Read Women discussion

As I was reading about the short list for the 2020 Walter Scott Prize for the best historical fiction over the past year, I looked for and realized we don't have a thread in this chat folder focused on great historical fiction written by women. Considering how popular a genre historical fiction is, let's close this gap and use this thread to share recs, ask for recs, and give some love to the novels and women authors writing it.

Five Books has posted an interview with Katharine Grant, chair of this year's judging panel for the Walter Scott prize. I am a big fan of the Five Books interviews when the subject matter is of interest.

Below is a link to the interview, and the three short-listed books authored by women and featured within it:

The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey

The Parisian, a debut by Isabella Hammad

A Sin of Omission by South African author, Marguerite Poland

https://fivebooks.com/best-books/hist...

If you've read any of the above, what were your thoughts? If you've enjoyed other historical fiction novels in 2020, which are your half-dozen favorites? If you recomment them for certain readers, in particular, let us know for whom your recs might especially resonate.

I haven't read these books. I have read two historical fictions in 2020 that I gave five stars and both are by women.

The Tubman Command by Elizabeth Cobbs

This is a novel about Harriet Tubman's key role in planning and executing the Combahee River Raid in the American Civil War. If you are interested in Harriet Tubman, African American history or the American Civil War, you'll want to read this book.

The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman

This takes place in early 20th century New York. It deals with the rights and treatment of sideshow performers, but a historical event also plays a crucial role. It's the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. If you're interested in the people who've been stigmatized as "freaks", woman garment workers in sweatshops, the history of labor and labor activism or the history of New York, you will want to read this book.

Thank you, Shomeret. The Tubman Command is tailor-made for me. Thanks for highlighting it!

I've also read three historical novels this year that I've rated highly:

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

The Golden Age and Gilgamesh, both by Joan London.

Story❤ wrote: "I've also read three historical novels this year that I've rated highly:

Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell

The Golden Age and Gilgamesh, both by Joan London."

I have heard rave reviews of Hamnet and I can't wait to read it. It isn't published in the US until July, so I will wait until then.

I hope you enjoy it, Laurie. Maggie O'Farrell is quickly becoming a favourite author for me.

The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction shortlist is out - all by British authors. (Award occurs June 11) Shortlisted works by women authors are

The Pretender by Jo Harkin

The Matchbox Girl by Alice Jolly

and Once the Deed Is Done by Rachel Seiffert

I haven't heard of any of these so am including blurbs in case I have company at the end of the bar for whom they are new.

The Pretender
The Pretender by Jo Harkin is a sweeping historical fiction novel that tells a highly fictionalized version of the youth and young adulthood of Lambert Simnel, who was claimed to really be Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick, and a challenger to the throne of the newly crowned Henry VII.

Very little is known about the real Lambert Simnel, including his actual name. Some contemporary records apparently call him John, which is presumably where Jo Harkin got the boy's “first” name--John Collan--from.

It is known that the real Simnel was captured and pardoned by Henry VII, who made him spit-boy in the kitchens and later a falconer. It is believed he may have had at least one child, but his adulthood and ultimate fate, like the boy himself, is generally shrouded in mystery...

The Matchbox Girl
There are many spoilers in the Guardian's review, so I'm pulling only the subheading: "The reader grapples with fascism and complicity through the eyes of a mute autistic girl being treated during the second world war"

Once the Deed is Done
As with TMG, the Guardian's review is excellent but may include spoilers, so this is an excerpt: "Once the Deed Is Done, the fine fifth novel from the German-British author Rachel Seiffert, covers the immediate aftermath of the Third Reich’s collapse, when this vast pool of slave labour became a logistical headache and a humanitarian disaster. Ruth Novak, a 32-year-old Red Cross volunteer from England, arrives at the plant to find the guards fled, paperwork burned and scores of hunched, hungry men left behind the iron railings. Undeniably, there is more than enough relief work for Ruth and her colleagues to tackle. But the mystery of those missing women throbs like a sore tooth. There ought to have been more labourers inside the factory, Ruth thinks. So what has become of the rest of them?..."

I'm tempted by the last, but maybe most tempted to find and read other Seiffert novels. Has anyone read and enjoyed any of these 3?

I very much enjoyed The Pretender :)

As always Carol, thank you for keeping us updated. I also enjoyed The Pretender but need to check out the other two.

I was about to say that this isn't my go to genre but on looking at my 5 star reads I stand corrected! Most of these were read years ago so I think I have unconsciously shifted focus. I do focus on cultures other than my own.

Favourites include:
The Eighth Life
Half of a Yellow Sun
Nervous Conditions
The First Woman
In the Time of the Butterflies
Homegoing
Pachinko
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois
Beloved
The Night Watchman
We Do Not Part

The Matchbox Girl looks intriguing, thanks for sharing:)

Hannah wrote: "I was about to say that this isn't my go to genre but on looking at my 5 star reads I stand corrected! Most of these were read years ago so I think I have unconsciously shifted focus. I do focus on..."

Re Matchbox Girls, it's our year of reading about mute MCs, it appears. They are everywhere!! I'm unsure if I'm ready to tread back into WWII fiction, but maybe this is the one to tackle.

