Journey Through Genres: Historical Fiction

We're exploring different genres through a year-long book club – Journey Through Genres. Historical fiction is our next stop on this adventure. Historical fiction explores past events and people through the lens of fictional storytelling. I have learned about so many fascinating events and people through reading historical fiction. The great writers of this genre make history come alive as you experience the past through the eyes of ordinary people or historical figures.

So many times, I have been reading a historical fiction novel and thought – “wow, I never knew about this before. I can’t believe this really happened!” Historical fiction has led me down many enjoyable rabbit trails of exploring past events and people. I feel like I have learned way more about history from reading historical novels than I did while I was in school.

History, after all, is a collection of stories about our past. Depending on who recorded them, those stories may even be very different. Most of all, those stories are centered on the human experience – the emotions and actions of the people who lived through them. That is why history and fiction make such a great blend, and one I will never tire of reading.

Here are some of my favorite historical fiction themes, authors and books – and don’t miss the chance to chat about historical fiction with me and other avid readers April 3, 7-8pm in the fiction wing during the Journey Through Genres Club event.

Biopics of strong women

I have a strong affinity for novels that feature the feminine side of history, these are often stories of women who were overlooked in history class.

Marie Benedict is an excellent author to follow if you like these types of stories. One of my favorites is The Personal Librarian, which tells the story of Belle Da Costa Greene. She defied gender roles to become the head librarian at the Morgan Library and she was hiding her racial identity. Benedict co-wrote this book with Vanessa Miller to get the right racial understanding of living as a black woman in a white man’s world. 

If you enjoy Benedict’s spotlight on women from history, I also recommend the authors Melanie Benjamin and Michelle Moran.

Women banding together during wartime

There is a ton of historical fiction set during World War II, but I particularly adore wartime fiction that features the roles women played during the war. Whether they band together to keep things going on the home front or learn new skills to serve the cause, their stories are enthralling.

Jennifer Ryan is a stand out author of these types of books. Her novel The Kitchen Front features British women who unexpectedly bond together over wartime rationing and a cooking competition. Similar authors are Sara Ackerman who writes about the experiences of women in the Pearl Harbor area and Lauren Willig whose book Band of Sisters takes place during WWI.

Dramatic WWII fiction

For the more serious side of life during World War II I turn to authors like Kristen Harmel. She has written several novels based on true WWII happenings – such as the Jews who hid in the forests of Eastern Europe during that time period. This is the basis for one of my personal favorites her novel The Forest of Vanishing Stars. It felt a bit like a fantasy story at first, with an infant being snatched from her crib and raised by an old women in the forest.  Eventually this infant grows up and becomes a guide to Jews hiding from the Nazis.

Other WWII fiction I recommend along this line is When We Were Young and Brave by Hazel Gaynor and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Stories of spy craft

The real spy stories of history set during war time or during cold war times are an enjoyable blend of history and suspense. Just don’t look up the real events until you are done – you might spoil the story!

The Berlin Letters by Katherine Reay. The Berlin Wall – both its erection and its dismantling – forms the backdrop of this story told in two time periods. As a young woman living in the 1980s investigates her past she learns about life in Berlin just before and during the time the wall was suddenly constructed and how it tore her family apart. She travels to Berlin in search of answers and experiences Berlin during the time the wall was torn down. I was especially intrigued by the role punk rockers played in the revolution against the East German regime. I also recommend One Woman’s War by Christine Wells, a novel based on the woman who was the inspiration for “Mrs. Moneypenny” in the James Bond novels.

Historical fiction & thriller blends

These are novels that take place against the backdrop of history and tell action-packed stories full of danger and intrigue. You may know the main character is going to survive because of the historical facts, but it sure doesn’t feel like it as you are reading. I love these types of novels when I’m in the mood for a real page-turner.

Kate Quinn has mastered creating the perfect blend of thrills and history in her books. One of my favorites (though I love them all) is The Alice Network, which features a spy ring of women during World War II, and a young woman who just after the war is trying to trace what happened to her cousin who disappeared somewhere in France. The thrills and dangers of resistance work blend with themes of forgiveness and second chances to create a truly mesmerizing novel.

Another writer I love who blends thrills and history is Diane Chamberlain. She often tackles more modern aspects of history such as the civil rights movement.

I have so many more historical fiction favorites I can share with you if you join me at the discussion on April 3. I’m also looking forward to adding more great authors and titles to my reading list from your recommendations!