What does Historical Fiction need if it doesn't have romance in the plot?

[Carrie]

The question of course ignores the historical mystery genre, featuring either historical characters (like the Jane Austen or Benjamin Franklin mysteries) or atypical characters or combinations of characters that nonetheless reveal the past (Victoria Thompson's Gaslight mysteries, although there is some romance there). Novels that look at social movements or war experiences, sometimes combined with mystery (like the Seneca Falls mysteries), can also be fascinating and revealing.

[Miranda]

I avoid sex and titillating romantic reads in general. I prefer stories about strong women and defiant characters who upset the status quo and create social change. But I also love a good mystery or suspenseful read.

[Cinda]

I’m not sure if this thread is still alive, but it’s an interesting question. To me, historical fiction is a fall of fiction into history. Fiction deals with the human condition, and history provides its galvanizing context. I love it when humans do their human thing despite the history they are caught up in.

[Eileen]

Cinda wrote: "I’m not sure if this thread is still alive, but it’s an interesting question. To me, historical fiction is a fall of fiction into history. Fiction deals with the human condition, and history provid..."

I see romance as part of history, but nowhere near the whole story. There's so much more to the stories of our past than just romance - greed, fear, anger, familial love, friendship, bravery in the face of defeat. Romantic love is fine, but not everything.

[Jackie]

Cinda wrote: "I agree, although love probably IS everything. :-)
I was especially sensitive to this issue while writing historical fiction because I did publish a romance years ago. I deliberately downplayed the..."

I'm not a fan of "romance-fiction." For me, it's the historical backdrop that is interesting.

[Eileen]

Jackie wrote: "Cinda wrote: "I agree, although love probably IS everything. :-)
I was especially sensitive to this issue while writing historical fiction because I did publish a romance years ago. I deliberately ..."

One reason why I enjoy historical fiction is because I'm learning about a period of history, or something new about it, or a different point of view about it. Romance can be a part of that, but after a lifetime of reading histfic, I've come to realize that pride, greed, anger, and envy have moved a lot more of history than love has.

[Margaret]

Well said

[Cherry]

Another emotional connection that has the same capacity to hook us in and want to know more about the characters.

[Kathryn]

The trend seems to be toward historical mystery, fantasy and horror, none of which appeal to me. I'm not big on historical romance, either. Like several others in this thread, I really like the history aspect of historical fiction. I like learning about what it was like to live in a different era. But, of course, in fiction you have to have a story to keep the reader's interest. If it isn't romance, it can certainly be political intrigue. It can be coming-of-age. It can be conflict between family loyalty and individual desires. In short, it can be about anything that any novel can be about, just in a historical setting.

[Pippa]

Gothic Victorian seems to be a trend.
For me the love of HF is about the social history, how people lived in the past and the challenges they faced. This, along with strong believable characters that grow through their experiences, are what make for my ideal HF read.

[Gail]

Totally agree with Kathryn & Pippa. Love the History part more than romance. Find authors like Genevieve Graham & Bernard Cornwell excellent. Love their Notes where they explain events & where they took liberties with the stories.

[Sophia]

I think a different take on a famous story can be very interesting. I have just read The Trial of Henry the 8th. In some ways it is not fiction as there are a lot of facts. But the trial of course is fiction and what made it so thought provoking was how it challenged the accepted view of those facts.
That said , I do like romance in historical fiction

[Mon]

Yes, I enjoy reading historical novels with overlooked characters, like internationals or immigrants making a new life, women in non-traditional roles, people redefining society, etc…, and how the times help or hinder them. I’ll read any type of historical that does this, whether it be mystery, drama, intelligent romance, time travel…. F

For any historical, As long as the author sidetracks in the narration to fill me in on the historical aspects, then I’m delighted. I don’t call this an “info dump” at all (whoever made up that pejorative term did us a disservice! When I fully know what was going on at the time, courtesy of the author giving me some details and info, then I can really enjoy the story and better appreciate what the characters were going through at the time.

[Mon]

Carrie wrote: "The question of course ignores the historical mystery genre, featuring either historical characters (like the Jane Austen or Benjamin Franklin mysteries) or atypical characters or combinations of c..."

I loved the Dr. Josephine Plantae Paradoxes mystery series about a first woman homeopath who gets entangled in botanical poison crimes — there is lots of history, politics and botany combined with memorable characters. Very witty, too.

[Sophia]

I think it would be unusual and even unnatural not to have romance in historical fiction. It is fictional characters in real, and often traumatic times, and characters fall in love.
Two of my favourite books are The Winds of War and War and Rememberance. It is the tale of an American family in world war 2. All aspects and theatres of the war are covered and I think it is one of the great books on the subject of the war. But there is also romantic drama and it would be strange in 6 years of war if there wasn't.

[Eileen]

Sophia wrote: "I think it would be unusual and even unnatural not to have romance in historical fiction. It is fictional characters in real, and often traumatic times, and characters fall in love.
Two of my favou..."

Absolutely! Some writers are all about the romance, especially certain sub-genres (e.g., Regency, Scottish Highlanders). If that's what you like, have at it. I just think that there's a lot more to life than just romance.

[Sophia]

Eileen wrote: "Sophia wrote: "I think it would be unusual and even unnatural not to have romance in historical fiction. It is fictional characters in real, and often traumatic times, and characters fall in love.
..."
I agree that romance should not have precedence over the historic events. I think the great thing about historical fiction is putting fictional characters in real events which leads to better knowledge of those events. For me it is the best, and most enjoyable, way of learning history. But to make it an enjoyable read the fictional characters have to be believed and , as i said, characters fall in love among other things.
I

[Ila]

Sophia wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Sophia wrote: "I think it would be unusual and even unnatural not to have romance in historical fiction. It is fictional characters in real, and often traumatic times, and characters..."

This right here. I am all for historical accuracy and will even discard a book if there are obvious and implausible anachronisms. But the whole point of historical fiction is to have a glimpse into what these people, famous or otherwise, thought or felt or perceived. I would even go so far as to say that historical fiction in some ways humanizes historical figures or at least adds a unique perspective.

That said, I approach romance in historical fiction the same way as I do with other genres. It has to be believable. Granted, the notions and conventions surrounding romance were quite different in various cultures and periods. And yet people have always been people and expressed their love likewise. Let there be some tension, some obstacles, and some redeeming qualities in the characters.

I don't mind sexual content but there is a difference between a tastefully written erotic scene and vulgar pornography.

The most important to me are a well-paced narrative, interesting characters (with no women pointlessly killed or for the sake of men), and crisp dialogue. Give me that and I'll read anything.

Books like the The Master of Verona series and Calista are my jam.

[Pippa]

Ila wrote: "Sophia wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Sophia wrote: "I think it would be unusual and even unnatural not to have romance in historical fiction. It is fictional characters in real, and often traumatic times,..."

Calista looks intriguing - have added it to my TBR :-)