Seven inspiring works of historical fiction that challenge old perspectives
History teaches us what happened; historical fiction novels let us feel what happened. Without female protagonists in these historical fiction books, we’re only getting half the picture of what it might have been like to live through different time periods. We’ve put together a list of audiobook recommendations, all available in audio format, in which female characters lead the retelling of true events and eras of the past. Whether it’s a historical romance set hundreds of years ago or a twentieth-century drama based on actual events, discover listens that are both heartbreaking and humbling as the resilient, inspiring, and badass female characters lead the way. Enjoy them solo or with your audiobook club.
Why Listen to Historical Fiction?
History teaches us what happened; historical fiction lets us feel what happened. When we listen to historical fiction audiobooks, we experience the facts of the past through a character’s emotional journey.
Without women protagonists in these stories, we’re only getting half the picture of what it might have been like to live through historical times. By listening to historical fiction written from new points of view, we start to complete the picture.
Get Started with these Recommendations
If you want to start discovering new titles that put women first, but aren’t sure where to get started, we have tons of recommendations. Some of the most anticipated titles of 2020 are historical fiction from bestselling writers and rising stars. These are bold new narratives that challenge our male-centric perspectives on history and imagine what it would’ve been like to be a woman during pivotal moments in the past. These titles allow you to step into their shoes and see history with fresh eyes.
The Nightingale
Bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history that is rarely seen: the courage of women. Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband as he heads off for battle. She doesn’t believe the Nazis will invade France until they do. Without food or money, or hope, and with danger on the horizon, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive. Meanwhile, Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious young woman searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. After she gets betrayed by her lover, she joins the Resistance and risks it all to save others. This stunning must-listen tells a beautiful story, led by strong female characters, that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. Both heartbreaking and heartfelt, this powerful wartime story is one that you’ll want to add to your listening library.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Philippa Gregory’s The Other Boleyn Girl is inspired by the true story of the historical figure Anne Boleyn, her sister and King Henry VIII. In this number one New York Times bestseller, the “queen of royal fiction” (USA Today) crafts a strong female lead: Mary Boleyn, a young girl who catches the eye of Henry VIII. She falls in love with the Tudor king and the prospect of her duties as the unofficial queen. Yet Mary soon realizes her family has ulterior motives and she is just a pawn in their ambitious plans. As the king’s interest in her begins to fade, she is forced to step aside for her sister and best friend, Anne. Mary must go against her family and take control of her destiny. This compelling tale of love, ambition, and the Tudor court will grip historical fiction lovers from start to finish.
Hamnet
In this deeply profound listen set in England in 1580, a poor young Latin tutor falls in love with Agnes, an eccentric and bewitching young woman. Known locally for her unusual healing gifts and her habit of roaming around the family estate with a falcon on her shoulder, Agnes understands plants and potions better than most. She prefers to dedicate her time to these endeavours over people. But soon, Agnes becomes a wife and protective mother of twins Hamnet and Judith. She faces heartbreak when her precious children become infected with the bubonic plague. The family’s luck worsens when one of the twins succumbs to the highly contagious disease. In this moving and poetic novel, author Maggie O’Farrell paints a mesmerizing portrait of a grief-ridden family led by a stunning female protagonist who suffers the ultimate loss and heartache as a mother.
The Last Train To Key West
In Chanel Cleeton’s The Last Train To Key West, the third title of The Cuba Saga, the lives of three women change forever when one of the most powerful hurricanes in history hits the Florida Keys in 1935. This New York Times bestseller introduces listeners to powerful female protagonists: Helen Berner, Mirta Perez and Elizabeth Preston. Helen is a Key West native who yearns to escape the area which attracts tourists on Labor Day weekend, as one person’s paradise seems to be her prison. A newlywed determined to make the best of her arranged marriage, Mirta travels to the Keys from Cuba on her honeymoon. Her new American husband’s business interests threaten their fragile relationship and her life. Elizabeth heads to the Keys to save her once-wealthy family from their financial troubles and ends up meeting an unlikely ally in a veteran camp. In this riveting listen, the women’s paths cross as they face danger and the storm's force.
The Book of Longings
There aren’t many women’s voices that have survived from as far back as the 1st century, but Sue Monk Kidd imagines what it would have been like for a woman in ancient Galilee, secretly studying and writing down the stories of her peers when her life becomes entangled with a young Jesus Christ.
The 1st century can feel like ancient history, but the events of the time had long-lasting repercussions that shaped society today. The best we may be able to do is imagine what the women of the time could have been capable of. Sue Monk Kidd uses meticulous research to reconstruct life in the distant past and imagine the struggles that people of the time had to face.
The Book of Lost Friends
If you’re looking for a title that sinks its teeth into tough issues and the history of the American South, this month sees the release of Lisa Wingate’s The Book of Lost Friends. Wingate explores the post-Civil War South through the eyes of three women from vastly different backgrounds who are forced together on a journey from Louisiana to Texas, taking dangerous roads rife with vigilantes and soldiers. It’s a story that dives into the legacy of the Civil War, emancipation and lost and broken families across the South.
The founder of the Red Cross, Clara Barton, once claimed that the female nurses, soldiers and family providers in the Civil War advanced the position of women by at least 50 years. Titles like The Book of Lost Friends give us insights into some of the ways that lives were changed during the social tumult of the post-Civil War years. Women’s advancement has come a long way, and while there’s still plenty more work to do, the achievements of the past are a reminder that it can be done.
The Age of Light
Enter the bohemian cabarets of 1930s Paris with Lee Miller, the real-life model-turned-photographer who apprenticed under surrealist Man Ray and went on to become Vogue’s war correspondent during WWII.
This debut from writer Whitney Scharer will inspire anyone pursuing (or dreaming about) a career as an artist in these turbulent times. Miller was a figure who seized opportunity and always challenged the status quo. Scharer’s portrait shows a woman both fiercely independent and vulnerable to the self-doubt that can strike anyone who dares to be different.
Miller once famously said, “I’d rather take a photograph than be one.” The Age of Light lets us in on the world of one of bohemian Paris’s most compelling and overlooked artists. Miller was a pioneer in photography and made huge strides for women in journalism. Her story finally gets its due in Scharer’s complex and sensitive portrayal.
Start an Audiobook Club for Historical Fiction
Looking for a way to listen to titles like these and put together an awesome group to talk about them? Check out our guide on how to start an audiobook club and bring people closer together (even remotely) listening to inventive historical fiction. With Audible, hosting a virtual audiobook club and sharing titles couldn’t be easier.
A great listen makes you want to shout about it from the rooftops, talk about it until late into the night and make all your best friends listen to it. Audiobook clubs scratch that itch and give you a chance to enjoy fiction and literature audiobooks and entertainment in good company. You can celebrate women’s voices with these listens and more right here on Audible.
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