I have been a long time lover of historical fiction. And I don’t mean just any historical fiction- I mean historical fiction that doesn’t feel like a history lesson! To me great historical fiction reads like another good book- with page turning suspense. They should be just as gripping, the character just as developed- just set in a different time period. Below are a few of my favorites.
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The Secrets of Flight by Maggie Leffler
This is probably my most favorite book of the past several years- and not just because it’s set in my home city of Pittsburgh. The story alternates between modern day and the 1940s, narrated alternately by an older woman who was a lady pilot in world war 2, and between a young girl of modern day. This book is not only an exciting story with surprises and plot twists, but also one that educates about the brave women who stepped up to become pilots during world war 2 and the difficulties and sometimes sabotage that they faced. If you’re not a historical fiction enthusiast and need a book that bridges between modern day and recent history- this is the book for you!
Lovely War by Julie Berry
This tale is about 4 young people and their experiences during the First World War. What I really loved about this book is that the author chose to have the main characters stories told by several of the Greek Gods. Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, is trying to pull together the main characters. Ares, the god of War, just wants to tell about the battle scenes, and then Hades… he narrates the death scenes, so we know someone is dying in the chapter, but we don’t know who. I really enjoyed knowing the topic was based off of which god was telling the story, but then I kept guessing as to who the chapter was going to be about. I thought this was a fresh way to tell a story about WW1, and one that had kept my attention the whole way through!
Two Girls of Gettysburg by Lisa Klein
This story will keep you page turning as you read about the pivotal and bloodiest battle of the Civil War. This is the story of the cousins during the civil war- a northern girl and a southerner. Two different points of view are told as one war and one battle change their lives, torn apart by war and then brought together by it, what will remain of their once close friendship? As someone who grew up visiting the modern day town of Gettysburg I really appreciated the details depicted within this story as the events of the Gettysburg battle unfolds.
Time Enough for Drums by Ann Rinaldi
This is an older book by my all time favorite author Ann Rinaldi. This book is technically classified as young adult but don’t let that stop you! Is a well done story exploring the tensions and currents during the early days of the American revolution. Jem is wild and not content to be stuck at home in a classroom, especially with her tutor John who is a tory- someone who supports England and has the opposite beliefs of Jen and her family. That is until she gets the feeling that he may not be a Tory…And that she may have growing feelings towards him….
The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner
I’m a goner when it comes to anything about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. There is just something about an event that is still shrouded in mystery over 300 years later. If you aren’t familiar with the topic of the Salem Witch trial I suggest you pick up this book and educate yourself! The Salem Witch trials are about the winter of 1691/1692 when a group of young women, several of whom were still young girls, started accusing people in their town of watch craft- an offense punishable by death! 19 people were put to death by the accusations of these girls. This book drifts from modern day about a girl hired to transcribe a journal of one of the accused, and 1692 where we hear the story of one of the accused women, the owner of the aforementioned journal being transcribed.