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Historical Fiction November 2025 |
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| Venetian Vespers by John BanvilleIn Booker Prize winner John Banville's atmospheric latest, newlyweds Evelyn and Laura, who don't know each other very well, visit 1899 Venice. Struggling British writer Evelyn, who narrates, has been pulled to the city by his recently disinherited American wife, and there he meets a man claiming to know him. Though Evelyn doesn't remember the man, he quickly falls for his sister, which leads to violence and a disappearance. For another view of Venice, try Alyssa Palombo's The Assassin of Venice. |
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| Circle of Days by Ken FollettExploring the creation of Stonehenge, Circle of Days follows Seft, a flint miner who's physically abused by his widowed father. Falling for Neen, he’s welcomed into her tight-knit herding family and soon finds himself helping her priestess sister realize her ambitious vision for a massive stone circle. As they work, he’s swept into a sweeping saga filled with brutal weather, clashing tribes, and daunting logistical challenges—an intricately woven epic with a rich, sprawling cast. Try this next: Conn Iggulden's The Abbot's Tale. |
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| Amity by Nathan HarrisIn 1866 Louisiana, formerly enslaved siblings Coleman and June continue to work for the Harper family after the war. When Mr. Harper heads to Mexico hoping to get rich via silver mines, he takes June with him. Soon Mrs. Harper, her adult daughter, bookish Coleman, and a dog follow them, but no one's journey is smooth in this incisive, intricately plotted western. For fans of Paulette Jiles' Chenneville and/or Chris Bohjalian's The Jackal's Mistress. |
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The Elopement
by Gill Hornby
1820. Mary Dorothea Knatchbull is living under the sole charge of her widowed father, Sir Edward—a man of strict principles and high Christian values. But when her father marries Miss Fanny Knight of Godmersham Park, Mary's life is suddenly changed. Her new stepmother comes from a large, happy and sociable family and Fanny's sisters become Mary's first friends. Her aunt, Miss Cassandra Austen of Chawton, is especially kind. Her brothers are not only amusing, but handsome and charming. And as Mary Dorothea starts to bloom into a beautiful young woman, she forms an especial bond with one Mr. Knight in particular. Soon, they are deeply in love and determined to marry. They expect no opposition. After all, each is from a good family and has known the other for some years. It promises to be the most perfect match. Who would want to stand in their way?
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| Bad Bad Girl by Gish JenBased on the life of the author’s mother, this “heartbreaking and stunning” (Library Journal) story follows Loo Shu-hsin, from her privileged but abusive childhood in Shanghai to 1947 Chicago, where she studies for an advanced degree. Marrying a fellow immigrant, she settles in New York, but she isn’t happy and mistreats her eldest daughter. Try this next: Wendy Chen’s Their Divine Fires. |
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| The Wayfinder by Adam JohnsonThis well-researched, richly layered historical saga from the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Orphan Master’s Son takes place in an evocative South Pacific setting. It depicts what happens when teenage Kōrero, who wants to be her small island’s storyteller, meets two brothers, a navigator and a poet, who are part of the Tongan empire. Try this next: Minsoo Kang’s The Melancholy of Untold History. |
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| Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? by Sarah McCoyIn 1991, college student Lu Tibbott writes her senior thesis about her Aunt Lori, a 1960s movie starlet who left Hollywood to become a nun. While Lori has never discussed her abrupt decision before, she agrees to be interviewed by Lu. This compelling dual timeline novel puts the spotlight on ambition, love, faith, and secrets as readers follow Lu and Lori's paths. For fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid's The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo or Meg Waite Clayton's Typewriter Beach. |
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| One of Them by Kitty ZeldisJust after World War II, Anne Bishop attends Vassar, but doesn't tell her new friends she's Jewish, even when they make offensive comments. Fellow student Delia Goldhush, a Jewish girl with style and self-assurance, fled France during the war and faces antisemitism head-on. While Anne and Delia become secret friends, their connection is put to the test. Later, both end up in Europe, where they meet again. For fans of thought-provoking books or novels that examine friendship, belonging, and identity. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Oswego Public Library District
Montgomery Campus - 1111 Reading Drive, 60538Oswego Campus - 32 West Jefferson, 60543 (630) 554-3150
https://www.oswego.lib.il.us/
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