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Newest Historical Fiction Reviews (view source)
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[[Category:Historical Fiction|*]]
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<!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE-->{{Frontpage|author=Tananarive Due|title=The Reformatory|rating=5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary= Gracetown, Florida. June 1950. After a scuffle with a white boy, twelve year-old Robbie Stephens Jr is sentenced to six months at the Gracetown School for Boys, otherwise known as the Reformatory. It's a place with a brutal and dark reputation. But the segregated reformatory is a chamber of horrors, haunted by the boys that have died there. In order to survive the school governor and his Funhouse, Robert must enlist the help of the school's ghosts – only they have their own motivations...|isbn=1803366532}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Angela ThirkellKatherine Howe|title=August FollyA True Account
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=Richard Tebben came down from Oxford Hannah Masury is living in June Boston, having been sent to live with a family who run an undistinguished Third inn, and little idea of what he wanted being made to do with himselfwork there from a young age. It was When she hears there is to be a pity that money dictated hanging of some pirates in the need town, she decides to remain go and watch. Enthralled and horrified in equal measure, Hannah finds herself embroiled in a young boy's death at the Barsetshire village hands of Worsted (just a little way from Winter Overcotes) with his family two vicious pirates. She hides away, so that they don't find and kill her too, and others who were not really up then to escape them completely she runs away to scratch (his mother had taken sea, dressing as a First...) particularly as there was little in boy and joining the way of diversion other than Mrs Palmernotorious Ned Low's Greek play, into which everyone was roped willy-nillypirate ship as a cabin boy. Then She soon finds herself in the Dean family arrived for the summerthick of things when there is a mutiny on board, impossibly glamorous and accompanied by six of their nine children and Richard was immediately smitten by Rachel Dean, mother from there we are caught up in her rip roaring tale of life on the family and more than twice his ageocean waves.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1844089681</amazonuk>0861547438
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Robin LloydSarah Marsh|title=Rough Passage to London: A Sea Captain's Tale, a NovelSign of Her Own|rating=43.5|genre=Historical General Fiction|summary=Elisha Ely Morgan leaves his native Connecticut to go to seaAfter a bout of scarlet fever as a child, partially but not entirely to escape his father's crueltyEllen Lark loses her hearing. There's Suddenly plunged into a second reason: the sea has been blamed for the loss world of two of his brotherssilence, everything about her life changes. Living in a time when the exact circumstances use of his elder brother's disappearance never having been clearsign language was seen as something only savages do, Ellen is sent to a school where she is taught to lip read, but physically restrained from signing. But Ely From here, she ends up in another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who has heard a rumour; been teaching the deaf and using a rumour that will take him as far away as London and obsess him for decadessystem called Visible Speech. His brother Abraham may not be deadAt the same time, Bell is working on other inventions and ideas, and Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in a complicated tangle of espionage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1574093207</amazonuk>1035401614
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Kirsty WarkClaire North|title=The Legacy House of Elizabeth PringleOdysseus
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary=Elizabeth Pringle bequeathed her house on Arran to Anna Morrison even though she didn't actually know her. Anna just happened to walk past and ask to buy the house decades earlier. Elizabeth hadn't said yes but always remembered the young lady, walking past with the baby in the pram. The baby, Martha, is now an adult visiting ElizabethWhat could matter more than love?'s house – Anna's house – after Elizabeth's death. Through the belongings that Elizabeth left with it, Martha sees glimpses of a past life while hoping that that this refuge will now become a haven for her mother before it's too late and while she still has a mind to take her back to the good times. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444777602</amazonuk>}}
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{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Vanora BennettB0C7J9D21B|title=Midnight A Captive in St PetersburgAlgiers (Muhammed Amalfi Mysteries)|author=A J Lewis
