I decided to write a list of my top 5 historical fiction books since historical fiction is the genre I read the most.
My Top Five Historical Fiction Books: How I Came To The Decision
I struggled to decide which books would fall within my top five since I read so much historical fiction. Then, I also had to determine whether I wanted most or all set in the same era. I mostly read about the Six Wives of Henry VIII or the Titanic, which limits how much historical fiction I enjoy. If you’d like to read my blog post about The Olympic Class Liners, which involves the Titanic, you can find the blog post here. As my interest in history is mainly limited to these two times, I mostly read books set within these times.
Then there was the problem of the age range. Some of the books I recently read are children’s, while others I would class as young adult or even new adult (for those aged eighteen and over). Eventually, I decided to include a range of ages. Due to this, I will create a short profile of the books, including the author’s name, the year it was released, and the age range. Some are part of a series, meaning I will rank the series as a whole.
Over time, my top five historical fiction books can change, but this blog post focuses on the books that are currently my favourite five. The profiles reveal little about the story, but the reviews will have spoilers. If you want to read the books before clicking the link to the reviews, please do so.
My Top Five Historical Fiction Books:
5. The Marquess House Saga
Author: Alexandra Walsh:
Years Released: 2019-2022
Age range: Adult?
Order:
1. The Catherine Howard Conspiracy
2. The Elizabeth Tudor Conspiracy
3. The Arbella Stuart Conspiracy
4. The Weeping Lady Conspiracy
5. The Jane Seymour Conspiracy
I have enjoyed The Marquess House Saga and have always loved reading it. In each of the novels, roughly half of the story is set in the modern day, while the other half takes the reader to the Tudor era and tells the story of the women the conspiracy surrounds. Since The Marquess House Saga focuses on alternate history, understanding what happened before is critical. While the characters talk about it in some detail, it is best to have a basic understanding of what happened during that time.
I was unsure what age range to put The Marquess House Saga in since it deals with dark themes that will not be suitable for a younger audience, so I rated it adult with a question mark since older teenagers can still read and enjoy the series.
I love reading this series and would place it higher, but I enjoyed the books ranked higher on this list. The Marquess House Saga ranks fifth among my top 5 historical fiction books because I only remember the historical figures and not the modern characters. However, even if you have read the series before and know the secrets surrounding the characters, it is still an engaging read.
You can find my review of The Marquess House Saga here.
4. Lady Mary
Author: Lucy Worsley
Year released: 2018
Age range: children
Many people know Lucy Worsley for her documentaries. I discovered her through her documentary about the six wives of Henry VIII. Here, she writes about the life of Princess Mary as she travels through the turbulent Tudor court and falls out of favour with her father, Henry VIII, when he divorces her mother. It is my fourth favourite historical fiction book because it brings Tudor England to life in a way few other books have. When reading different books, I knew what I had to imagine, but Worsley knew how to bring it to life for the readers.
The book deals with dark themes that are unsuitable for young children, so I rate it for older children and young teenagers.
If you’d like to read my review of Lady Mary, you can find it here.
3. My Lady Jane and My Contrary Mary
Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows
Year released: 2016 (My Lady Jane) and 2021 (My Contrary Mary)
Age range: Teenage
My Lady Jane is my third favourite historical fiction book since historians and writers rarely make Jane Grey the main focus of their work. It follows three perspectives: Edward, Jane, and G. All three are teenagers fighting to survive in the Tudor court. The sequel, My Contrary Mary, follows Mary, Queen of Scots, her first husband, Francis, and a fictional character named Ari. Magic is involved, and the novels are set in an alternate reality, meaning the stories will go differently than history.
If you want to read my review of My Lady Jane and My Contrary Mary, you can find it here.
2. The Master’s Tale
Author: Ann Victoria Roberts
Year released: 2015
Age range: Adult
The Master’s Tale is a heartwarming and heartbreaking story told from the perspective of Captain Smith as he travels on the RMS Titanic and recounts his life to the reader. Throughout the novel, it felt like Captain Smith sat down and talked to me, which I haven’t experienced with any other historical fiction novel. It made Captain Smith feel alive to me, which is something not many historical fiction novels surrounding the Titanic can do.
If you’d like to read my review of The Master’s Tale, you can find it here.
1. On The Edge Of Daylight
Author: Giselle Beaumont
Year released: 2018
Age range: New Adult
Starting as a fanfiction of James Cameron’s 1997 Titanic film, Beaumont takes us back to the Titanic and focuses on the officers’ lives. Esther Bailey, a fictional seventh officer, finds herself onboard the Titanic and working alongside First Officer William Murdoch.
On The Edge Of Daylight was the only novel I knew where I wanted to place. It is my favourite historical fiction book because it is set in one of my favourite times, and I love learning more about the officers. Even my main fanfiction, Emma’s Six, will come to focus on the Titanic officers.
You can find my review of On The Edge of Daylight here.
I have other favourite historical fiction books, which I may discuss in other reviews. If you want to find the list, you can find it here.
I also have other books I will review, such as dystopian novels.
I have other special interests. If you want to find out more, you can find them here.