This list of the best historical fiction books asks, “If you could, to which era would you travel back in time?”
Why do readers of historical fiction books love it?
Maybe it makes us feel like a “fly on the wall” to fascinating moments. Or we’d love to travel back in time and visit a particular era.
Maybe we read historical fiction to gain a broader perspective or more profound knowledge about events.
Because it’s so well-loved, the historical fiction genre has as many great selections as days in every year of history.
Even if I am exaggerating (a little), for practical purposes, I narrowed this list to feature only a small sampling of the best adult historical fiction books of all time.
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What are the Best Historical Books to Read Now?
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Setting and Time Period
The Belgian Congo, 1959
Description
Nathan Price, an overzealous evangelical Baptist, takes his family and mission to Africa during the tumultuous Congolese fight for independence from Belgium. Nathan’s wife and four daughters share how their lives have changed since leaving Georgia, and describe how unprepared they are for living in Africa. Within days of their arrival, the family discovers this new land, and the African soil is not as hospitable as planned.
My Thoughts
I read this book nearly two decades ago, and I still recall the scene when the ants invade their village in chilling detail.
The Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Setting and Time Period
Holland, the 1600s
Description
Art, history, and fiction converge in this bestselling novel. Author, Tracy Chevalier, was inspired to write this fictional account based on the portrait by Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. However, the young girl’s character depicted in the painting has no historical reference. In the story, sixteen-year-old Griet, also known as the girl with a pearl earring, is a maid in the Vermeer house. Her life becomes transformed when she attracts the painter’s attention.
My Thoughts
The reviews are mixed. Many readers enjoyed this fictionalized story and the imagined character of Griet. However, others were left longing for plot twists. Either way, Girl with a Pearl Earring impressed Hollywood enough to make it into an Oscar-nominated film, starring Scarlett Johanson and Colin Firth.
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
Setting and Time Period
Italy, the 1300s
Description
Anyone up for a medieval murder mystery? Set in a fourteenth-century Benedictine abbey, Franciscan monk William of Baskerville and his Benedictine novice Adso of Melk work to investigate seven bizarre deaths. This story will take you into the menacing labyrinth of the abbey, where secret messages and coded symbols hide clues.
My Thoughts
If you’re considering delving into this mystery, be warned that many readers consider it a challenging read due to the author liberally scattering his text with Latin phrases.
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Setting and Time Period
United States (Ohio), the late 1800s
Description
Toni Morrison published Beloved in 1987 to much acclaim leading to the Pulitzer Prize. Set in post-Civil War Ohio, Beloved tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave. Eighteen years after finding freedom, Sethe still struggles to overcome memories of losing her husband and burying a child she never had the chance to name. Now Sethe shares her new home with her daughter, Denver, her mother-in-law, and Baby Suggs. But they’re not the only ones occupying her home. The ghost of the baby she lost, the baby buried beneath the tombstone bearing the word, Beloved, haunts Sethe.
My Thoughts
Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1993, Toni Morrison was among the most accomplished and celebrated authors globally.
The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie Wiseman
Setting and Time Period
United States (Philadelphia), 1918
Description
Set in Philadelphia during the 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak, you may draw correlations to our recent pandemic experience. Thirteen-year-old German immigrant Pia Lange struggles to care for her baby brothers as illness and quarantine limit their supplies and food. Meanwhile, Bernice Groves, mourning the loss of her baby to the Spanish Flu, takes a sinister interest in Pia. When Pia collapses in the street, she is taken away to an orphan asylum setting off a long, heartbreaking journey.
My Thoughts
If the outstanding reviews are correct, you’re in for an emotionally gripping story that will keep you rooting for Pia and turning the pages.
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Setting and Time Period
Ancient Israel
Description
Over two thousand years ago, the Roman army laid siege on the ancient city of Masada. Although the outnumbered Jews fought bravely, only two women and five children of the 900 original citizens survived. In this spellbinding tale, The Doverkeepers follows the lives of four independent and resourceful women. Although distinctly different, each woman has her secrets.
My Thoughts
The Dovekeepers is 600 pages of ancient history, war, and lengthy descriptions mixed with magic and spells. If you love big books, Hoffman’s writing style should keep you enthralled to the last page. Alice Hoffman is best known as the bestselling author of Rules of Magic.
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Setting and Time Period
Ghana, the Mid-1700s
Description
This sweeping novel spans eight generations and travels from Africa to the United States. The fascinating premise of Homegoing examines the divergent lives of two half-sisters, Effia and Esi. Each sister is unaware of the other one. Yet their lives and the lives of future generations parallel each other in extraordinary ways. Effia marries an Englishman and lives in a castle on the Gold Coast. Esi becomes captured by warriors, shipped to America, and sold into slavery.
My Thoughts
Pick up this book if you’re interested in broadening your worldviews and deepening your perspectives on the cruel history of slavery. While it’s a read with a heavy emotional factor, it may be well worth your time.
Half Life by Jillian Cantor
Setting and Time Period
Poland, the 1800s
Description
Half Life looks at the life of Marie Curie in two ways, one based on reality and one based on speculation. After first revealing the turn of events that led Marie Curie to a life of science and accomplishment, the story slips into an alternative timeline. What if society had denied the tremendous scientific mind of Marie Curie access to education? What if she lost the opportunity to pursue her talents and dreams?
