Historical Fiction Books You Must Read

Seriously. I have raved about his stuff a ton, and am currently reading my last un-read book of his. His next book, China, is coming out in 2021 and I can hardly wait! His novels are based in one place, through the ages, and follow interconnected families. I first fell in love with Paris and have been devouring them ever since. Check Rutherfurd out here. 

 

I was obsessed with these books growing up, and I’m still enthralled with Jacky’s story. As a young orphan in London, she decides to disguise herself as a boy and board a ship. What follows are countess adventures across the globe, all lead by an inspiring heroine. I wrote about this series back in 2015 and think I sold it quite well, if I do say so myself. Check out all of the books here. 

 

I tend to think the most with these books. Anything that can poke fun at the church, while still highlighting its good attributes, is a winner in my book. The Relic Master is hysterical. It’s been years since I’ve read it and I don’t remember all the details, but I do know I was completely captivated. 

 

The Name of the Rose caused me to laugh out loud at some moments and at other moments I skipped long passages. This book tells a compelling story with beautiful prose, but I could have done without the drawn out theological conversations. I’d recommend this book if you want to sink into a complex and wonderfully challenging read.

 

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

It’s been years since I’ve read this as well, but I gave it five stars on Goodreads so I know I loved it! It tells the story of Ernest Hemingway’s wife and her experience being part of Ernest’s successes and relationships during the Jazz Age. Check it out here. 

 

I gave another five star rating to A Gentleman in Moscow. Adult/child relationships make me so happy and this was the centerpiece of the story for me. The main character, the Count, is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol hotel as communism rises in Russia. His life and the story unfold within the confines of the hotel, but feel as wide and varied as any tale. From interacts with a famous actress, to statesmen, to the staff, Towles gives us a lifetime of experiences over decades with the Count. Highly recommend! 

Rules of Civility is another Amor Towles novel, this time set in New York, so it was right up my alley.

 

Books I read a while ago and know I was super into, but don’t remember all of the details

The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore. This is a thrilling novel about the race to claim the invention of the lightbulb. Told through the eyes of the young lawyer hired by Westinghouse, you get to run into Edison and Tesla, among others, on the quest to win the case. 

 

The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki. All I remember is diving into the world of Russian rulers in the mid 1800s and falling in the love with the heroine. 

 

The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan. Two sisters find themselves nearly destitute in Paris, trying to make ends meet. They make their way to the theater and ballet, where one ends up modeling for Degas and the other falls in love with a dangerous character.

 

Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier. A novel based on the painting by Jules Vermeer. The story is lead by the maid who is the model for this famous work, and I don’t remember much else.