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Inna Feldman When we first meet our hero, his name is in the Kiev theatre the night that Prime Minister Stolypin is assassinated in front Ettore and he lives at The House of the TsarBeautiful Swallows. Fearing the retribution against the Jews in general and being picked out Idyllic as this might sound, it's a suspect in particular, Inna flees to St Petersburg bordello and her landlordEttore's cousin Yashamother died when he was born. Her arrival causes complications. Not only is she unexpected He's not been short of mothers, though - but Yasha is a revolutionaryfor someone of his background in late-eighteenth-century Amalfi, a dangerous occupation in Russia during 1911it's difficult to obtain decent employment. The family that Yasha is living stint working with takes her in anyway, unaware that darker times the preparation of anchovies didn't work out and bastards are ahead considered bad luck on fishing boats. Ettore was nothing if not resourceful - and determined - and it was not long before he had a successful business as a guide for all of themvisitors. He was even saving some money.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1780890036</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Rosie ThomasEssie Fox|title=The IllusionistsFascination
|rating=4
|genre=Women's Historical Fiction|summary=Devil Wix The Victorian era is incredibly over-romanticised as a great Victorian illusionist. Admittedly Lady Luck hasn’t been too good setting for historical fiction (matched only, perhaps, by the Second World War) which has often led to him lately and he may look more than a little ragged but he's talented and repeatedly tells himself sofew writers mishandling it. One particular night as heThere's reassuring himself over such a drink or three, he runs into Carlo Boldoni. (Or rather Carlo runs into him as heglut of media set in the era that the hallmarks we's picking Devil's pocket at the time.) Formerly Charlie Morris and a dwarf ve come to associate with it are familiar to the Victorians/person point of restricted growth being cliched, hackneyed even. All this is simply to us, Carlo was part of a performing troupe but now finds himself alone due illustrate that it would be an easy thing to tragic circumstancesdo poorly. They join forces but little do they know the future nor the part But despite that a certain young lady will play in , something about itstill grabs me – and something about this book's description did as well.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0007512015</amazonuk>1914585526
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Ayelet WaldmanNicole Jarvis|title=Love and TreasureA Portrait in Shadow|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Jack and his granddaughter Natalie are both at a cross roads in their lives. She is single again after a short disastrous marriage and he is dying. Natalie comes ''I want all of Florence to stay and during her visit Jack asks a favour. He asks her to embark on a mission for him involving a peacock pendant and some unfinished business from nearly 70 years ago.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444763091</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=The Eagle Trail|author=Robert Rigby|rating=4|genre=Teens|summary=The Nazis have occupied Antwerp, where Paul lives with his English father and French mother. But Paul doesnknow my name''t think things are too bad. Life is going on pretty much as normal if you are a teenaged boy, Paul feels. But Paul is wrong.
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Thomas D Lee
|title=Perilous Times
|rating=3
|genre= Fantasy
|summary= ''Hate is the path of least resistance''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sally WraggG K Holloway|title=LoxleyIn the Shadows of Castles|rating=34.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Harry, We begin after the eleventh Duke of Loxley, fell momentous battle in love with Bronwyn 1066 and they marriedon the day of William of Normandy's coronation as King of England. It wasnWilliam't the match that his mother would have chosen - Bronwyn was, after all, nothing more than the daughter of the local doctor s position is not secure and even Harry and Bronwyn wondered whether or not they'd done the new king has many challenges. Imposing authority through a coronation is important. And William is right thing as they struggled to come to terms with married lifeworry. Katherine, While the dowager Duchessprevious king, didn't make Bronwyn's life any easier - I meanHarold, is dead and the girl wasn't above starting to clear likelihood of more pitched battles is over, the breakfast dishes when there were servants to do ''that'' sort rebels are stirring and much of thing. And - the country does not wish to cap it all - she still wasn't pregnant and an heir for Loxley was of paramount importancerecognise a new overlord.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>B00EHMH5XC</amazonuk>1800422466
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=3949666079
|title=Noema
|author=Dael Akkerman
|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=''This is a story about some things that happened to me about twelve thousand years ago.''
