There’s something about setting a novel during a period of war that makes the story feel so dreadful and hopeless, yet still incredibly engaging to read so that we can see if the characters introduced can make it through the conflict alive. In Anthony Doerr’s multi-award winning book All the Light We Cannot See, these … Read more
When up-and-coming author F. Scott Fitzgerald released The Great Gatsby at a time when America was experiencing the roaring 1920s, little did he know that it would go on to become one of the most beloved and well-received classics of all time. And this is not only down to Fitzgerald’s fluid and easy-to-understand writing style … Read more
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah is a work of historical fiction set in France during the Second World War. It follows the lives of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they use their own strengths and resources to survive in the face of Nazi occupation. What makes this novel so interesting to read is that … Read more
The Sworn Virgin is a 2017 historical romance novel that takes inspiration from a tradition in Albania, Europe. There, female heirs can become ‘men’ by swearing a vow of chastity for the remainder of their lives. Their expected role in society suddenly changes – and this can cause some struggles of identity in the sworn … Read more
A happy young family is torn apart when their mother is rushed to hospital during a stormy night. Soon after, strangers arrive to take the children to an orphanage. The kids are told that they will be reunited with their parents soon, but it doesn’t take long for Rill Foss, the oldest of the 5, … Read more
If you loved Philippa Gregory’s famed novel, The White Queen, it’s safe to say you are a fan of historical fiction! Not only that, but it is also highly likely that you enjoy reading historical novels focused on women. And honestly? I’m on the same page. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory is the second … Read more