Historical Fiction Books

[Squidnnneyyy99+]

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. I read and write them whenever I can, but recently have not been able to find one I like.

Anything that is written around the early to mid 1900s is my preference, but I would be willing to branch out.

I am not particular to romances, but I understand that it is a large part of most historical fiction pieces, so if you have a good historical romance, feel free to comment one.

[swdatmidcoast]

Beneath A Scarlet Sky, by Mark Sullivan is a novel about a young man living in Italy during the German invasion of that country. The hero is supposedly a real character in history. I found it particularly interesting because it takes place in Italy, unlike many of the books written about that era. It is not as beautifully written as The Nightingale, and it is a bit wordy and repetitious, but it is an enjoyable read.

[D E Baron]

Try Bernard Cornwell's "The Sharpe Series". There are 23 books in the series. Cornwell brilliantly weaves fictional characters into actual historical events. His research is spot on as he places a fictional "little guy" into real life events

Cromwell is a prolific writer with several other series as well, but The Sharpe Series is closer in timeline to what you were looking to find.

[Cardui]

You might enjoy ‘The Lies of Locke Lamora,’ by Scott Lynch. It’s not really a traditional historical fiction novel but it is well-written and has the feel of a historical novel set in London with interesting characters and plot twists.

[Gravy]

Brooks Hanson's The Chess Garden (link goes to it on Amazon so you can read what it's about) is set in early 1900s. It's historical and magical realism, with some other stuff mixed in.

Personally, I am not an historical fiction reader, but some things about this one grabbed me. I absolutely love it and recommend it as often as I can.

Much of it is in the form of letters (another thing I'm not a fan of, but love in this instance), and has a feeling a little like The Neverending Story (book, not movie), stories within stories.

It's amazing.

[KatiesReading]

Have you read "The Book Thief" by Marcus Zusak? It is a great take on the historical events, as it's written through the eyes of the young girl. I can't recommend it enough!

[annaestelle]

I agree, re: the recommendation for "The Book Thief." That's an absolutely excellent read! One I had trouble putting down.

In another vein, are you familiar with Wendell Berry? His Port William novels are amazing - best literature I've ever read. The novels take place in the early- to mid-1900s, and are set in the fictional town of Port William, Kentucky - a tiny agrarian community. The characters are vivid and unique - you'll feel like you know them personally; the books deal with the way technological advancements, the World Wars, and a slowly globalizing worldview change the shape of the country and what it means to be a community; and Berry presents such a beautiful, intimate view of family relationships, friendships, and relationships with the earth. I can't recommend them enough =) There are several longer novels set in Port William, as well as short stories. I'd call them a slow, restful, nourishing read - reading Wendell Berry's books always feels like slowing down and resetting, in the middle of our current fast-paced society. His thoughts on education, community, agriculture, family, etc are beautiful. There is romance in some of his books, though the romance isn't the point. It's not the cheap, steamy sort that gets thrown into a lot of romance novels for shock factor or to attract a bigger audience - rather, he writes about real relationships, real marriages, real courtships, with real people and real emotions and real struggles and triumphs. Berry also writes poetry and essays (which are all also exceptional), if that strikes your fancy too.