Nakedness

In Nakedness, a young man's quest to find love leads him into a complex web of deception and self-discovery in 1960s Latvia.

A novel by one of Latvia’s prominent writers of the late twentieth century, Nakedness delves into the complexities of truth through a captivating mystery. The story follows a young man who arrives in a small town, eager to meet the woman he has been exchanging love letters with. However, upon his arrival, he discovers that the woman is not who he believed her to be. Set against the backdrop of the 1960s, this tale unfolds as the young man, fresh from military service, seeks to surprise Marika, the enchanting woman he has been corresponding with. Yet, their relationship is complicated by the fact that they have never met face to face.

As the young man confronts Marika, he is met with shocking revelations: she denies any knowledge of their correspondence and appears to be entangled with another individual. The situation escalates as her flatmates refuse to acknowledge their involvement in the letters, leaving him humiliated and confused. Just when he considers returning to Riga, one of Marika’s flatmates persuades him to stay, plunging him deeper into a web of conflicting relationships and hidden truths. Each clue he uncovers only adds to the confusion, ultimately leading to the exposure of his own secrets.

In Nakedness, the author skillfully explores the uncomfortable reality of shedding one’s deceptions, a necessary yet painful aspect of maturation. Skujiņš demonstrates a unique stylistic flair, enriched by sharp psychological insights and witty imagery, which Uldis Balodis captures beautifully in his translation. The novel offers a fresh perspective on human desires and ambitions, reminding readers that, even in seemingly optimistic times, the struggle for authenticity remains universal.