Female, Nude The smouldering and propulsive new literary read for 2026

‚Female Nude‘ is a fascinating combination of art history, summer, desire and self discovery. I love the way Cosslett uses artworks to explore how women have been seen, portrayed and judged throughout history. She connects these artworks to personal stories and experiences from the protagonist‘s life which makes the book feel much more intimate. It follows the story of the painter Sophie who goes on a trip to Greece with her friends. Mesmerized by her friend‘s childhood friend Ky, she gets involved with him even though she’s in a long term relationship. Between good food, Greek culture, beautiful surroundings and good company she starts to look at her life differently and becomes more confident in both her body and her mind. While reading you can practically feel the sticky Greek summer heat and the sensual connection between her and Ky. After a few days her boyfriend joins her on the island and the situation quickly blows up. This is a turning point for her, a chance to finally change the life she has felt stuck in for so long. I appreciated how honest ‚Female Nude‘ feels. The author’s writing is direct and personal. I liked how she combines Sophie’s story with the description of the artworks. The book not only raises the question about who gets to look and who gets to be looked at but also explores motherhood, female identity, desire, friendship and what it means to reclaim your own body and image. Not always an easy read but definitely an interesting one!