Task #7: Read a historical fiction novel not set in WWII

[Evelyn]

Varina by David Gutterson. About the wife if Jefferson Davies.

[Salwade]

I’m thinking Connie Willis’ Doomsday Book would work for this. Any reason why not?

[Samantha]

Veronica wrote: "I'm finally going to read Pachinko!"

I picked this after reading this thread. I'm halfway through it and loving it! Thank you :)

[Lauconn]

Maryam wrote: "I'd go with The Lost Girls of Paris for this task, it was part of last year GoodReads selection for Historical Fiction."

This book is wonderful, but while there are nominally two timelines, the overwhelming majority of the story takes place during WWII. And even the other timeline is pretty close post-war. A worthwhile read, just not sure it works for this prompt.

[Emily]

Tanvi wrote: "Milkman"

What part of history is this book set in? Interested in reading it, but I didn't see it referenced as historical fiction on GR!

[Lauren]

Doesn't part of Pachinko occur during WWII? Particularly part two? I haven't read it but it seemed like it based on the table of contents and a quick scan of Wikipedia... can anyone confirm?

[Alli]

This was actually one of my goals before the read harder challenge was announced. The book I read this month was The Night Tiger. It is set in Malaysia in, I believe, the 30's.

[Siobhan]

Salwade wrote: "I’m thinking Connie Willis’ Doomsday Book would work for this. Any reason why not?"

I would say that the reason why not is that it splits its time fairly evenly between the future and the past. YMMV though and I think that To Say Nothing of the Dog may be a better fit here if you want to read that series.

[Elizabeth]

I've been flip-flopping a lot on what I want to read for this task, but I am currently leaning towards the first book of the Rashi's Daughters trilogy, Joheved. Rashi was a medieval French Jewish rabbi and scholar of the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, and each book is a fictionalised account of the life of one of his daughters (who we have limited information about). My rabbi just lent me a copy of the first book and I'm hoping to start it soon.

[Sam]

I recommend Lincoln in the Bardo for this. I read this in 2019 unfortunately, so I can't use it, but it is a very engaging take on a historical fiction work. Incredibly playful use of the genre, while being very emotionally impactful.

[Cindi]

Willa Cather has some books about Pioneer America, which would fit for this category. Also Janette Oke has several books that are Christian historical fiction that would work for this category as well.

Ann Rinaldi has a few books for middle grades/YA set in the USA that are historical fiction, including the Salem Witch Trial. Additionally, the 'Dear America' series has multiple authors that are all historical fiction with all different eras, as well as the Royal Diaries, too. They are history based, written as a journal.

[Lavanya]

Does “my brilliant friend” by Elena Ferrante work here?

[Bonnie G.]

Lavanya wrote: "Does “my brilliant friend” by Elena Ferrante work here?"

Yes, it is set in the 50s.

[Teresa]

I read The Song of Achilles. It was a 4 star read, almost as good as Circe.

[Becky]

I read The fountains of silence by Ruta Sepetys for this challenge which is set in Spain during Franco’s dictatorship.

[Kris V]

Just finished One for the Blackbird, One for the Crow by Olivia Hawker

Came in the GoScribbler’s December box, and I never thought I’d love it but the writing is incredible. Boy does she know how to make the reader feel as if they’re with each of the characters...

[Pamela]

I just finished The Dove Keepers by Alice Hoffman for this prompt and it is excellent https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Shannon]

The Borgia Confessions fits if you want a lesson on the corruption in the church

[Beth]

The Lost Queen is excellent. And Song of Achilles I second for whomever put that.

[Bree]

I just read Is He Living or Is He Dead by Mark Twain. It’s a nice, short, easy read with a good moral to it. I would definitely recommend it for reading in the bus or short trip (if you don’t get car sick, of course).

[Olivia]

I am reading Tidelands by Philippa Gregory

[Megan]

I used The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott for this prompt.

[Jackie]

I used Emma G. Wildford; it's set in the 1920s with a woman going after her fiance's lost expedition to Lapland.

[Nandi]

I decided to start including more books from Book Riot's Read Harder challange and realized The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead fit #7. It was a fascinating read and outside my normal reading zone.

[Abbie]

Amanda wrote: "@Abbie I'm just gonna throw this out there and let the sighs fall where they may . . . The Crucible"

Thanks, Amanda! Finally seeing this. I purchased that when I visited Salem last year, so I do hope to read it soon! I just finished The Silence of the Girls, which I'm hoping would work for this, too. Does the Trojan War count as history?

Update: apparently, there's no archaeological evidence that the Trojan War happened, so apparently I just read meta-fiction. Fiction-fiction. FAN FICTION.

[Abbie]

Cindi wrote: "Abbie wrote: "Does anyone have recommendations for one set during the Salem Witch Trials?"

Witches is amazing. Also A Break With Charity."

Witches is non-fiction, though, isn't it? Thank you for the suggestions, though!

[Abbie]

Mya wrote: "Abbie wrote: "Does anyone have recommendations for one set during the Salem Witch Trials?"

Abbie, one I’m planning to read is I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem by [author:Maryse Condé|9..."

Thank you!!

