What we read: 6 historical fiction titles to travel back in time
Looking for something to transport you out of the current moment and into the past? I’ve got six books here that are as close to time travel as you can get.
This brand new release follows Libertie as she comes of age in Reconstruction-era Brooklyn. In the shadow of her mother, one of the first black women to become a doctor in the United States, Libertie finds herself wanting something different out of life than medicine. Follow Libertie on her journey to discover what freedom really means.
The Weight of Ink (Rachel Kadish)
When I think of historical fiction, I think of The Weight of Ink. This interwoven story between the Londons of 1660 and the early 21st century follows two women as they fight to preserve their voices, even as centuries separate them. Ester, taking a new position as a scribe for a blind rabbi just as the plague hits, and Helen, a historian of Jewish history undertaking her last project, have stories that will stick with you long after you close the last page.
Everyone has told you to read Pachinko. I’m here to tell you that everyone is right. We start in the early 1900s with Sunja, whose unplanned pregnancy with a lover who deserts her changes her life completely. When a young minister marries her and brings her to Japan, we’re set off on a journey following four generations of Sunja’s family as they learn what it is to build a new life together outside of Korea.
The Once and Future Witches (Alix E. Harrow)
This historical fantasy novel stars three sisters: James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna as they meet each other unexpectedly in New Salem years after being estranged. What follows is a tale of suffragists and sisterhood, magic and mayhem. Once you open this beautiful book, you won’t be able to put it down.
The Final Revival of Opal and Nev (Dawnie Walton)
1970s New York City, rock n’ roll, and systemic racism that tries to tear the whole operation down. The Final Revival of Opal and Nev uncovers the secrets that broke up singing-songwriting duo Opal and Nev during an explosive concert that changed the courses of their careers, and their lives, forever.
Homegoing is unlike any other book you have read. Two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born into different villages in Ghana. Effia’s path leads her to be married off to an Englishman in Cape Coast Castle. Unknown to her, Esi is enslaved in the very same palace. Each chapter of this sprawling novel follows a new generation of Effia and Esi’s, showcasing the impact of colonization and enslavement through singular moments in a family’s personal journey.
Up Next? Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell is at the top of my TBR pile. What can I say? I’m a sucker for Shakespeare.
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