Does listening to audiobooks count as reading? Here it does. Let’s discuss your favorite reads — or listens.
All tagged historical fiction
Ben Shattuck has easily delivered a contender for my favorite read of 2024 by weaving together 12 richly drawn, interconnected narratives that span centuries. Masterfully blending elements of historical and contemporary fiction, romance and Americana, there is a little something for everyone in this Northeast-set collection.
Bobby Finger did the near impossible. He somehow merged contemporary and historical fiction, paired it with a dash of literary depth, and wrapped it in a cozy sheen perfect for a lazy day on the beach. Yes, dear readers, he somehow made reading about sustained, collective trauma heart-warming. Color me surprised!
Expectation: A nuanced and authentic portrayal of the early AIDS epidemic in small town America.
Reality: A well-meaning but melodramatic story that felt a bit like young adult fiction.
Expectation: A study in modern Indigenous life in California told through interwoven stories.
Reality: A powerful but uneven exploration of Native American identity that falters a bit as both a sequel/prequel to “There There” but shines with a stellar audiobook narration.
Expectation: A heavy-handed young adult classic that prioritizes hijinks over meaningful character development and scenario exploration.
Reality: Thoughtful and engrossing, the story had me hooked from the first chapter. This is a fantastic historical fiction introduction to America’s racial injustices.
Expectation: A searing exploration of race and class told from the perspective of twin sisters who live on opposite ends of the color line.
Reality: Structured to be palatable for the masses, it’s entertaining enough but far from the powerful story I expected given the near universal acclaim it has received.
Expectation: A sweeping story of hardship and survival set against major conflicts of the Vietnam War.
Reality: Informative and engrossing, if a tad long, Kristin Hannah once again delivers an historical fiction epic but continued trauma dumping on the main character lessens her credibility.
Expectation: A steamy political thriller about two up and coming politicos balancing a clandestine, queer love affair under the specter of the Lavender Scare.
Reality: Essentially a nonfiction novel with unlikable characters and flat development. Do yourself a favor and skip it in favor of the limited television series.
Expectation: A straightforward historical fiction journey through a remote area of New England.
Reality: A dark, but accessible fairytale filled with ghosts – both literal and figurative – that excels at making the reader care about the dozen or so characters we meet. It was one of the more creative novels I read this year.
Expectation: Gay love overcoming the odds in 1950s America!
Reality: Incredibly repetitive and too saccharine, the historical fiction element is almost an afterthought to typical romance genre tropes.
Expectation: A dramedy celebrating the life of a norm-busting female scientist in the 1950s and 1960s.
Reality: What was a expected but with the addition of a talking dog (bonus), but I was let down by how conveniently Garmus tied up the plots and how most characters remained two-dimensional.
Expectation: A trauma-fest ripped from the headlines.
Reality: A surprisingly balanced and detailed microhistory of early 1990s racial tensions in Los Angeles. The story had many layers that were explored in detail without making this feel like an agony dump.
Expectation: A gut-punch queer love story set within the backdrop of World War I trenches.
Reality: Stilted dialogue, a ping-pong narrative structure and an unbelievable connection between the two main characters made this rather disappointing.
Expectation: A story about the forbidden love between two soldiers in World War I.
Reality: Half of the novel is filler, but Boyne delivers some shocking revelations and a satisfying conclusion.
Expectation: An immersive and exceptional story about a dark period of American history.
Reality: Needlessly long and a little boring, I was completely turned off by Scarlett and Rhett and struggled to see why the characters are so popular.
Expectation: A rough around the edges but captivating debut by Hanya Yanagihara.
Reality: Bloated and centered on a main character with zero redeeming qualities, this was a chore to complete.
Expectation: Cringe-level disappointment that I found the film so entertaining given the hindsight view of its problems.
Reality: Deeper characterization and discussion of the socio-political realities of the time period made this an excellent, if still flawed, novel.
Expectation: A layered and nuanced old money mystery.
Reality: A sometimes difficult structure and alternating POVs made it uneven but still engaging, even if the payoff wasn't totally there in the end.
Expectation: A fast-paced ghost story with a plot akin to “The Fog.”
Reality: At times uneven and ridiculous, the historical elements helped elevate the premise and the last third delivered.
Expectation: A science fiction/horror classic with historical elements.
Reality: A no holds barred exploration of the horrors of slavery through the lens of 20th century sensibility. It was devastating and utterly engrossing.
