The Top Ten Best Historical Fiction Books of All Time

We can’t travel back in time but historical fiction novels are a great alternative. The genre is filled with many timeless novels which is why we will be looking at the top ten best historical fiction books of all time according to Forbes. Jeep reading to see which books made their list!

Historical Fiction Novels

Unlike most novels, the setting in historical fiction books plays an important part. Authors have to research the time period they chose and accurately potray it in their novels. That is not an easy task and is vital for the plot.

When novels do succeed in doing this correctly, readers feel transported to this time period. From the way the characters dress to the technology, every little detail is important. The setting sometimes feels like another character in the book and is just as important as the protagonist at times.

The top ten novels selected by Forbes use this to their advantage when telling the story. You can picture the scene they paint and feel like you are there. That is why we have fallen in love with these novels. You can see the full list below!

The Top Ten Best Historical Fiction Books

• The War That Saved My Life By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
• I Must Betray You By Ruta Sepetys
• Orphan Monster Spy By Matt Killeen
• Rose Under Fire By Elizabeth Wein
• Iqbal By Francesco D’Adamo
• All the Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr
• The Boy in the Striped Pajamas By John Boyne
• The Girl with the Red Balloon By Katherine Locke
• Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two By Joseph Bruchac
• The Fountains of Silence By Ruta Sepetys

The War That Saved My Life

Released in 2015, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s novel tops Forbes list. The book explores wartime England and follows Ada, a young girl with a deformed with, and her mother. Ada is confined to her room but when her younger brother is sent to London to escape the war, Ada also escapes and ends up in the English countryside, learning to overcome her trauma.

The Orphan

In third place is The Orphan by Matt Killeen, a spy novel that takes place during World War II.  Sarah is a Jewish teenager and is a British spy who is infiltrating a Nazi elite boarding school. What follows is a story unlike any other and Killeen’s attention to detail for his various characters is what makes this novel special. Few author can do what Killeen does, earning him a spot as one of the best historical fiction novels ever written.

All the Light We Cannot See

Just missing the top five and coming in sixth place is All the Light We Cannot See By Anthony Doerr. One of the best depictions of World War II, the story follows two protagonists, a young blind French girl and a young German boy. Their lives are interconnected as we read Doerr tell the tragedy that takes place around them. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a modern classic that everyone should read.

Conclusion

These are the top ten historical fiction books of all time according to Forbes. They highlight the best the genre has to offer and what happens when a brilliant author decides to write a well-researched novel. The setting plays a crucial part and feels like another character in the book.

What did you think of the list made by Forbes? How many books have you read on the list and what other novels would you have included? Let us know in the comments below!

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