This is a great list. I've avoided Eighth Life and Love Songs because of their heft. My loss and I need to challenge myself. I've realized pulling the list below together that these are some of my fave books of all time - across all categories, which I think reminds me that HistFic - when it works for me - works magically.

Nowhere Is a Place by Bernice L. McFadden
Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson
Sunlight on a Broken Column by Attia Hosain
The Wedding by Dorothy West
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence
Moon Tiger by Penelope Lively
Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck
The Shooting Party by Isabel Colegate
The Greengage Summer by Rumer Godden
Mitz: The Marmoset of Bloomsbury by Sigrid Nunez
The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo
Milkman by Anna Burns
The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer

Carol wrote: "HistFic - when it works for me - works magically.
."

This is how I felt. With better wordage...

Ireally want to give Milkman another try once my head is back on track. I've been wanting to give Erpenbeck another try, thanks for the pointer. Now I don't know which Choo to start with. Any thoughts? Tell me more about Mitz - is it really a book about a marmoset and does he have a good quality of life?!

Also, the heft is well worth it. Eighth Life, in particular, has really stayed with me and I'd gladly reread it

Hannah wrote: "Carol wrote: "HistFic - when it works for me - works magically.
."

This is how I felt. With better wordage...

Ireally want to give Milkman another try once my head is back on track. I've been wan..."

Visitation is the strongest Erpenbeck IMO. It's just a perfect book. The structure, the themes. Also quite short - bonus!

The Fox Wife is where I recommend starting. I enjoyed both, but think there's a big jump in polish and characterization with each of her books. Fox Wife just seemed to nail everything. They're all excellent, but I'd start with FW and work backwards maybe. I still haven't read her debut and want to (Ghost Bride).

Eighth Life soaring to the top of mount TBR, then.

Oh, you guys got me thinking! I am a huge fan of historical fiction. My percent of reads each year is at least 20% of my total. I did a sort on all my 5-star hist fic since going on GR and then sorted by male/female and which have had such a major impact that I still think about them now and then. Ironically, I had an even number within women and male authors.

Women authors:
All Your Children, Scattered
Baba Dunja's Last Love
Code Name Verity
Hotel du Lac
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
People of the Book
Suite Française
The Bastard of Istanbul
The Earthquake Doll
The Girl Who Wrote in Silk
The Help
The Teacher
To The Bright Edge of the World
When the Emperor Was Divine

I have got to try Hotel du Lac again. You're the second friend in a week who has highlighted it and I even had an ARC back in the day, but just somehow didn't get into it.

I think I'm a pretty hard grader - tons of 4 stars, some of which are rounded up. 5 stars is a special tier for this genre.

Carol wrote: "... I think I'm a pretty hard grader - tons of 4 stars, some of which are rounded up. 5 stars is a special tier for this genre...."

I am not a hard grader, I know that. But in this genre in particular I go with how hard they punch me in the gut and how long I think about them after.

Hotel du Lac is a slow-paced, contemplative work. Much like Lillian Boxfish. Save it for a time when you need that.

GailW wrote: "Oh, you guys got me thinking! I am a huge fan of historical fiction. My percent of reads each year is at least 20% of my total. I did a sort on all my 5-star hist fic since going on GR and then sor..."

I second Baba Dunja and Bastard of Istanbul! I've been dithering over my children scattered for a while. You've given me the nudge I needed!

GailW wrote: "Carol wrote: "... I think I'm a pretty hard grader - tons of 4 stars, some of which are rounded up. 5 stars is a special tier for this genre...."

I am not a hard grader, I know that. But in this g..."

There's nothing bad about not being a hard grader. it's an indicator of positivity, generally.

Carol wrote: "The Fox Wife is where I recommend starting. I enjoyed both, but think there's a big jump in polish and characterization with each of her books. Fox Wife just seemed to nail everything. They're all excellent, but I'd start with FW and work backwards maybe. I still haven't read her debut and want to (Ghost Bride."

Thanks Carol! Do you recommend the audio for FW?

I was going to nominate Fox Wife for the June open choice since I saw that at least three of us haven't read it but want to.

Hannah wrote: "Carol wrote: "The Fox Wife is where I recommend starting. I enjoyed both, but think there's a big jump in polish and characterization with each of her books. Fox Wife just seemed to nail everything..."

yes, she is delightful. i think the author is the narrator. i loved hearing her interpretations.

GailW wrote: "I was going to nominate Fox Wife for the June open choice since I saw that at least three of us haven't read it but want to."

a fine choice, says the heavily biased 😂😂

GailW wrote: "I was going to nominate Fox Wife for the June open choice since I saw that at least three of us haven't read it but want to."

I was just thinking, great idea, then I realised the open choice is nonfiction 😭

It will still fit well for quad 2 though, maybe we could buddy read it?

Hannah wrote: "I was just thinking, great idea, then I realized the open choice is nonfiction..."

Oh phoooey! I missed that. I'm trying to practice reading with both eyes open and as you can see ... it's not working very well. Drat.

In a strange coincidence Yangsze Choo's ebooks have all gone on sale!

Hannah wrote: "...maybe we could buddy read it..."

Would you mind waiting until July to do that? If you want to read it sooner, please do. I'll fit it in if I can.

July works for me :)

Hannah wrote: "In a strange coincidence Choo Yangsze's ebooks have all gone on sale!"

I knew it was a good day.