What is historical fiction?

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Bigwig1973
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What is historical fiction?

Post by Bigwig1973 »

What makes a book historical fiction? Is it a made-up plot with made-up characters in a realistic setting? One source says, "another time or place, real or imagined". Does the historical setting have to be longer than fifty years ago? Everyone has an idea when they hear the term, but "technically" what is historical fiction?
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Post by Hussein21 »

I believe historical fictions are books based on what happened in the early centuries. Human view past as history, just like yesterday has become an history.
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Post by Hussein21 »

I believe historical fictions are books based on what happened in the early centuries. Humans view the past as history, just like yesterday had become history.
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Owuamanam Eberechukwu
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Bigwig1973 wrote: 04 Jan 2022, 16:02 What makes a book historical fiction? Is it a made-up plot with made-up characters in a realistic setting? One source says, "another time or place, real or imagined". Does the historical setting have to be longer than fifty years ago? Everyone has an idea when they hear the term, but "technically" what is historical fiction?
Historical if it evaluates the life and culture of a set of people. It has be suited in a realistic setting. It’s most non fictional, even if it is fictional, the setting and key narratives are not fictional.
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Bigwig1973
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Post by Bigwig1973 »

Hussein21 wrote: I believe historical fictions are books based on what happened in the early centuries. Humans view the past as history, just like yesterday had become history.
Not that I disagree, but then in this case, what is currently "other fiction" with a present-day setting later becomes "historical fiction". I was asking because I was wondering about classifying books on the bookshelves on OBC. I have books with literary terms, but I was wondering if opinions/definitions here differed! Thanks for your input!
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Bigwig1973
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Post by Bigwig1973 »

Owuamanam wrote:
Bigwig1973 wrote: What makes a book historical fiction? Is it a made-up plot with made-up characters in a realistic setting? One source says, "another time or place, real or imagined". Does the historical setting have to be longer than fifty years ago? Everyone has an idea when they hear the term, but "technically" what is historical fiction?
Historical if it evaluates the life and culture of a set of people. It has be suited in a realistic setting. It’s most non fictional, even if it is fictional, the setting and key narratives are not fictional.
The question came up because I was putting books on bookshelves here and I wasn't sure what to categorize some of them! I did find the category in a book on literary terminology, but I was curious to know how members here determine what makes a book historical fiction, rather than other fiction, etc. Thanks for your input, I do appreciate it!
"...I'd discuss the holy books with the learned man...and that would be the sweetest thing of all...would it foil some vast, eternal plan..." Hamick Fiddler on the Roof

La Belle Dame Sans Mercy, Merci, Maria - Chartier, Keats, Hamik?
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Post by Owuamanam Eberechukwu »

Bigwig1973 wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 20:15
Owuamanam wrote:
Bigwig1973 wrote: What makes a book historical fiction? Is it a made-up plot with made-up characters in a realistic setting? One source says, "another time or place, real or imagined". Does the historical setting have to be longer than fifty years ago? Everyone has an idea when they hear the term, but "technically" what is historical fiction?
Historical if it evaluates the life and culture of a set of people. It has be suited in a realistic setting. It’s most non fictional, even if it is fictional, the setting and key narratives are not fictional.
The question came up because I was putting books on bookshelves here and I wasn't sure what to categorize some of them! I did find the category in a book on literary terminology, but I was curious to know how members here determine what makes a book historical fiction, rather than other fiction, etc. Thanks for your input, I do appreciate it!
It’s fine, keep up the good work. So far, the categorization appearing on my select tab are great. Godspeed bro.
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Alissa Nesson
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Post by Alissa Nesson »

It’s fiction that takes place in any previous era. I don’t think there’s a set time period for it, as long as things were just a little different then.
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