So you’re in a reading slump, and you don’t know what to read next. Well, we’ve got you covered! Here are five new historical fiction novels from several different time periods to help you find a book that will make you love reading again!
THE FOUR WINDS
The Four Winds is a new historical fiction book by The Nightingale author Kristin Hannah. The book starts in Texas 1921 just after World War I has ended. The United States has risen to prominence on the world stage and as a result, there is an abundance of wants and necessities throughout the country. Elsa is a woman whose reputation has been tainted due to her reluctance to marry. She decides to marry Rafe Martinelli to save face, but by 1934, everything has changed. Once fruitful life is now ravaged by drought and the Dust Bowl as the Great Depression worsens. The Martinelli family farm is affected, as well as Elsa’s marriage. Elsa now faces a tough decision: should she stay on the farm and fight for what she still has or should she move West for a better life?
The Yellow Wife
The Yellow Wife is a story by Sadeqa Johnson about a young woman named Phebe who was born on a slave plantation in Virginia. Although she was promised freedom on her 18th birthday, she instead finds herself at the Devil’s Half-Acre, a jail for slaves where they are treated brutally. Phebe is forced to become the jail owner’s mistress in an ultimate battle for her own freedom.
OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW
Our Woman in Moscow is a Cold War historical fiction novel by Beatriz Williams set in 1948. Iris Digby’s family has disappeared from their London home, and their disappearance has become sensationalized. Iris’ sister, Ruth, receives a postcard from Iris explaining that she is in Russia with her husband, Sasha, who is a U.S. Embassy Official. Ruth is suddenly on her way to Moscow to find out the truth about her sister’s disappearance and marriage.
HOW BEAUTIFUL WE WERE
How Beautiful We Were is a historical fiction story by Imbolo Mbue that makes references to the recent past in Africa. In a small village called Kosawa, an American oil company’s business ventures heavily impact the village and the environment. Though the company has promised to clean up the oil spills and toxic water, they fail to follow through. The country’s government is run by a dictator who has his own interests vested in not helping his own people. The story follows Thula and her family as she leads a revolution against the profit-driven company and government. How Beautiful We Were is a gorgeously written story that discusses the impacts of imperialism not only on culturally rich people, but on the environment as well.
THE SWEETNESS OF WATER
The Sweetness of Water is a historical fiction novel that is set towards the end of the Civil War in Georgia. In this Nathan Harris novel, Prentiss and Landry and two former slaves that are taken in by George and Isabelle Walker. The two brothers begin to work on their farm, hoping to make enough money for their journey back to the North to reunite with their mother. A parallel storyline follows two Confederate soldiers who have forbidden love. When their love is discovered, violence and chaos ensues.
Which are you going to read first?