Transport yourself to bygone eras with some of the year’s most captivating historical fiction titles. These absorbing tales immerse readers in richly imagined past worlds. Through vivid description and emotional resonance, these novels offer intimate glimpses into pivotal moments and lesser-known histories.
Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai
In Vietnam, two sisters, Trang and Quỳnh, leave their village to help support their family financially. What they find is a new lifestyle, the art of seduction and the English language. As the war inches closer to them, one falls for an American soldier. Years later, a veteran returns to the country in seek of peace and finds more than he expected. A man who was abandoned at an orphanage hopes to leave the country that holds his parentage against him. This sweeping epic of the many lives impacted is a historical whirlwind.
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Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
Let Us Descend is a novel by Jesmyn Ward that reimagines the experience of slavery in America. Though heartbreaking, it is beautifully written. The main character Annis is sold from the Carolinas to New Orleans and then to a brutal Louisiana plantation. As she withstands the horrific forced march south, Annis finds comfort in memories of her mother and grandmother. She connects with the natural world and spirituality. While the novel depicts the horrors of slavery, it is ultimately about rebirth and reclaiming humanity. Ward skillfully conveys both the sorrow and joy of the Black American experience. With vivid writing and emotional power, the book represents her most accomplished work yet, offering an unforgettable portrayal of a painful period in history.
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Homeward by Angela Jackson-Brown
It’s 1962 in Georgia, and the country is in turmoil. Rose Perkins Bourdon comes back to her hometown of Parsons after her husband dies overseas. Pregnant with another man’s child, her world has been turned upside down. Numbed by grief, she tries to piece herself back together. Her sister introduces her to young activists with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Fighting for civil rights, these idealists awaken Rose from her stupor. Thrilled yet scared, she gets increasingly involved in their resistance efforts. A passionate young man named Isaac Weinberg also stirs feelings in Rose she thought were gone forever. As Rose joins the Civil Rights Movement, she rediscovers herself and grows into the strong woman she always aspired to be. Through her political awakening, Rose finds purpose and meaning again after tragedy.
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The Woman With A Purple Heart by Diane Hanks
The Woman With A Purple Heart shares the true story of Army nurse Lt. Annie Fox, a courageous leader during WWII. In 1941, Fox is posted to Hickam Air Force base in Hawaii. On December 7, Japanese planes attack Hickam, causing death and destruction. Fox rallies her nurses to save lives despite being overwhelmed. Showing remarkable leadership, she gathers more help from unexpected sources like Japanese-American nurses and prostitutes. Together they make it through the horrific day. Later, Fox’s Japanese-American friend is unjustly arrested as a suspected subversive. The book exposes this prejudice while portraying Fox as an inspiring leader who perseveres despite challenges.
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Absolution by Alice McDermott
This compelling book explores overlooked experiences of American women during the Vietnam War. In 1960s Saigon, two expatriate wives form a complex friendship. Naive Tricia and savvy humanitarian Charlene join a group of wives distributing aid to the needy. Years later, Tricia and Charlene’s daughter reconnect, reexamining their time in Saigon. Though the wives aimed to do good, their moral crusade had ironic, damaging effects. With nuance and empathy, the book evokes Graham Greene in confronting the tragedy of America’s involvement in Vietnam. McDermott masterfully explores untold stories of women on the margins of history.
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The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Set in 1950s Jim Crow Florida, this gripping novel follows 12-year-old Robbie Stephens Jr. He is unjustly sentenced to 6 months at a notorious reform school for Black boys after defending his sister Gloria. At the oppressive Gracetown School for Boys, Robbie encounters the horrors of racism. Gifted at seeing ghosts, he realizes missing boys may have met worse fates. With the help of friends Redbone and Blue, Robbie learns to survive amidst the terrors. Meanwhile, Gloria rallies family to get Robbie released before it’s too late. Inspired by author Tananarive Due’s relative, this haunting book brings to light the real-life tragedies at Florida’s Dozier School for Boys. By uncovering this buried history of injustice, Due gives voice to those who suffered under segregation. Her powerful novel vividly captures the racial terror endured by Black youth in the Jim Crow South.
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Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
Pineapple Street immerses readers in the privileged world of New York’s elite through the lens of the Stockton family. Darley, the eldest daughter, followed her heart by sacrificing her job and inheritance for motherhood but gave up too much. Middle-class Sasha married into the family but feels like an outsider. Youngest daughter Georgiana has fallen in love with someone unattainable and must decide what kind of person to become. With wit and indulgence, the novel depicts the pleasures and complexities of the one per-cent. Populated by relatable, flawed characters, it explores the unknowability of other families, class divides, and the insanity of first love. This addictive, escapist debut deftly examines family, love, and class through a humorous, sharply observant lens.
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One Blood by Denene Millner
This powerful novel follows three generations of Black women bound by family secrets and racial trauma. In the post-segregation South, Grace loses her grandmother and is sent North to live with ambitious Aunt Hattie. After getting pregnant, Hattie deceives Grace and gives away her baby, Lolo. Resilient Lolo will do anything to hold her picture-perfect family together. When Lolo’s daughter Rae discovers she’s adopted, she must reckon with her mother’s past. Spanning pivotal eras, the book intimately explores these women’s struggles with love, loss, and healing. Millner presents a poetic portrait of Black women’s resilience.
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The House Of Doors by Tan Twan Eng
Set in 1921 Malaysia, this spellbinding novel follows the complex relationships between British colonials and a visiting writer. Celebrated author Somerset Maugham arrives at the estate of old friends, seeking inspiration for his next book. But his probing stirs up buried secrets, including the lady of the house’s connection to a Chinese revolutionary. As Maugham uncovers a shocking murder trial involving the British woman, tensions escalate. Based on real events, the beautifully written book traces the fault lines of empire, love, and power. It offers a nuanced look at the bonds of friendship against the complicated backdrop of colonialism. The novel immerses readers in a captivating tale of betrayal, redemption, and the shadows of history.
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A Traitor In Whitehall by Julia Kelly
In 1940s England, a young woman named Evelyne is recruited to work in Winston Churchill’s war rooms. But when a coworker is murdered, Evelyne uses her sleuthing skills to find the killer. She soon crosses paths with a suspicious aide, David, who is secretly hunting for a government mole. Though initially adversaries, they reluctantly team up to catch the spy and murderer, while battling their growing attraction. With quick wit and determination, Evelyne plunges into the dangerous world of wartime intrigue in wartime London. This gripping novel combines mystery, action and romance against the backdrop of WWII England.
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