Top 15 Historical Fiction Recommendations for Every Reader

The thing I hear most about historical fiction is that it is boring, slow, and “please, not another WWII drama”. And it’s true, to some degree. Historical Fiction tends to be character driven with slowly developed plots that take place usually over multiple generations and they can be heavy reads. 

But whether you’re someone who loves fantasy, mythology, romance, and, yes, even WWII dramas (who doesn’t from time to time?) this list has a little historical fiction for every reader! 

This list was so hard to narrow down to a reasonable number as historical fiction is one of my most favourite genres … so I’ll be back with a part two in the future. But, for now, here are my top 15 favourite historical fiction recommendations (as of 2022).

Lovely War

Written by Julie Berry

Published by Penguin Books

So, yes, I’m starting off the list with a war novel and you’re likely already sighing in disappointment but hear me out! This is unlike any war drama you’ve read, for starters, it is told from the perspective of Aphrodite (Goddess of Love). In a Manhattan hotel room, Aphrodite tells her favourite love stories to her husband Hades and lover Ares … how’s that for a spin? Julie Berry draws two excellent and equally compelling love stories, while tackling issues of racism and PTSD. For lovers of romance and war dramas but want something a little different, this is one of my very favourites.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Animal Dreams

Written by Barbara Kingsolver

Published by HarperCollins

While known for her mega popular, Oprah book club pick The Poisonwood Bible, I actually prefer Barbara Kingsolver’s earlier novels. What fascinates me about her writing is that most of her stories have a strong central plot line of environmental warning and protection, written WAY before the conversation hit central mainstream. In Animal Dreams a young woman returns to her small hometown in Arizona to face her ailing, distant father, where she discovers her town is on the brink of environmental catastrophe. Aided by the help of a young man with different views, she begins to heal herself and fight for her home. Told in an interesting combination of dreams, flashbacks and Native American history, this is a love story that maybe, technically, wasn’t written as historical fiction but being that it was written in 1990, it easily feels as such.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Thirteenth Tale

Written by Diane Setterfield

Published by Washington Square Press

One of my favourite novels of all time, this story is arrestingly, compulsively readable. A mystery meets eeriness meets reclusive novelist, The Thirteenth Tale is a story about a young woman (running a bookstore I might add) who, out of the blue, is called upon by one of the most famous, reclusive authors of all time to share her life story. Living with her in her grande estate, she slowly begins to unravel a devastating history …

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Still Life

Written by Sarah Winman

Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons

A recent favourite read, and one I highly, highly, recommend as an audiobook (I truly don’t know how much I would have loved it without Sarah Winman narrating these characters in such unique mannerisms that truly brought the cast to life). A multigenerational story that starts with two characters – young solider Olysses and older art historian Evelyn – meeting in Italy at the end of WWII that sparks a lifelong kinship. Following the characters over multiple generations after their meeting, it is a simple story about life, love, found family, friendship, the pleasures in life, art history and, most wonderfully, an immersive trip to beautiful Italy. Not for those who hate slowly plotted novels – as this is the slowest moving story on this list – I was nonetheless always entertained (in large part due to the excellent narration of the audiobook).

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Vanishing Half

Written by Brit Bennett

Published by Riverhead Books

Hugely popular and highly acclaimed, this is an historical fiction pick for the reader who wants a more contemporary literary fiction story that centres on the difficult topics of racism and classism in America. Following Black twins in a small, Southern town who run away at age sixteen to live a better life in the city than the life of poverty that awaits them. But, years later, the sisters have separated with no contact – one returning home with her Black daughter to run the local cafe and the other passing as white and living the life of the wealthy elite. Weaving together stories from the 1950s and 1990s, this story addresses so many storylines and challenging conversations on racism, social injustice, transgender and gender identity, belonging and complicated bonds of family, that easily could’ve become a mess. But in Brit Bennett’s capable hands, the story is brilliant told.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Lincoln Highway

Written by Amor Towles

Published by Viking

Ah, my favourite read of 2021. Why I thought Amor Towles was “unapproachable” and “too high brow” for me, I don’t know. But if you have those similar assumptions, they’re wrong. Amor writes intelligently, smoothly, and is the definition of approachable. At least in this story, I will be reading A Gentleman in Moscow soon! The Lincoln Highway is set over just a couple of days in the summer of 1954 after Emmett Watson is released from juvenile prison following an accident that landed him there. His father has just passed and he returns home to raise his younger brother Billy, only to discover his father was greatly in debt and the bank has foreclosed on their farm. His plan is to take Billy, settle in a new town, and “flip” houses to rent and sell. Billy, however, wants to drive across country to California to see if they can find their mother, who left years before, believing she was sending clues in postcards their father never showed them. A cross country journey full of mishaps as two friends unexpectedly show up and complicate the plans, a novel of unforgettable characters and beautiful, heartfelt moments. I loved this book.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Shadow of the Wind

Written by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Published by Penguin Books

An oldie for me, but a story that helped me fall back in love with reading following my reading break that enveloped most of my twenties as a University student and later twenties as a young mom. This historical novel is set in Barcelona, 1945 as Daniel – the son of a bookseller – mourns his mother. Taking solace in a book – The Shadow of the Wind – he sets out on a quest to find the authors’ other works, only to discover someone is hunting them down and destroying them. Mystery, murder, friendships and familial love and healing all combine in this slow moving but gorgeously rendered story.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Deacon King Kong

