Category Archives: Historical Fiction

Love and Ruin by Paula McLain

05 Monday Nov 2018

Posted by in Biographical fiction, Historical Fiction

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What woman could hold her own and be married to Ernest Hemingway?  Meet Hemingway’s third wife, Martha Gelhorn, who did become one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20th century.  I have read both The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun, but McLain’s novel portraying this stormy, passionate marriage is by far the best of the three.

“Wonderfully evocative . . . This is historical fiction at its best, and today’s female readers will be encouraged by Martha, who refuses to be silenced or limited in a time that was harshly repressive for women.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Propulsive . . . highly engaging . . . McLain does an excellent job portraying a woman with dreams who isn’t afraid to make them real, showing [Gellhorn’s] bravery in what was very much a man’s world. Her work around the world . . . is presented in meticulous, hair-raising passages. . . . The book is fueled by her questing spirit, which asks, Why must a woman decide between being a war correspondent and a wife in her husband’s bed?”—The New York Times Book Review

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Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

21 Friday Sep 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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Named One of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, Esquire, Vogue, The Washington Post, The Guardian, USA TODAY, Time • A New York Times Notable Book

“A magnificent achievement, at once a suspenseful noir intrigue and a transporting work of lyrical beauty and emotional heft” (The Boston Globe), “Egan’s first foray into historical fiction makes you forget you’re reading historical fiction at all” (Elle).  Experience Anna Kerrigan’s world as the first woman diver at the Brooklyn Naval Yard just after Pearl Harbor and her search for her missing father that weaves in and out of a world of gangsters, sailors, bankers, and union men.

“Egan’s propulsive, surprising, ravishing, and revelatory saga, a covertly profound page-turner that will transport and transform every reader, casts us all as divers in the deep, searching for answers, hope, and ascension.”—Booklist (starred review)

“This large, ambitious novel shows Egan at the top of her game. Anna is a true feminist heroine, and her grit and tenacity will make readers root for her.”—Library Journal (starred review) 

“Tremendously assured and rich, moving from depictions of violence and crime to deep tenderness. The book’s emotional power once again demonstrates Egan’s extraordinary gifts.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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The Lost Family by Jenna Blum

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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The New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us creates a vivid portrait of a husband devastated by a grief he cannot name, a frustrated wife struggling to compete with a ghost she cannot banish, and a daughter sensitive to the pain of both her own family and another lost before she was born. This book tugged at so many emotions for me. I couldn’t wait to read the next chapter.

“This exquisitely crafted and compassionate novel offers a lesson in honesty, regardless of how difficult the truth may be. It will offer plenty of discussion for book groups.” (Library Journal (starred review))

“(Blum) takes on the difficult task of rendering generational trauma visible, and does it with such humor and empathy, you can’t help but be swept along for the ride.” (Village Voice)

“Blum avoids the sap of happy endings and easy resolutions in this perfect encapsulation of the changing times and turbulence of mid- and late-20th-century America.” (Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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Bound for Gold: A Peter Fallon Novel of the California Gold Rush by William Martin

14 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Uncategorized

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Just published!  William Martin, local author and very frequent Weston library patron, gave a presentation about his book at the Weston Public Library on July 26th.  Now we have read it.  Expertly researched, vivid details, and nimble writing guarantee a rollicking wild read! Highly recommended.

“Plenty of skullduggery and labyrinths of mystery lace this gem about the California gold rush. The prose and plot are as sharp as a broken piece of glass. Another masterpiece from the master of historical fiction.” ―Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

“Epic in scale, eloquent in execution, Bound for Gold is a pure delight. The great Forty-Niner gold rush comes to vivid life in William Martin’s skillful, suspenseful, and original retelling, and its resonance into the present is nothing short of mesmerizing.” ―John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author

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Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in England, Fiction, Historical Fiction, London

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I’m not sure I’ve ever read a funny World War II book before, until this one. Noel is a 10-year old orphan assigned to live with Vera, a single mother living outside London. Noel is very smart, Vera is very desperate to earn money, and together they make an unlikely duo. This book has a lot of humor, great characters, and just the right amount of emotion.

“I try not to say, ‘If there’s one novel you should read this summer..’ but Crooked Heart tempts me to say it.” (Scott Simon, NPR)

“Crooked Heart explores the Blitz during World War II from two utterly inventive perspectives…. A charming, slanted counterpoint to Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.” (Library Journal, starred review)

“In ‘Crooked Heart,’ Lissa Evans’s absorbing and atmospheric comic novel, another quietly heroic orphan joins the canon….This is a wonderfully old-fashioned Dickensian novel, with satisfying plot twists….Both darkly funny and deeply touching….It’s a crooked journey, straight to the heart.” (New York Times Book Review)

“The most purely charming read of the summer…. The novel’s heart may be crooked, but it is completely in the right place. And if wanting a happy ending for this offbeat pair is wrong, I can’t imagine a reader on earth who would want to be right.” (Christian Science Monitor)

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The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir by Jennifer Ryan

06 Friday Jul 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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This book is recommended by a Weston library patron.

