Historical Fiction Recs for Adults
My college friend Jane M. asked for recommendations of historical fiction with female protagonists. Although I have previous posts on historical fiction (check out post 1 and post 2), most of those are aimed at kid readers. Although I believe that anyone can read kids books, for Jane, I’m recommending titles you would find in the adult section of the library or bookstore. These cover a range of eras and locations, but all center women and their role in the world.
Something Worth Doing by Jane Kirkpatrick (2020)
This historical fiction novel follows the life of Abigail Scott Duniway, an early suffragette. As she tries to make a life that works for her — fighting for rights for women, writing, and having a family — she also deals with the twin feelings of guilt and entrapment that mothers can experience. If she had been less of an activist, would her children have been better off? she wonders.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020)
Bennett’s novel follows the Vignes twin sisters from the 1950s to the 1990s. Both run away at age 16 from their small Southern hometown, and then their paths diverge. One marries a white man and passes for white — even her husband knows nothing about her race. The other winds up back in the town she tried to flee. When their daughters meet, they are forced to confront the past and their choices.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (2022)
Elizabeth Zott is an uncompromising and whip-smart scientist. After losing her job as a chemist, she is recruited to host a local afternoon cooking show for housewives. To her, cooking is chemistry, and she spends more time discussing chemical bonds and reactions than recipes. In refusing to talk down to her audience, Elizabeth inspires the women around her and exemplifies a generation who fought for the rights and acceptance that many of us enjoy now.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese (2023)
This stunning family saga follows multiple generations in India from 1900–1977. In each generation, a family member dies of drowning. The fear of water and the grief over these deaths hangs over all even as they try to find a reason behind this malady. Religion plays an important role here, as the family is part of the Christian minority in India.
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein (2023)
Though technically YA, there’s a lot in this novel to appeal to adult readers. Just before World War II, teen pilots from across Europe compete in a race to symbolize peace and cooperation. But when one of the contestants disappears (perhaps murdered), the pilots have to race against more than the clock. The main character is flying for England, while keeping her Russian origins secret.