Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers discussion
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Historical setting...does it matter?
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My preference is historica West or historical 19th centruy England. Something about either a cowboy or a Duke.
I think it definitely matters to a lot of people. I seek out Scotland and Ireland for settings but am good with England too. I definitely am not interested in ones from Russia, the middle East, or really anywhere that is too "unfamiliar" to me as an American. Exception was Juliet Marillier's Cybele's Secret set in Istanbul. She is an incredible storyteller and even made me want to visit there. Big exception though. For me if it's Scotland I am far more likely to try it.
I like to mix up my settings/historical periods and usually open to most anything. But, I want more than wall paper dress up time, I want to feel like I'm there. Throw in a potato or tomato into England before history says they got there and you'll see the book fly... :D
As a native of the state of Louisiana, i'll read historical or contemporay romances set there as well. In order of preference for me it's 19th century England (aristocracy is scintilating). Historical western in a close second..... something about a rugged cowboy. Lastly, i'll take a contemporary english or western romance or Louisiana if I stumble across it. Jennifer Blake did a series (Louisiana Gentlemen)a few years back. I read each book in the series and enjoyed them fairly well.
These comments are so very helpful! And Terry, I'm with you. I will read ANYTHING Judith Marillier writes. She's an all-time favorite for me.
I definitely am influenced by historical setting. I love anything exotic, like Egypt or Middle Eastern locations. I lean heavily towards anything from England too, but I think that is because most novels focus on that setting so it appeals to me. I tend to shun HF set in America during war times unless it's recommended to me. I do read them, but with less enthusiasm for some reason I can't pin point.
I too am less interested in historical fiction from America and can't pin point it either. I actually prefer novels set prior to the 1800's - I kind of like castles, knights, swords, knives and particularly love the 4th to 6th centuries. Arthurian legend!!
I should also add that I tend to shun all HF fiction set during war time, which is very stupid of me since I've loved novels like The Book Thief and Losing Julia. What made me love these novels were the characters. I simply fell in love with them. I'm a very open-minded reader and will try anything (all genres and all time periods), so if the characters make me fall in love then at the end of the day the setting doesn't matter so much. But setting does sometimes influence the initial hump of choosing a book and cracking it open, which is why I turn to friend recommendations when I see a novel set in a setting I'm not normally drawn too.
I like Western romances, like the old Elizabeth Lowells, and I love romances with lots of history in them, as opposed to vague bits and bobs here and there. I'd love to read more books set in Renaissance Italy!
As the blurb on my soon to be released novel says: I was born in London and connected with its history early on. When the other children on the school trip coach were throwing the contents of their lunch boxes at each other, I was staring out of the window at the ancient buildings, imagining men in wigs and heeled shoes coming out of coffee houses to climb into sedan chairs on the cobbles outside St Pauls Cathedral. Historical fiction set in England definitely chose me.
I will read any place any setting as long as the book grips me, is well written and interesting. I like variation and something different. Modern life outside my door I can sample any time so I tend to find contemporary and chic-lit setting not very interesting, but give me a historical from any period or a contemporary set in a different culture, and I'm away at a gallop.
Well said Elizabeth - exactly!
I definitely avoid contemporary and chic-lit too. Occasionally something is really highly recommended and I will try it, but I I'd rather have something from at least 100 years ago - preferably longer. I also am enjoy a more rural setting - small towns and villages rather than cities.
I'm also interested in any historical setting as long as the characters and story are gripping.But I really DON'T like (is it late 18th century?), when everybody is wearing powder, wigs and silly make up. It just puts me off the characters.
Mod
The setting is important to me, as I have read a few books on recommendation, but the books by different authors set in the same settings seem to feel the same. You may say "Duh!", but books can feel vastly different even if the different authors write about the same character. I think it comes down to the reviews for me. If people are giving glowing reports about a book I will give it a go, but I have found it hard going to get into a decent historical in ages. The one's I write are set in Japan, but for the same reason above. I want to read something fresh and exciting.
On powdered wigs and make up (maquillage). It helped to emphasise the distance between public and private and it created a fashion that, to me, is the last hurrah of men being proud of making the best of themselves, parading themselves, peacock style, for the women.Men might wear pink and lace, and they weren't afraid of it. Since they wore swords by their sides, there was never any doubt of their masculinity! (Unless you were Hervey, but there was only one of those!)
Men these days seem afraid of their feminine side. It's a weakness, IMO, not a strength. If you can dress in lilac and still be a man, that's some powerful male mojo.
Mod
AMEN to that !!
i love the highlander era (1100 - 1500 centries).. there just something about men in kilts..
No, no kilts. They had what they called the plaid, or the great kilt, but this was a huge blanket that they wrapped and tucked around themselves. And rarely washed it.The modern kilt, ie the pleated presewn skirt was invented in the 1730's by a road builder who was tired of his Scottish labourers taking so long to dress. So he developed the kilt.