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Octavia E Butler1529125898|title=KindredGodmersham Park|author=Gill Hornby
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Russia, 1796 and ''If it were not for the ruler is dying from a stroke. As each new symptom hits and her life recedes a little further she remembers how she came this far. Her recollections begin when she was Sophie, Princess casual dereliction of Anholt-Zerbstthe odd gentleman's duty, sent there would no women to young Russian Grand Duke Peter as a marriage prospect. The wedding plans go through and her new life is accompanied by a name change: Princess Sophie becomes Catherine Alekseyevna but history will christen her Catherine the Greatteach well-bred daughters at all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>B00J8KYE14</amazonuk>}}''
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{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Lesley GlaisterMelissa Fu |title=Little EgyptPeach Blossom Spring |rating=3.5|genre=General Historical Fiction|summary=Twins Isis and Osiris are now in their 90s, living together in Little EgyptI loved the prelude to Peach Blossom Spring, the English manor house where they were born and brought up. Their names are a clue to their parentsshort chapter entitled ''Origins'' near fetish for everything Egyptian. In fact this near fetish leads their parents to Egypt itself, in search Unfortunately it is the only truly poetic part of a big discovery back in the 1920s, demonstrating book that I expected more enthusiasm than savvyfrom. Having left the twins in Covering Chinese history from 1938 to 2005 as viewed through one family's perspective. When their home city is set ablaze during the care of the housekeeperwar with Japan, they never return. Isis a young mother (Meilin) and Osiris her four-year-old son (Renshu) are now bound to the houseamong those who flee. The story follows them on their journey across China, tied not by love or memories but dark secrets that wonand in Renshu't let gos case eventually to America. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>190777372X</amazonuk>1472277538
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Anne O'Brien1916072038|title=The Scandalous DuchessHouse in the Hollow (The Talbot Saga)|author=Allie Cresswell
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=1372: Lady Katherine de Swynford is widowed and We meet part of the Talbot family in Yorkshire in reduced circumstances as a resultNovember 1811. She remembers a more sumptuous life before Twenty-seven-year-old Jocelyn Talbot and her marriage; a life mother have travelled in the service of Queen Philippa, mother of Johnsome discomfort from their home at Ecklington, Duke of Lancaster. In the hope of reprising her past lifestyle she goes to the Savoy Palace to beg house in the Duke for a role in his householdhollow. He willingly employs her to help his new wife, Constanza, the Princess The two women are angry with each other and Jocelyn is well aware of Castille, with her imminent birth but this is a dangerous move. As John and Katherine fall in love and Katherine becomes Johnmother's mistress they endanger more than their hearts; their attraction provides ammunition for their enemies, risking fatal results.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848452985</amazonuk>}}strengths and weaknesses:
}}
|rating=5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=On 5th December 1872 Eliza Acton is a poet who has never had the merchant brig Mary Celeste was found devoid of human slightest inclination to boil an egg. When tasked with writing a cookery book, she recruits Ann Kirby, a local woman with a troubled home life (or death). Together, floating aimlessly in the Atlantic. Manythey test, including Sherlock Holmes author [[:Category:Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]craft, are intrigued by refine and reshape the mysterious absence world of all crew domestic cookery, reinventing the recipe book and Captain Benjamin Briggs' family (keeping the Captain company for the trip). Meanwhile investigative journalist Phoebe Grant wants to reveal the charlatans behind changing the popularity face of spiritualist mediums and chooses Violet Petra as her study sample. Does Violet have the powers she claims and why is she getting so upset about Conan Doyle's Mary Celeste story? Phoebe is determined to find out and, in doing so, will be pulled into a maritime conundrum that may never be completely solvedcookery writing forever.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0297870327</amazonuk>1398502227
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=James ScottFreya Marske|title=The KeptA Marvellous Light|rating=54
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Elspeth Robin Blyth is nudged into a job in the Civil Service, much to his chagrin. There he meets Edwin Courcey and her 12 year old son Caleb have been beset by one of learns that the worst types streets of tragedyLondon are threaded with magic. As Desperate to remove a resultcurse that threatens to swallow him, Robin follows Edwin to the countryside, fuelled by Caleb's need for revenge where the hedgegrows bristle with incantations and Elspeth's motherly love, the people shimmer with power. There they set out on uncover a journey sinister plot that brings them to threatens the small Lake Erie town lives of Watersbridge. With their new setting comes a greater understanding of their past which is a mixed blessing that must be met head on before they have to face their futureall magicians in the British Isles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0091944503</amazonuk>1529080886
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|isbn= B09F4CTKJR|title=The Three MusketeersFlights for Freedom|author=Alexandre Dumas and Will Hobson (translator)Steven Burgauer
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Leaving his home to try It's the later stages of World War I and join the famous musketeers in Paris, United States has just entered the conflict. Petrol Petronus is a young Gascon d'Artagnan encounters troubles on American who has signed up and joined the 17 Aero Squadron. This company was the way but quickly falls first US Aero Squadron to be trained in with title characters AthosCanada, Aramis the first to be attached to the RAF and Porthos. Soon, the quartet are caught up first to be sent into the skies to fight the Germans in a diabolical plot of the wicked Cardinal Richelieu and his accomplice Milady de Winter - active combat. But before that can they save happen, Petrol has to master flying the Queen's honour?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849907498</amazonuk>notoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel.
