“A fiery feminist fairy tale!” – DG Library Staff
In the late 1800s, three sisters use witchcraft to change the course of history in this powerful novel that blends magic with the suffrage movement.
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Spear by Nicola Griffith
“The prose is gorgeous and it’s a terrific update of a classic story.” – Andrew, Adult & Teen Services
A girl works up from nothing to join King Arthur’s knights.
Fire in the East – Warrior of Rome by Harry Sidebottom
“I’ve always been interested in history, particularly that of Rome and Greece. This series is fiction, however it is based off of true events and the main protagonist himself, Marcus Clodius Ballista, is based off an actual Roman general Ballista, also known as Callistus. A lot of the big plot points throughout the series (the assassination of the Roman Emperor Maximus Thrax) are actual events that did happen and if you’re familiar with the history of Rome you will recognize plenty of other names and places that appear throughout the series.” – Tony, Circulation
The series follows Ballista, an Anglo-Saxon turned Roman general as he attempts to navigate not only the bloodied battlefields of Rome but also the political turmoil of a Roman Empire on the brink of collapse.
Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
“Captivating family saga featuring five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family in Colorado. A must read for historical fiction readers!” – Kira, Access Services
Written in Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s singular voice, the wildly entertaining and complex lives of the Lopez family fill the pages of this multigenerational western saga. Woman of Light is a transfixing novel about survival, family secrets, and love—filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, all of whom are just as special, memorable, and complicated as our beloved heroine, Luz.
The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani
“Adriana Trigiani has this amazing writing ability that puts you right in the middle of her story, you feel like you are there. The locations and characters are so vivid, deep, and rich in detail.” – Lauren, IT
Matelda, the Cabrelli family’s matriarch, has always been brusque and opinionated. Now, as she faces the end of her life, she is determined to share a long-held secret with her family about her own mother’s great love story: with her childhood friend, Silvio, and with dashing Scottish sea captain John Lawrie McVicars, the father Matelda never knew. . . .
Booth by Karen Joy Fowler
“Fowler has done her research, and Booth’s family comes alive with complex characterizations and uneasy truths that ring true two centuries later. No easy answers here, but beautiful writing, Americana setting, and complex motivations that give the reader a sense of peeking into one of the most infamous historic American families.” – ATS Staff
A fascinating fictionalized in-depth look at one of the most notorious murderers in American history: John Wilkes Booth. Karen Joy Fowler takes us into the curious and strange large Booth family that birthed him. Obsessed with the stage, his eccentric father and older brother, his reclusive and resentful sister, and how such a family produced such a narcissistic murderer obsessed with a perverse kind of nationalism. The best kind of historical fiction teaches us what history could have been like, with a good dose of truth weaved in.
The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers
“Myers is a debut author who understands the world of women. I was immediately drawn into her characters and motivations, Maddie is a spunky and believable heroine. It almost wrapped up too neatly into a bow at the end, but it was a very satisfying read. Great for both teens and adults to devour.” – Joy, Adult & Teen Services
Maddie is growing up in post World War II North Carolina, with a sparkling gift for sewing just like her famous aunt who sews gorgeous clothes for the so called wealthy “Tobacco Wives”, essentially the former plantation owner’s wives who run the local tobacco plants that employ entire towns. Seen through the eyes of an adolescent, Maddie is swept away into her aunt’s business after her mother foists her off to work for her. When Maddie is starting to realize that tobacco is causing alarming health issues among these same wives, she wants to sound the alarm, but the powers that be have other plans to silence any possible concerns.
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
“This is a classic and trailblazing book for a reason and I’m so glad I finally picked it up. What I found most powerful is that it feels both timeless and contemporary, despite being written in the 1970s.” – DG Library Staff
The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the same young man, she realizes the challenge she’s been given…
The War Widow by Tara Moss
“A great new addition to the historical mystery genre. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!” – Lora, Adult & Teen Services
It’s 1946 and journalist Billie Walker is back home in Sydney running her father’s private investigation agency. Most of Billie’s cases involve marital disputes, but client Mrs. Brown hires her to find her son, Adin, who is missing. Billie’s investigation leads her through both the upper and lower classes of society along with providing a great sense of place in post-war Sydney for the reader in addition to the fashions of the time.
Red Stars by Davide Morosinotto
“It was interesting to read this as they talk about what happened in Russia during WWII from two Russian children’s perspectives.” – Sandy R., Kids Room
Historical Fiction set in WWII, from two Russian children’s perspectives (B/G twins written as a diary entry). We are reading along with a Russian Officer (as he is making notes in the diary) who is deciding if the kids are innocent or guilty of war crimes.