I, Iago: A Novel

by Nicole Galland

Overview

“Nicole Galland is exceptionally well versed in the fine nuances of storytelling.”
—St. Petersburg Times

“Galland has an exceptional gift.”
—Neal Stephenson

The critically acclaimed author of The Fool's Tale, Nicole Galland now approaches William Shakespeare's classic drama of jealousy, betrayal, and murder from the opposite side. I, Iago is an ingenious, brilliantly crafted novel that allows one of literature's greatest villains—the deceitful schemer Iago, from the Bard's immortal tragedy, Othello—to take center stage in order to reveal his "true" motivations. This is Iago as you've never known him, his past and influences breathtakingly illuminated, in a fictional reexamination that explores the eternal question: is true evil the result of nature versus nurture...or something even more complicated?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062026873
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	04/24/2012
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	370
Sales rank:	377,270
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.78(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Nicole Galland's five previous novels are The Fool's Tale; Revenge of the Rose; Crossed; I, Iago, and Godiva. She writes a cheeky etiquette column for the Martha's Vineyard Times. She is married to actor Billy Meleady and owns Leuco, a dog of splendid qualities.

What People are Saying About This

Geraldine Brooks

“An astonishing work of imaginative empathy, buttressed by deep research and enriched by lively storytelling.”

Peter Sagal

“This is a wonderful historical novel that proves that all people see themselves as the hero of their own lives.”

William Dietrich

“ THE FOOL’S TALE creates a vivid 12th Century world and three unforgettable characters whose lives entwine with war and politics, and climax in an ending as haunting as it is powerful.”

Editorial Reviews

[A]ttention to detail and humor keeps the novel both exhaustive and hilarious...Nicole Galland is exceptionally well versed in the fine nuances of storytelling and illustrating the combustible nature of mixing religion, commerce and war.

St. Petersburg Times (Florida)

A tasty fictional stew, mixing elements of twelfth-century culture together skillfully to produce a veritable reading feast . . . .The combination of vicious politics, mysterious doings, betrayals, and double-dealing, added to a leisurely but engaging plot, will keep those pages turning.

Booklist

[A] funny (really!) look at this disastrous Crusade through the eyes of a wacky Welshman, a pious knight and his half-brother and an Arab princess (who isn’t what she seems) they hope to return to her Egyptian home. It’s a raucous road trip set in the 13th century.

New York Post

[A]t once an idiot’s guide to the tangled geopolitical landscape of 13th century and a clear and stern indictment of contemporary events...Thick with delectable historical details.

Martha's Vineyard Times

A wallop of a first novel—entertaining and engaging.

San Francisco Chronicle

THE FOOL’S TALE creates a vivid 12th Century world and three unforgettable characters whose lives entwine with war and politics, and climax in an ending as haunting as it is powerful.

William Dietrich

An astonishing work of imaginative empathy, buttressed by deep research and enriched by lively storytelling.

Geraldine Brooks

This is a wonderful historical novel that proves that all people see themselves as the hero of their own lives.

Peter Sagal

A wallop of a first novel—entertaining and engaging.

San Francisco Chronicle on The Fool’s Tale

The delights of this book, lushly set in Renaissance Venice, lie in Galland’s ability to take a series of tiny mistakes, deceptions and wrong turns and roll them into a juggernaut.

More magazine on I

[A]t once an idiot’s guide to the tangled geopolitical landscape of 13th century and a clear and stern indictment of contemporary events...Thick with delectable historical details.

Martha's Vineyard Times on CROSSED

Galland (Crossed, 2008, etc.) takes on one of literature's greatest villains and tries to make him sympathetic. For a large part of the novel--until the introduction of Othello when events from Shakespeare's play take over--she succeeds. As the fifth son of a Venetian silk merchant, Iago has limited prospects. His precociousness and his growing reputation for blunt honesty don't help in a society where insipid, phony etiquette is prized if not required. He spends his childhood getting into mild scrapes with his poorer, weaker friend Roderigo, whom he is always protecting, before his father enrolls him in the military. There he finds himself and excels. He meets Emilia at a Venetian masked ball and falls in love with her wit and intelligence even before he learns she is beautiful. Despite Iago's bouts of jealousy, theirs is a marriage of soul mates. Emilia remains his (and the novel's) heart and conscience to the end. Meanwhile the Moor Othello has been named General by the Venetian senate. When Othello and Iago meet at a ball, they immediately connect, recognizing that they are both outsiders who don't really want to fit into society, Iago for his mouth and Othello for his black skin. Othello makes Iago his ensign, an important promotion. After the battle at Rhodes, Othello suffers an epileptic fit and Iago covers for him. So when Othello falls for Desdemona, Iago is understandably hurt and jealous that he is left out of the loop as the romance develops with Emilia's help. Then an alcoholic, womanizing fop from Florence shows up; Cassio lacks Iago's military skills but because he carries secret letters between the general and Desdemona he gets the lieutenancy that should go to Iago. Resentment turns the love Iago has felt for Othello into hate. Although Iago doesn't really mean to kill anyone, he's not good at intrigue. Familiar Shakespearean tragedy ensues. Too bad the switch from empathetic protagonist into villain is not quite believable, because until then Iago and Emilia are magic.

Kirkus Reviews