Rebecca Godfrey, the Canadian author who gained acclaim for her novel The Torn Skirt and her nonfiction book Under the Bridge, died on October 3, 2022, at the age of 54. The cause of her death was complications of lung cancer, according to her agent Christy Fletcher.
A Life of Writing and Teaching
Godfrey was born in Toronto, Ontario, on December 2, 1967, to writers Dave Godfrey and Ellen Godfrey. She moved to Victoria, British Columbia, with her family when she was a child. She attended the University of Toronto and Sarah Lawrence College, where she received a MFA in Creative Writing.
She worked as a journalist and editor in Toronto and New York before publishing her first book, The Torn Skirt, in 2001. The novel, set in Victoria, was shortlisted for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and received a favorable review in the New York Times. It explored the themes of teenage rebellion, violence, and identity.
Her second book, Under the Bridge, was published in 2005. It was an investigation into the beating death of Reena Virk, a 14-year-old girl who was killed by a group of teenagers in Victoria in 1997. The book won the British Columbia’s National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction in 2006 and was optioned for a film adaptation by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, but the project never materialized.
Godfrey spent seven years researching and writing Under the Bridge, interviewing the perpetrators, the witnesses, the police, the lawyers, and the parents of the victim and the killers. She also obtained the police file, which contained the transcripts of the interrogations of the suspects. She used these documents to recreate the dialogue and the scenes of the crime and the trial, giving a nuanced and empathetic portrayal of the complex dynamics of teenage violence and justice.
Godfrey continued to write about unconventional and influential women, such as journalist Robyn Doolittle, who exposed the scandal of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, and actress Barbara Sukowa, who played the philosopher Hannah Arendt in a film. She also curated a gallery show in 2019, titled Girls in Trees, featuring works by over 33 artists and writers on the theme of girlhood and nature.
Godfrey was also a teacher of creative writing at Columbia University, where she taught fiction workshops and a seminar on anti-heroines in literature. She was a visiting artist at the American Academy of Rome and a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, where she worked on her novel The Dilettante, about the early life of Peggy Guggenheim and her affair with Samuel Beckett.
A Legacy of Compassion and Insight
Godfrey’s death was mourned by her friends, colleagues, and readers, who praised her for her talent, intelligence, and kindness. Her friend and fellow writer Mary Gaitskill, who wrote the introduction for the 2019 edition of Under the Bridge, said that Godfrey was “a brilliant writer and a beautiful person.”
Godfrey’s books have been widely praised for their precision, compassion, and insight into the human condition. Her novel The Torn Skirt was described as “an antidote to the sad boy lit of David Foster Wallace” by the literary critic James Wood. Her book Under the Bridge was hailed as “a masterpiece of reportage” by the novelist Ann Patchett.
Godfrey’s books have also been influential in raising awareness and sparking debate about the issues of teenage violence, bullying, and justice. Her book Under the Bridge was recently ordered to series by Hulu, with the actress Elle Fanning attached to star and produce. The show is expected to premiere in 2023.
Godfrey is survived by her husband, the writer and editor John Homans, and their daughter, Lucy. She is also survived by her parents, her brother, and her sister.
