Best Historical Fiction

Set in the 16th century Venice and Malta, the story brings a vivid picture of Jewish ghetto in Venice.  Hannah is a talented Jewish midwife of Venice, a gift aided by the secret “birthing spoons” designed by her. When asked to attend to a Christian woman, she is torn as a Papal edict forbids Jews from rendering medical treatment to Christians. The payment sways her to risk her life as the sum is enough to ransom her beloved husband, Isaac, who has been captured at sea.  At the same time, in Malta Isaac awaits for the Society for the Release of Captives to offer his freedom. History and traditions of Jewry and Christianity come alive in this story. Among them, reality of the 16th century of noble women to birth an heir. And if the choice is to save one, it is to save an heir. A woman can be easily replaced. And using any tool during the birth is seen as heresy. Very engrossing story, with most chapters ending in such interesting way that it’s hard to stop reading, and making ...

Set in Northern Italy, the story spans between 1920-1950.  It starts with a 25 year old Maria, who is already passed a marriageable age, but it’s not her fault that there are no marriageable men in nearby villages. The men were taken by war. But she prays to her icon of the Madonna of the Mountains and continues to hope for a handsome husband. As this is her last straw to get married, her father travels to another valley with her picture to get her a husband. He comes back with a handsome man Maria was praying for. They get married before Easter, a time which rich people pick. She is very proud to be getting married before Easter. With two kids they move to a town of Fosso, where her husband buys a grocery store with living quarters above. Maria hopes for more kids. Under Mussolini’s regime families with six or more kids get released from taxes. She feels sorry for their new neighbor butcher, who is single and paying heavy taxes. At 44 with five kids and two miscarriages, Maria n...

This is a story of two men, who meet at the age of 12 and quickly become close friends. But what happens to their friendship, when war intervenes? Their stories begin in 1933 Zamosc, Poland.  Ben Solomon’s family, Jewish, owns glass factory, founded by his great-grandfather in 1861, producing “fine lead crystal, much like the Waterford crystal.” His father is a very well-respected man.  Otto Piatek’s family, Christian, goes through some tough times as the Depression worsens. When his father has no longer means to care for him, he brings Otto to Solomon’s family known for generosity, where he stays for a few years. Ben's family comes from the city of Zamosc, which he describes as “the jewel of pre-war Poland, a gingerbread city built by an Italian architect in the 16th century and modeled after the Italian city of Padua. So colorful, so magical it was, you would swear you woke up in Renaissance Italy. (…) Zamosc was a multi-cultural city, where the mystery of other cultures w...

The whole story is written in the form of letters.  The main character, Juliet, is looking for an aspiration for her second book right after WWII. While she correspondences with her best friend, Sophie, and Sophie’s brother, Sydney, who is her editor, she receives a letter from a stranger, who lives on the Guernsey Island. He is in need of some books, which are hard to get on an island right after war.  From Sophie’s and Sydney’s letters and some others, story of Juliet’s background is being revealed. The most interesting part develops between a stranger, who leads Juliet to the Literary Society, which developed out of necessity during the Nazi occupation. The exchange letters expend from one stranger to many members of the Society and Juliet. A remarkable correspondence develops, which gives Juliet a glimpse of the island, its people and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey. What she find...

This is a story of two talented poets, Aemilia Bassano Lanier and William Shakespeare. Set at the end of the 16th century.  A 7 year old Aemilia grows up listening to her father stories of his native country Italy. It sounds so enchanting to Aemilia, setting her on a dream to visit those lands. She receives “the identical grammar-school education that a boy would receive between the ages of 7 and 14…” She has passion for poetry and her first exposure of her talent is at the court of Elizabeth I.  As a young woman, when she meets Shakespeare, she hatches a plan of becoming collaborators. So she could write under his name and him becoming her mask. Her last relative in Italy is on a deathbed. She travels to Italy to claim the inheritance. She asks Shakespeare to join her.  On a boat heading for Venice, they collaborate on their first playwright. At the Venetian theater, she discovers not only playwright written by women, but also female actresses, which was unheard off in...

The story is set at the very end of the 15th century and beginning of the 16th century, during the time of Christopher Columbus’ discoveries.  It is told through the eyes of Juana, daughter of Isabel and Ferdinand II of Spain.  Isabel and Ferdinand are known for ruling Spain equally. Is it so? Young Juana observes that it’s more of her mom’s iron hand ruling the kingdom than his reserved, quiet father. There is something else that she notices about her father, which pains her. When in Spain, the voice reflects the views of a young girl, fourteen year-old.  She marries at seventeen and moves to Netherlands to marry Philippe, known as the Handsome. Her voice matures as she gets married and gives births and notices infidelities of her husband. Loneliness at foreign court and jealousy drives her to madness or is it just talk? A rumor of madness spreads throughout courts to serve a purpose to somebody… The story is interesting and well-written. I enjoyed sharp-tong...

This spellbinding story is “inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged mountain spine of England.” In the spring of 1665 Anna Frith is widowed at the age of 18, raising two babies, when a man, referred by rector, appears at her door looking for lodging. He settles in her attic, the money helps her to feed the family, but what she learns to appreciate the most is to be able to laugh again.  Soon after, plague reaches the village. And when one village-folk after another are being claimed by plague, Anna gets involved with herbs, administering tonics to afflicted ones.  Such trying times, turn some simple souls into superstition, some into Flagellants – “Their belief is that by grievous self-punishment they can allay God’s wrath.” But at the end, one’s struggle can turn into a wonder. This beautifully written story brings a vivid picture of a struggle for survival. @Facebook/BestHistoricalFiction