My Thoughts
This thought-provoking book addresses modern women’s access to education and advancement issues, And it may make you question your own life decisions.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Setting and Time Period
India, the 1960s
Description
A mixture of historical and literary fiction, The God of Small Things takes place in the small Indian town of Ayemenem. It tells the story of twins Rahel and Estha as they navigate their deeply troubled extended family. The arrival of their beautiful young cousin, Sophie, sets off a cascade of tragedies, betrayals, and drama.
My Thoughts
This book can be challenging as it jumps back and forth in time and plot. However, your reward for taking up this challenge will be a profoundly moving story of a complex, dysfunctional family.
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Setting and Time Period
Australia, the 1900s
Description
Set on an isolated island off the western coast of Australia, The Light Between Oceans tells the story of what happens when a dead man washes ashore accompanied by a very much alive, crying baby. Years before this event, Tom Sherbourne took the role of lighthouse keeper of Janus Rock. He brought his young wife, Isabel, intending to start a family. When the boat with the baby appears on the island, Isabel is grieving two miscarriages and one stillbirth. Although Tom would prefer to report the baby to the authorities, Isabel convinces him to keep the child and raise her as their own. When the baby turns two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and discover the consequences of their actions.
My Thoughts
I read this book about ten years ago and still remember enjoying it. It had an entertaining quality and kept me turning the pages. Spielberg’s Dreamworks made it into a major motion picture in 2016.
My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante
Setting and Time Period
Italy, the 1950s
Description
If you like a series, My Brilliant Friend is the first in a four-book series entitled the Neapolitan Novels. The series follows Lila and Elena’s lifelong friendship from their fateful meeting as ten-year-olds through their school years and adolescence. This novel begins in the 1950s on the outskirts of Naples in a poor yet vibrant neighborhood.
My Thoughts
This novel has a much lighter emotional load than most of the books on this list. Read it if you’d love to travel to Italy (if only in your mind). Also, witnessing the rewards and trials of a lasting friendship makes for an entertaining read. My Brilliant Friend is now an HBO Series.
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
Setting and Time Period
Nazareth, the first century
Description
Set in biblical times, The Book of Longings tells a fascinating story of a woman named Ana, who might have been the wife of Jesus. Raised in a family with wealthy ties to the ruler of Galilee, Ana immerses herself in scholarly pursuits and takes a specific interest in women who have been silenced and neglected. Horrified by the expectation that she is to marry an older widower, Ana meets eighteen-year-old Jesus and becomes his wife.
My Thoughts
Read this book if you like musing “what if” and are open to a fictional interpretation of biblical teachings. Sue Monk Kidd is a brilliant storyteller.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Setting and Time Period
England, the 1100s
Description
Published in 1989, The Pillars of the Earth tells the epic tale of the construction of a cathedral in the fictional town of Kingsbridge, England. Tom is a mason who dreams of building a cathedral. He eventually becomes the cathedral’s architect with the help of Prior Philip, a resourceful monk. A clash between church and state mixes with dramatic elements such as love, lust, betrayal, murder, arson, and rivalry.
My Thoughts
This tome is 733 pages of twelfth-century England on a grand scale. The reviews are polarized. Some readers claim it’s the best book they’ve ever read, while others could not finish it due to the rape scenes and modernized historical references.
Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Setting and Time Period
Canada, the 1800s
Description
In 1843, there was a great debate over whether Grace Marks was innocent or a killer. Grace, a 16-year-old Canadian housemaid, claimed to have no recollection of the murders of her employer and his mistress. However, the jury found her guilty and sentenced her to life imprisonment. Grace spent the next 30 years in various jails and asylums. A group seeking to free Grace enlisted the help of mental illness expert Dr. Simon Jordan, who attempted to unlock her memories.
My Thoughts
Margaret Atwood, best known for The Handmaid’s Tale, is no stranger to weaving an intricate story with many layers and an exceptional writing style. Read this book if you enjoy suspense and intrigue.
The Singing Tree by Boo Walker
Setting and Time Period
United States (Maine), 1969
Description
A coming-of-age story set in working-class Maine during the seventies, The Singing Trees focuses on Annalisa Mancuso, an aspiring artist. After losing her parents in a car accident, Annalisa goes to live with her grandmother and her sizeable extended Italian family in the factory town of Payton Mills, Maine. Dedicated to becoming an artist, fulfilling a dream her mother could not, Annalisa moves to Portland. There she becomes involved in a troubled relationship and finds unexpected love.
My Thoughts
Read this selection if you’re looking for an uplifting read and excellent storytelling. Also, this book won’t stretch your wallet as much as other recommendations on this list.
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Final Thoughts on the Best Historical Fiction Books
This list of the best historical fiction books includes various selections, from weighty tomes to emotionally riveting stories to uplifting, entertaining reads. This brief list spans thousands of years and offers wildly creative takes on historical events. I hope you find a novel that grabs your interest and doesn’t let go until the last page.