Written by James McBride

Published by Riverhead Books

I loved the audiobook of this novel, which brought the characters brilliantly to life. Deacon King Kong is a story that is impossible to provide an accurate synopsis for because you will form opinions about it after reading the description, but nothing can actually capture what the reading is like. September 1969, the Projects of New York, bumbling and cranky church deacon (Sportcoat) drunkly staggers up to the biggest, most notorious drug dealer of the project’s and shoots him in the ear. It doesn’t sound funny but it is, it is so so funny and so so harrowing at times as McBride weaves together the stories of all those who are affected by and witness to the shooting. Tackling immigrant experience and the treatment of people of colour in the 60s, corrupt policing, gentrification, and Italian mobsters, this novel brings a kitchen sink full of material and brilliantly, funnily handles it all.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Dutch House

Written by Ann Patchett

Published by HarperCollins

I love Ann Patchett and The Dutch House is her masterpiece. Alternating between two siblings – Daniel and Maeve – this story centres around the grande home, The Dutch House, that their father purchased after smart investments following WWII. After their mother’s death, and years later their father’s death, their stepmother kicks the children out of their home and into poverty. Relying on each other, these two siblings form an incredible bond (unhealthy at times?) that both saves them and, at times, hinders them. Told over many decades the story shows that no matter how far we go in life, our past and the bonds of family, never fully let us go.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

Written by Fannie Flagg

Published by Ballantine Books

The original southern comfort, small town writer! Terrible title, but awesome book, this story (set in the 1970s) follows rising TV superstar Dena Nordstrom. Beautiful and smart and popular, Dena suffers a breakdown and retreats to the small town she was born to solve her painful, mysterious past. Written well before the conversation of sensational journalism became mainstream, this story fascinatingly delves into the world of when the news switched from delivering, well, the news, and fell into the scheming, made-to-shock, toxic pile it is. Written in 1998, oh how worse things would become! All the same, this story is romantic, small town charming, and mysterious.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Fountains of Silence

Written by Ruta Sepetys

Published by Philomel Books

The queen of YA/Adult genre crossover, this wonderful story brings to life a very painful period of Spanish history during the ruling of Generalissimo Francisco. Starting in 1957, Daniel, the son of a wealthy Texan oil tycoon, arrives in Madrid following the reopening of the country to wealthy foreigners. Aspiring photographer Daniel meets Ana, a maid at the deluxe hotel in which he stays, and through her uncovers the “real Spain” hidden behind the glitz and glam. Including media reports, commentaries and photographs, this is a fascinating and harrowing look at a painfully dark (and often brushed over) time in Spain.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Giver of Stars

Written by Jojo Moyes

Published by Penguin Books

Book club material gold, this is very approachable historical fiction because not only is it rather easy to digest it centres around the love of books! A Depression-era Americana novel, The Giver of Stars follows the journey of a brave group of women as they defied sexist convention to bravely deliver books on horseback to areas of rural Kentucky. Eventually known as the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky, I enjoyed this beautiful and heartbreaking story surrounding the love of reading and power of female friendship.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

Cutting for Stone

Written by Abraham Verghese

Published by Vintage

Okay, here it is. The historical fiction recommendation for the true, ready to tackle a big one, historical fiction die hard fans! This is by far the densest story on this list with some challenging subject matter, but oh, it is so well written! Starting out in Africa, the story follows two twins born from the secret relationship between a beautiful Indian nun and a talented American doctor who are orphaned after their mother’s death in childbirth. The very close twins grow up in pre revolution Ethiopia before being torn apart in their early twenties by their shared love for the same woman. One twin, Marion, heads off to finish medical school in America spending years not speaking to his brother until twists of fate and cruelties of life force him to confront not only his long estranged brother, but his long forgotten father.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Mercies

Written by Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Published by Little Brown

Okay, maybe I lied about the above, this one might be the most difficult subject matter and I will put up a content warning here: this novel is very dark and has references to sexual assault, a disturbing retelling of rape of a young child (which I had to skip over) and torture of women accused of witches. Why is it on this list? Because the writing is incredibly moving and while I am very sensitive to triggers I was able to read and appreciate this phenomenal story of survival and the power of women. Reimagining the real life events of Finnmark, Norway, 1617, when most of the men of the small Northern town of Vardo are killed at sea, the women fend for themselves learning to fish, hunt, and survive. Three years later, upon hearing of these “self sufficient” women, a pious witch hunter and his wife arrive to investigate the evil that has flooded this town. As some women turn against one another, others form unbreakable bonds in this harrowing and completely unforgettable story.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

The Huntress

Written by Kate Quinn

Published by William Morrow & Company

We’ve come full circle, from the WWII drama that started the list to this quintessential WWII historical fiction novel by one of the reigning queens of the genre. For those who unapologetically love World War centred dramas, you won’t find many better than this one. Following three main characters – Ian Graham, Nina Markova, and Jordan McBride – whose stories will intertwine as Ian hunts down Nazi’s following WWII, especially the elusive “Huntress”. What stands this novel apart for me from the other war-centred canon is the fascinating exploration of the Nina character and the legendary Russian Night Witches, women pilots responsible for numerous night bombing missions against German forces. All characters are expertly drawn and even though the reader is ahead of the characters in the discovery of “The Huntress” it doesn’t stop this from being a propulsive, enticing read.

Full review HERE.

You can find it here: Bookshop.org

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