Clan tartans came even later. They were developed in the early 19th century, when an enterprising Edinburgh tailor started to classify the regional patterns into "Clan tartans." This was further popularised by Victoria and Albert, who loved the Highlands and the romantic legends associated with it.
Whisky, too, is a Victorian thing. Developments in technology in the early nineteenth century, and the laws that allowed for its sale weren't passed until then. Before that, there was private rotgut moonshine for the poor, or a little privately made whisky and brandy. And it's always whisky, not whiskey, if it's from Scotland (love the stuff!)
I was appalled at the markup on nice single malt when I visited the States. Over here, you can get a nice bottle of single malt for around £20 or $30. And that's the good stuff.
I don't read Highlander romances because the constant cod-Scottish irritates me and they are rarely accurate.
Want books about a Scotsman who can make your heart beat faster? Dorothy Dunnett's Lymond saga. Nary a kilt in sight.
Elizabeth wrote: "Did they have kilts in the 11thC to 15thC? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_..."Only in romance novels :D
I agree about Dunnett. I loved the Lymond books.
thanks for the recommendation im gonna look for that series right away!
Mod
The modern kilt, ie the pleat..."
I am eager to read Dunnett's Lymond chronicles. I first heard about the series from Judith James.
Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) wrote: "I actually prefer novels set prior to the 1800's - I kind of like castles, knights, swords, knives and par..."I'm with you on this one, nothing quite like knights in amour and castles! but I also enjoy English war time novels. Not much of a fan of 1700's through to the 1900's but maybe it's just because I've not really read anything from that time! Also not a fan of modern romance unless it's fantasy young adult style!
I think the setting does make a difference to me personally, I find it harder to get into book's based in unfamiliar countries or I find my self googling to find out info to help create a picture.
Mod
I'm with you on this one, nothing quite lik..."
Hi Natalie! "Not much of a fan of 1700's through to the 1900's"
If it's for lack of exposure, I don't yet despair of converting you!!! If you get a chance, I hope you will check out my 18th century blog where I endeavor to shed light on all aspects of the 18th century.
http://emerylee.wordpress.com. If you search the archives, I have articles on everything from dancing the Menuet to treatment for gout!!!
I love unusual historical settings and I will look more closely at a title that has something 'different'. That being said, I have certain historical periods that I find especially compelling and that is probably a more important draw for me. I think that settings are incredibly important and I have a great affection for authors who really make you feel that 'you are there'!
I go through phases. I will read a book set in a time/place that I like and it will pique my interest, and then I will devour everything I can find about that time/place/era until I tire of it. So far, I have gone through Colonial America and the Revolutionary War, which culminated in reading a biography of Abigail Adams, among other things. I also love Imperial Russia, a great deal of English history, among other time periods.Right now I am completely obsessed with the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. This started because I picked up Kathleen Woodiwiss' Wolf and the Dove on a .50 table at the used book store which is set in the Conquest. This is not a great book, but the Conquest was a pivotal event in Western history, and that silly romance from the 1970's got me interested in it. I've read several books since then, including some pretty inane (and not terribly historically accurate) medieval romances, and now I'm slowly making my way through The Struggle for Mastery by David Carpenter, which is part of the Penguin History of Britain.
I also have become interested in 18th century Scotland, because of Outlander, as well as the Winter Sea, and at some point will likely do some more sustained reading & research into Bonnie Prince Charlie and the bloody Jacobite uprising. I had no idea that there was an entire genre of historical time-travel romance devoted to sending women back in time to fall in love with Highlanders. I find that completely hilarious, as well as highly entertaining.
So, for me, historical settings are incredibly important because they often become a springboard for me to learn a lot more about something that I've found interesting. Weirdly, I am completely uninterested in Asia -- Japan & China hold not even the slightest hint of attraction for me. Persia & the Middle East, though, I find extremely compelling.
Mod
Christine wrote: "I go through phases. I will read a book set in a time/place that I like and it will pique my interest, and then I will devour everything I can find about that time/place/era until I tire of it. S..."@Christine. While I wouldn't call them *romantic historical for this group's shelf but have you tried Valerie Anand's quartet?
@Misfit: thanks for the suggestion. I've never heard of the Anand books. Unfortunately, they are very, very OOP. Perhaps my local library will have them . . . Or, maybe some day the publisher will release them in a cheap kindle format.
Christine, try for interlibrary loan. I know the US libraries have these. I was lucky and purchased them before the prices went through the roof.
As a reader I'm not a fan of American historicals (not being American might have something to do with that) but I like almost any European setting. I tend to gravitate more towards British characters and/or settings. As to time, I'm a bit bored with the Regency and will only pick up something Regency if it's different to everything else out there.As a writer I like Renaissance England (particuarly Elizabethan) as there's something exciting about it, something that sets it apart from the brutal eras on either side of it. I like the dichotomy of it - an age of poetry and expansion of the sciences but men still carried swords in the street. I just love it.