[Abbie]

Teresa wrote: "I read The Song of Achilles. It was a 4 star read, almost as good as Circe."

LOVED them both! I agree that Circe was better (or, at least, I enjoyed it more). Glad to hear that you're considering the Trojan War history/Achilles as historical fiction--I wasn't sure whether Silence of the Girls would count!

[Bonnie G.]

Abbie wrote: "Teresa wrote: "I read The Song of Achilles. It was a 4 star read, almost as good as Circe."

LOVED them both! I agree that Circe was better (or, at least, I enjoyed it more). Glad t..."

The Trojan War isn't history since it did not happen as far as anyone knows, its essentially a bible story for the pantheistic.

[Emily]

I just finished Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier, and it was really enjoyable. It's set in the early 1800s UK, and focuses around Elizabeth Philpot and Mary Anning as they discovered never before seen dinosaur fossils.

[Stina]

I finally finished The Murmur of Bees for this one. Nothing wrong with it, and I can recognize that the prose is written well, but I just couldn't connect with it.

[Shelley]

I went with A Night Divided which is about Berlin in the 60s. I've also read The Spy with the Red Balloon which was also about the East/West Berlin split but in the 80s. Both are more middle school than even YA so would make great double dippers. They are also both excellent and were given 5 stars.

[Emerging]

I have LOTS of books on my shelf that fit this prompt, but I settled on The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant.

[Christine]

The Book Thief
I''m sure most of you read the Book Thief, but if you haven't the book was wonderful. I've read a lot of WW2 books before but rarely I see it at the prospective of Germans and what they went through. They suffered as well. A wonderful written book that I highly recommend!!

[Marta]

I found the wording of this topic amusing. I read a lot of historical fiction but almost never about World War II (the ones I read were for book club). I enjoy medieval and ancient periods mostly.

I am currently re-reading The Accursed Kings Series Books 1-3: The Iron King, The Strangled Queen, The Poisoned Crown by Maurice Druon. The most amazing medieval series you will ever find.

My all time favorite is I, Claudius/Claudius the God. Did not even make it to the top 50 historical books on Book Riot somehow... even though it is on many 100 best books ever lists. I highly recommend it.

[Marta]

Christine wrote: "The Book Thief
I''m sure most of you read the Book Thief, but if you haven't the book was wonderful. I've read a lot of WW2 books before but rarely I see it at the prospective of Germa..."
I think the whole point was that the book is NOT set in World War II...

[Octavia]

I read Treason's Harbour by Patrick O'Brian for this. It's one of his Aubrey/Maturin novels, set during the Napoleonic Wars - during the early 1800s, basically.

[Meredith]

The Far Pavilions was just wonderful. Classic writing, India during the time of the British Raj, adventure, a beautifully told love story. It's also a doorstopper (x2)!! It's the best use of an audible credit I've ever made, and I was super grateful to be able to escape into a different world during these times of ours ....

[Bonnie G.]

Christine wrote: "The Book Thief
I''m sure most of you read the Book Thief, but if you haven't the book was wonderful. I've read a lot of WW2 books before but rarely I see it at the prospective of Germa..."

The Book Thief is set in WWII. The prompt is to read something not set in WWII.

[Katie]

I read Margaret the First by Danielle Dutton for this category and recommend this strange little book wholeheartedly. It's about a celebrated woman writer (Margaret) who did really exist (although Dutton takes many liberties) and her imagination and struggle to be taken seriously.

[Christine]

Bonnie G. wrote: "Christine wrote: "The Book Thief
I''m sure most of you read the Book Thief, but if you haven't the book was wonderful. I've read a lot of WW2 books before but rarely I see it at the pr..." I'm sorry now you see how I do skip when I read. I swear I am not that stupid!!

[Bonnie G.]

Christine wrote: "Bonnie G. wrote: "Christine wrote: "The Book Thief
I''m sure most of you read the Book Thief, but if you haven't the book was wonderful. I've read a lot of WW2 books before but rarely ..."

LOL, it happens to us all on occasion.

[Harry]

I just finished All Quiet on the Western Front. It’s not set in WWII because it’s in WWI. You know the book is perfect.

[Eric]

I’m not quite there yet, but I’m going to read Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez for this one. It’s historical fiction set around the facts of the 1937 New London school explosion in Texas.

I saw this suggested for task #2 as a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but I think that’s a stretch, and the author says she is not a POC, so I think it fits better here.)

[Sheri]

I read Whiskey When We're Dry, which is a western set a bit after the Civil War. I really enjoyed it, more than I expected since Westerns aren't my thing. Used the western as a vehicle to look at class, race, and gender issues of that time period, while still feeling like a sprawling adventure.

[Harper]

I just finished The Lady and the Unicorn and I loved it!

[Heather]

I am currently reading The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. I have had some troubles understanding the premise, but I will continue reading this piece of historical fiction as I admire the author.

[Westiegirl]

I read The Winter Soldier

[Jasmine's]

News of the World

its being made into a movie this year!

[Virginia]

I read Simon the Fiddler (1865, end of Civil War) for this prompt.


I've seen several books in this thread that I have read or will be reading this year. I also read Light Changes Everything (1907, Arizona Territory) that would fit here!