Today is the last Top 8 I will be posting in 2020 and I’m talking about both Adult & YA Historical Fiction & Non-Fiction books! Let’s jump in.
1. Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
Salt to the Sea is a YA Historical Fiction that follows 4 POV, a pregnant Polish girl, a Lithuanian Nurse, a Prussian solider who are fleeing the advancing Red Army onto the Wilhelm Gustloff as well as a Nazi Peon who is working on the Gustloff. The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff in the Baltic Sea on January 30th 1945 is the single most tragic maritime disaster resulting in 9,000 people dying, of which 5000 were children.
Salt to the Sea is an absolutely beautifully written story. It is the most heartbreaking and impactful story I have read making it my all time favourite Historical Fiction. I highly recommend and the audiobook is also amazingly done and features a cast of 4 narrators, one for each POV.
2. A Tale of Two Murders by Heather Redmond
A Tale of Two Murders is the first book in an Adult Historical Mystery series following a young Charles Dickens as he works as a journalist.
I love when basically any genre is combined with mystery, so they one was amazing! I also loved that it featured an interpretation of a well known person as the MC. This one was really well written, gripping & completely unpredictable. I really need to continue this trilogy!
3. The Montague Siblings by Mackenzi Lee
The Montague Siblings is a YA Historical Diverse Fantasy series. It was originally a duology but now there is a third book coming out, so I am super keen for that to release in 2021! Book 1 in the series follows Monty, who is a ‘gentleman’ that has no interest in going away to a fancy boarding school & then return to take over the family estate and also has a huge crush on his best friend Percy. Book 2 follows Monty’s sister, Felicity, who is trying to avoid an unwanted marriage and go to medical school instead. However only men can be trusted with the secrets of science. Book 3 will follow Percy and I’m so keen.
This trilogy so far is super fun, full of adventures and things going wrong. Book 1 features alchemy & book 2 has pirates and I’m keen to see what craziness will be thrown into book 3! Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun diverse historical fiction.
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Of course this one made it to this list. The Book Thief is a YA Historical Fiction that is narrated by death. This one shows each of the times death comes close to our main character, Liesel. This is beautifully and also very interesting written. The story is heartbreaking and emotional and I just love this book so much!
5. They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
They Called Us Enemy is my most recent read on this list as I read it earlier in December. This one is a Historical Non-Fiction Graphic Novel which follows George telling his childhood experiences of being in American Concentration Camps during WWII. Even though George was American born, his parents were Japanese and he of Japanese descent. In 1942 President Roosevelt ordered that anyone of Japanese descent be rounded up & put in ‘relocation centres’.
This graphic novel has gorgeous illustrations but it is also beautifully written. It is a very impactful story and also a unique one to me as I have never read a WWII book based around what a Japanese person dealt with, or what it was like in America during WWII. Highly recommend!
6. Sherwood by Megan Spooner
Sherwood is a YA Historical Fantasy Retelling of Robin Hood. Sherwood follows Maid Marian as she finds out that Robin of Locksley is dead leaving the town without a protector. The sheriff’s right hand intends to take his place as both Lord of Locksley & Marians fiancé. Marian finds herself stepping into Robin shoes and becoming the symbol of Robin Hood the mysterious protector of Locksley.
This is such an interesting concept & it was very well written. I loved Marian as a character and this world and time period was so vivid! Definitely worth the read.
7. Fawkes by Nadine Brandes
Fawkes is a YA Historical Fantasy that I also mentioned in a previous top 8 post! Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague & Igniters believe that Keepers caused the plague. Our main character Thomas has caught the plague and his eye has turned to stone & it will soon spread. His Keeper father tries to recruit him for a mission that will hopefully end the plague and save him. However, doing so will destroy the family of the girl he loves.
This one is such an interesting concept. A plague that slowly turns people to stone. This world is very well developed and atmospheric. I loved the characters and I also enjoyed the discussion of racism in this one as it was both historical accurate as well as being questioned. Highly recommend.
9. The Complete MAUS by Art Spiegelman
I’ve also talked about MAUS in a previous Top 8 recommendations post but it is definitely worth the love! Another Historical book set in WWII but this one is not just based on a true person. It is the true story in graphic novel form. MAUS follows Art Spiegelman as his grandfather and him discusses what his grandfather, Vladek, and his wife endured during WWII as a Jewish family.
This is harrowing, heartbreaking and just amazingly done. I also loved that Art used different animals to represent the different groups in the graphic novel. I Highly recommend reading this one but just know that it is a hard book to read.
What Historical Fiction or Non-Fiction book do you recommend to people the most!?
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