Bailey wrote: "Hello all! I'm wondering if you'd respond both as readers and writers to the question of historical setting. I have written novels set in the 1890's in America, in Vienna, and in England. I've only..."Here are my two cents by an avid (is there a word for more than avid?) reader and reading group leader. I rarely read any "historical" work set in America- I like older history (scotland,ireland,england) I use to run a reading group on AOL called Romance on the Moors. So if you need any ideas from that area let me know. I have now moved onto broader settings. I will always buy/read a book that a friend writes too!
For me it is all about the characters, the story, and how well the time period and surroundings are described. I like novels set in all locations, at any time as long as it is a good story and I can actually learn something about the time period and locale.
Footnotes are a great idea. In this age of ebooks I'd like to see more hyperlinks linking to some historical explanations or images. Not many as that would get distracting. Not sure how they'll convert though.
I hope no one minds me resurrecting an old topic.First as a reader: My whole family loves American history. I've been surrounded by it since I was a little girl and I love to read stories set in America. I prefer the colonial/Revolutionary era. There's just something so exciting about this period. Different experiences in different parts of the country...so much to read about.
I also gravitate to the Tudor era of British history. Probably because I am a theater geek as well and love Shakespeare.
As a writer (unpublished though I be): I learned that you write where the muse takes you. So while I want to focus on America as well, I found myself writing medieval England.
Alexandria wrote: "I hope no one minds me resurrecting an old topic.First as a reader: My whole family loves American history. I've been surrounded by it since I was a little girl and I love to read stories set i..."
I love it when someone resurrects old topics. A lot of the time I wasn't around when they got started so to me they're new!
My answer is yes, historical settings matter. There are periods and places I am so little interested in that you couldn't make me read a book set in them if you put a gun to my head. Fortunately there are plenty of people who are interested in those periods, and plenty of others who care more about story than setting and period. And plenty of room for us all!
Mod
Of course I particularly love the Georgians but still plan to branch out a bit in my future writing.
Jennifer wrote: "Alexandria wrote: "I hope no one minds me resurrecting an old topic.First as a reader: My whole family loves American history. I've been surrounded by it since I was a little girl and I love to r..."
I'm also glad you resurrected this topic, and I agree with others' ideas that most of us do have preferences for setting.
I'm one of those few readers who can take or leave Regency/Victorian set stories (though I do like many of them if they are well-written).
I have little interest in Ancient Roman/Greek settings, Viking era settings, Egyptian settings, or Asian settings.
As a pubbed author of six medieval and one 1500's-set romances, and having witnessed the decline of the sub-genre as a whole over the past decade or so, I'd like to see more well-written English and French medieval-set stories, as well as medieval Celtic *other* than the Highland-set stories (which so often slip into farce territory for me, in terms of stereotyped language and characterizations).
I'd love to see more Colonial and Revolutionary American set stories, or post Civil War settings. I'd love to see more Canadian-set historical romance, too.
So I'm thrilled with the greater setting possibilities the indie movement affords; the key, of course, is finding a way to discern well-written indie books from those...well, not very well-written. Regardless, I think it's an exciting time for readers and writers alike.
I'm a big fan of European history, especially the WWII era. France, England, but also New Zealand and Australia. My father was a pilot, and he and my mother lived in Newfoundland as he ferried planes between America and England. One of my mothers best friends was a pilot in Canada, she was amazing!That said, I also love this period in America. I just completed a book that is set between Paris, London, and Los Angeles. Having lived in LA, I became fascinated with the history there--in the land of reinvention--it was like finding a treasure beneath the glamour. Lots of hard working entrepreneurs built the city, many of them women, long before it was fashionable.
Really enjoying the thread!
My interest is captured more by time than place, but ultimately whether it promises to be a story that captures my interest with well drawn characters. Bernard Cornwell's 'Gallows Thief' is a good example. Historically, it's not centered on a Big Event, but is totally riveting, not just as an exploration of capital punishment in 1817, but as an intriguing mystery.
Jan,You said " I just completed a book that is set between Paris, London, and Los Angeles "... what was the name of that book?
~ Susan
Or was it a book you had written, Jan?
Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers
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I find in my own reading that in most cases the characters themselves compel me to be comfortable with the setting, and I don't opt not to read an historical just because it's set in Hungary, or at least NOT set in England.
In selecting an historical to read, I do gravitate to English settings. Love them and always have. So I'm throwing this out to the group.
How does setting influence your reading choice in historicals?
Thanks for any thoughtful insights, humorous quips or inspiring tomes you might provide me in my "research".
Bailey