}}
{{newreview|title=WakeFrontpage|author=Anna HopeChristophe Medler|rating=3.5|genretitle=Historical Fiction|summary=WakeMadrigal: 1 Emerge or cause to emerge from sleep<br>2 Ritual for the dead<br>3 Consequence or aftermath We often hear the term ''Broken Britain'' in reference to modern society, but the Britain presented in ''Wake'' epitomises the term completely. This is a country reeling from the aftermath of the Great War. Unemployment is rife, food scarce and every family has been touched and scarred forever by the events of the preceding years.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857521942</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|title=Keane's Company|author=Iain GaleA Closely Guarded Secret
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=There is one fictionalised character that straddles recent historic fiction set during Set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars like English Civil War, a Colossus and that man secret plan (code-named Madrigal) is Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharpediscovered by Sir Robert Douse in the summer of 1642. To take on this level As a loyal servant of success is no easy taskthe King, but with Sharpe books no longer being releasedand Head of the Secret Service, there it is room for a new man. Is that man James Keane, star Robert's duty to uncover the details of Iain Gale’s ‘Keane’s Company’? This is a book that forgoes some the plan and follow the clues to uncover one of the deeper literary elements most guarded secrets in favour of action and thrillshistory—especially since the plot could affect the King.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1782064524</amazonuk>B095HY8SXQ
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=James McBride1471187179|title=The Good Lord BirdA Beautiful Spy|author=Rachel Hore
|rating=4
|genre=Historical Fiction
|summary=Henry Minnie is an 'The Onionordinary' Shackleford lives as Henrietta (or just plain Onion) until he's 17 due to girl living an unexciting life in a misunderstanding that may prove too dangerous for him to correctleafy provincial suburb. The reason book is that set in the person under this misapprehension 1930s and Minnie is expected to live up to her mother's expectations and find a nice young man to marry, produce children and spend the fiercely well-meaning slavery abolitionist (with the emphasis on the 'fiercely') John Brownrest of her days looking after her husband and their home. As Onion accompanies him on his quest to free every slave they encounterUnfortunately, he discovers that Brownthis isn's philanthropy only stretches so fart what she wants to do at all and neither does she want to continue working as a secretary. Meanwhile it's that time As a result of the 19th century when a shadow spreads over Americachance meeting, she finds herself drawn into espionage, one that will cause working for the secret service and effectively living a historic scar almost as great as that double life - attempting to infiltrate the Communist Party of slavery but Brown is oblivious to thisGreat Britain. He doesn't; want to start a civil war, just an armed slave revoltMinnie finds herself torn between what she perceives as her duty and the friends she has made - and likes - whilst working for the Communist Party.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594486344</amazonuk>
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|titleauthor=Custard Tarts Afonso Cruz and Broken HeartsRahul Bery (translator)|authortitle=Mary GibsonKokoschka's Doll|rating=2.5|genre=Historical Literary Fiction|summary=In Well, this looked very much like a book I could love from the tinderget-dry summer go, which is why I picked my review copy up and flipped pages over several times before actually reading any of 1911 the factory workers of Bermondsey are about it. I found things to ignite potentially delight me each time – a weird section in the flame of changemiddle on darker stock paper, leading to a chapter whose number was in the great ''Summer of Unrest''. Inspired by the dock workers’ strike20,000s, scores of dissatisfied female workers take to the streets in protestletters used as narrative form, demanding better working conditions and equal payso on. Nellie Clark, who works in Duff’s custard factory, is entranced by It intrigued with the charismatic revolutionary Ted Bosher and is swept along subterranean voice a man hears in the fervourwartorn Dresden that what little I knew of it mentioned, enthusiastically joining her workmates in the protesttoo. When But you've seen the heat of the day dies downstar rating that comes with this review, howeverand can tell that if love was on these pages, she is reminded of the stark reality that her wages are needed to feed her starving siblingsit was not actually caused by them. How will her drunken, violent father react when he finds out So what she has donehappened?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1781855773</amazonuk>1529402697
}}
{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sue Monk KiddChristina Hammonds Reed|title=The Invention of WingsBlack Kids|rating=4.5|genre=Historical FictionTeens |summary=On her 11th birthday Sarah Grimké Christina Hammonds Reed's debut novel is given set against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles riots, a special presentreaction to the absolution of four police officers for beating a black man, Rodney King, nearly to death. It walks towards Told from the perspective of Ashley Bennett, the novel follows her decorated evolution from a silent bystander when confronted with a purple ribbon for 'it' is Hettymatters of race, Sarah's new personal slave. They grow up together on the Grimkés' Charleston plantation separated by conventions thought to be set in stone. However each in their own way will rebel; Hetty empowered by a woman finding her seamstress mother's ancient African tales of resistance voice and Sarah (alongside embracing her sister Angelina) empowered by defiant dreamsheritage.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1472212754</amazonuk>1471188191
}}