

Over the years, Carrie has tried a lot of things. She’s sold vacuum cleaners, annuities and sofas. She’s lived at the beach and lived in Europe. She’s taught school and worked in film. For a while, she was an aspiring librarian, but she fell in love and threw her life away instead. Back in the States, she started over, then met an architect who said, “Why don’t you become a kitchen designer?” So, she did. Eventually she designed interiors, too. And all that time, she was reading. What mattered was having something to read. Slowly, she realized her craving for books sprang from her need to know how things would turn out. Because in real life, you don’t know how things will turn out. But if you write it, you do. Naked Truth or Equality the Forbidden Fruit is her first book.

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Naked Truth: or Equality, the Forbidden Fruit by Carrie Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It took me a few chapters to get into Naked Truth, but once I did, I was hooked. This book is written in a very unique way that too me some getting used to. The author shows multiple points of view, and uses real quotes from speeches and newspaper clippings to add to the authenticity of the story. At heart, this is the story of Tennessee and Victoria, and we mostly see Tennessee’s POV. My thanks to the author, publisher, and HFVBT for giving me a copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Book Club Questions

1. What did you know about any of the “characters” before reading this book?
2. If you knew anything about the people this book features before reading, how has your perception of them changed?
3. Why did Victoria and Tennessee practice Free Love?
4. How were these women ahead of their time, and how were they women of their time?

Find out more about how I rate books here.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 19
Review at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, October 20
Review at Bookworlder
Feature at I’m All About Books

Wednesday, October 21
Review at YA, it’s Lit
Review at andreajanel_reads

Thursday, October 22
Review at Bitch Bookshelf

Friday, October 23
Review at Bri’s Book Nook
Excerpt at The Caffeinated Bibliophile

Saturday, October 24
Review at Reading is My Remedy

Sunday, October 25
Interview at Passages to the Past

Monday, October 26
Review at Books and Zebras
Review & Guest Post at Jorie Loves a Story

Tuesday, October 27
Review at Novels Alive

Wednesday, October 28
Interview at Novels Alive

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