Date Read: July 16 Author: Kiran Millwood Hargrave Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5/5 In Norway, on Christmas Eve, 1617, all the men of Vardø drown in a sudden storm. The women who are left behind try to make a new life for themselves, only to be interrupted by the arrival of Absalom Cornet from Scotland,Continue reading “The Mercies”
Category Archives: Historical Fiction
River of Teeth
Date Read: July 10 Author: Sarah Gailey Genre: Fantasy / Historical Fiction Rating: 4/5 In the early 20th century, the United States government briefly discussed a plan to import hippopotamuses into Louisiana as an alternative source of meat. The plan was turned down, but… what if it had succeeded? In River of Teeth, Sarah GaileyContinue reading “River of Teeth”
Things in Jars
Date Read: June 17 Author: Jess Kidd Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 3/5 It certainly started out well, but it tried so hard to be interesting that it ended up being boring due to too many plot twists and too much detail throughout each chapter. The novel felt squeezed into the chapters, as though the authorContinue reading “Things in Jars”
The Storyteller
Date Read: June 17 Author: Jodi Picoult Genre: Fiction Rating: 5/5 Ever since the accident that scarred her and killed her mother, Sage has distanced herself from other people. That changes when she meets Josef Weber, a well-respected member of the community. As they become closer, he asks her to kill him, and explains whyContinue reading “The Storyteller”
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Date Read: June 7 Authors: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5/5 Told in the form of letters, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society tells the story of the island of Guernsey and what the people there experienced during the German Occupation. I don’t want to be married justContinue reading “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”
The Nickel Boys
Date Read: May 17 Author: Colson Whitehead Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 4/5 From the author of The Underground Railroad and Zone One comes the story of The Nickel Academy. When human remains are unearthed on the grounds of what used to be a boys’ reformatory, Elwood Curtis realizes that he must finally confront his past.Continue reading “The Nickel Boys”
The Silence of the Girls
Date Read: May 9 Author: Pat Barker Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5/5 The story of the Trojan War has been told many times, but here the story is told from the perspective of Briseis, a Trojan woman who ends up the slave of Achilles. Grief’s only ever as deep as the love it’s replaced. –Continue reading “The Silence of the Girls”
The Bonesetter’s Daughter
Date Read: May 8 Author: Amy Tan Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5/5 As Ruth’s mother begins to exhibit the first signs of dementia, Ruth must connect with her mother in order to finally learn the story of her family. A good mother-daughter story. Writing what you wished was the most accurate form of wishful thinking.Continue reading “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”
We Dream of Space
Date Read: May 5 Author: Erin Entrada Kelly Genre: Fiction Rating: 4/5 When the Challenger spaceship is launched in 1986, NASA sponsors groups of students all over the United States so that they can see the first teacher in space. Bird is one of those students, a middle school girl who dreams of going toContinue reading “We Dream of Space”
The Poisonwood Bible
Date Read: May 4 Author: Barbara Kingsolver Genre: Historical Fiction Rating: 5/5 When Nathan Price moves to the Congo in 1959, he brings his wife and four daughters with him. Over three decades, the family is broken down and reconstructed. I found it to be a remarkable novel. There is a strange moment in time,Continue reading “The Poisonwood Bible”
Zoey's Year in Books 2020 