History may be written by the victors, but historical fiction doesn’t place such limits on its authors. Readers never seem to tire of the genre—see 2014’s Kirkus Prize winner for fiction, Lily King’s novel Euphoria, as well as Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel, All the Light We Cannot See, and Kate Atkinson’s bestselling Life After Life and its sequel, A God in Ruins. Indieland is also fertile ground for authors who want to animate the past; here are excerpts from Kirkus reviews of several standouts:
Susan Wittig Albert, Loving Eleanor: “New York Times bestselling author Albert returns to historical fiction in this intimate exploration of the relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and journalist Lorena Hickok….This warm, extensively researched novel will entrance readers and inspire them to look further into the lives of two extraordinary women.”
Tori Warner Shepard, The Lost Gold: “Shepard tell
s the story of a Mexican-American family that believes that a hidden fortune will enable them to buy back land taken by the U.S. government in 1848….Shepard’s prose smoothly details the dusty, arid landscape, the ever changing skyscape, and the vibrant colors of Mexican clothing as well as the back-breaking, centuries-old work of digging irrigation ditches. Overall, it conveys a realism that will keep many readers engaged.”
John Sweeney, Elephant Moon: “The novel explores some of the less familiar elements of the second world war, particularly the roles of India’s competing independence movements and shifting alliances, and it doesn’t shy away from the problems of race in the multiethnic empire. Sweeney brings a journalist’s touch to the novel’s setting, vividly depicting the streets of Rangoon and the endless jungles.”
Karen Schechner is the senior Indie editor.