“World War II in an English village seen through the eyes of the most delicious cast of characters you’ll ever meet—The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir is a masterpiece of secrets, misdirection, village gossip, and gleeful disregard for anything but the main chance, as the Home Front learns to carry on. Seldom do you find a writer with such a deft touch—Jennifer Ryan sweeps the reader along to the very last page in a remarkable debut. “
— Charles Todd, New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge series

“There’s so much happening in Chilbury: intrigue, romance and an unforgettable cast of characters who aren’t always as they appear. The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir is a charming slice of English wartime life that warms the soul like a hot toddy.”
— Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times bestselling author of Lilac Girls

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The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

06 Friday Apr 2018

Posted by in 20th century, Fiction, Historical Fiction

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Kristin Hannah, author of The Nightingale, has done it again.  A troubled family consisting of thirteen year old Leni and her parents Ernt and Cora, sets off to Alaska in the 1970’s hoping to find happiness and fulfillment.  But they find that the harsh reality of the long dark winter is an unsympathetic teacher. The family learns the terrible truth that there is no one to save them but themselves.  A classic coming of age story and survival saga that is highly readable.  This book will make you enjoy the Nor’easters of 2018!

Alaska itself and its wildness and beauty is as much a character in this book as the people who are brave enough to live there. “In the vast expanse of this unpredictable wilderness, you will either become your best self and flourish, or you will run away, screaming from the dark and cold and the hardship.  There is no middle ground, no safe place, not here, in the Great Alone.” — Kristin Hannah.   Beauty versus violence.  An excellent read.

“Hannah vividly evokes the natural beauty and danger of Alaska and paints a compelling portrait of a family in crisis and a community on the brink of change.” ―Booklist

“There are many great things about this book…It will thrill her fans with its combination of Greek tragedy, Romeo and Juliet-like coming of age story and domestic potboiler. She recreates in magical detail the lives of Alaska’s homesteaders…and is just as specific and authentic in her depiction of the spiritual wounds of post-Vietnam America. A tour de force.” ―Kirkus (starred review)

“Hannah skillfully situates the emotional family saga in the events and culture of the late ’70s… But it’s her tautly drawn characters―Large Marge, Genny, Mad Earl, Tica, Tom―who contribute not only to Leni’s improbable survival but to her salvation amid her family’s tragedy.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

30 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST

This novel is both an absorbing tale of family dynamics and a fascinating look at another culture and time. It’s a big book, but I read it quickly, unable to put it down. This book chronicles an immigrant Korean family living in Japan during most of the 20th century. You might be shocked about the treatment of Korean immigrants in Japan. The characters are well developed and I really cared about them, especially Sunja and her sister-in-law.

“An exquisite, haunting epic…’moments of shimmering beauty and some glory, too,’ illuminate the narrative…Lee’s profound novel…is shaped by impeccable research, meticulous plotting, and empathic perception.”―Booklist (starred review)

“Stunning… Despite the compelling sweep of time and history, it is the characters and their tumultuous lives that propel the narrative… A compassionate, clear gaze at the chaotic landscape of life itself. In this haunting epic tale, no one story seems too minor to be briefly illuminated. Lee suggests that behind the facades of wildly different people lie countless private desires, hopes and miseries, if we have the patience and compassion to look and listen.”―The New York Times Book Review

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The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott

17 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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A portrait of the Irish-American experience is presented through the story of an Irish immigrant’s suicide and how it reverberates through innumerable lives in early twentieth-century Catholic Brooklyn.

“This seamlessly written new work from National Book Award winner McDermott asks how much we owe others, how much we owe ourselves, and, of course, McDermott’s consistent attention to the Catholic faith, how much we owe God . . . In lucid, flowing prose, McDermott weaves her character’ stories to powerful effect. Highly recommended.” ―Library Journal, starred review

“McDermott delivers an immense, brilliant novel about the limits of faith, the power of sacrifice, and the cost of forgiveness . . . It’s the thread that follows Sally’s coming of age and eventual lapse of faith that is the most absorbing. Scenes detailing her benevolent encounters . . . are paradoxically grotesque and irresistible . . . McDermott exhibits a keen eye for character.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

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Fools and Mortals by Bernard Cornwell

09 Friday Feb 2018

Posted by in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, London

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Philippa Gregory describes this book perfectly: “With all the vivid history that is his trademark, Bernard Cornwell transports the readers to the playhouses, backstreets, and palaces of Shakespeare’s London with added depth and compassion, and a likeable hero.”  This is historical fiction at its best with a thriller element thrown in for sheer reading pleasure.

“In this delightful departure from his popular military historicals, Cornwell (The Flame Bearer, 2016) conducts a boisterous behind-the-scenes romp through the often sordid world of the Elizabethan theater…. Cornwell displays his usual masterful attention to detail…. Sumptuously entertaining.” (Booklist)

“Marvelous…. Full of drama, both on- and offstage, and with numerous delightful, laugh-out-loud moments, this novel is an absolute joy. A must-have for anyone who loves the theater, this is easily the best book this reviewer has read this year.” (Library Journal, starred review)

 

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