Are you totally new to the whole genre of historical fiction?
Have you always felt that it might be too long, too dry, too historical for you?
Don't worry, me too. We're going to go on this journey of discovering historical fiction together.
Just as I never really got history until I
saw it brought to life all around me in London, I never really understood historical fiction
until I dived in to read The Burning Chambers, which is out today.
The Burning Chambers has shaken off all of my preconceived ideas about the genre.
This is a Romeo and Juliet style love story about two families torn apart by religion,
and it's also a mystery that spans 300 years. In 16th century France, we meet the 19-year-old
Minou, who receives an anonymous letter bearing her family crest and only the words
'SHE KNOWS THAT YOU LIVE'. So mysterious! What follows from there is almost 600 pages
of love, betrayal, war, and adventure, that just make the 21st century totally melt away
as you get lost in the story. And so, all of my fears of reading historical
fiction have been banished. I was worried that I would need to be a history
expert to understand this book, but actually, reading historical fiction is a really great
way to learn history without even noticing that you're learning something.
And instead of just learning the facts of what happened, you're learning about the experience
of living in another time and place. It turns out historical fiction is an amazingly
rich genre with the power to sweep us away into lives totally unlike our own. And there's
so much more out there as well. Like, hands up who's obsessed with the TV
show Poldark. Did you know that's based on a historical
fiction series as well? The Poldark saga books were written in the
40s and 50s but they're set in 18th century Cornwall, and they're about a soldier returning from
the American Revolutionary War to find his fiancee thinking that he had died in the war
and about to marry his cousin. So much drama!
And then there's The Muse by Jessie Burton, which is divided between two equally fascinating time periods, 1960s London and 1930s Spain.
In the 60s, we're following a young woman named Odelle who's working in an art gallery
in London, and also starting a romance with this man who has brought in a mysterious painting
which they think might be worth a lot of money. So alongside this story, there's also some
flashbacks to 1930s Spain where we see the creation of this painting, and it's a mystery
to see how these two storylines are going to intersect and how all the characters know
each other. And seriously, the way these storylines do
come together is amazing. And also, a bit heartbreaking.
A Column of Fire is the latest instalment in the Kingsbridge series, and this one takes
us back to Tudor England to witness a doomed love story between Ned and Margery, who are
living in one of the most turbulent half centuries in British history.
A lot of the rivalry dividing the country at that time was based on religion, but the
most important battle in this book is the battle between those who are tolerant, and
those who will impose their ideas on anyone no matter how terrible the cost.
Now, you've probably seen this beautiful cover plastered over bookshop windows everywhere,
but The Essex Serpent is just as beautiful inside as out.
It's set in the late 19th century in an Essex village, where rumours are swirling about
this mysterious Essex serpent beast, that roams the marshes and kills the villagers.
Our main characters are Cora, who is a keen amateur naturalist and is fascinated by the
idea that this beast might be real, and Will, who is the local vicar and thinks that it
is absolute blasphemy and moral panic. You wouldn't think that these two have anything
in common, but it is a rather unusual love story after all.
And finally, a book that blends historical fiction with fantasy and mythology: Circe
by Madeline Miller. Circe is the daughter of the Titan Helios,
but her unusual power threatens the gods and leads them to banish her on a deserted island.
There, she crosses paths with some of the most famous characters from Greek mythology,
including, of course, Odysseus. Circe is a great crossover novel if you're
just getting started on this genre, because it brings the world of Ancient Greece really
beautifully alive for all you classicists out there, but it also brings in elements
of fantasy and mythology, all drawn straight from the stories that the ancient Greeks used
to tell each other. So those are just a few of the incredible
historical fiction books out there, and hopefully this video has inspired you to take a look
for yourself. And do leave a comment below with your own
historical fiction recommendations so we can all check them out.
Next week we're going to be talking to the feminist author Abigail Tarttelin about women
in crime novels, so do hit that subscribe button so you don't miss out.
See you next time!