Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've done a good, long recommendation post, and I'm gonna be experimenting with the format, so please don't hesitate to let me know any feedback or thoughts you have on this post with me on any of my socials!
Historical fantasy is one of the most underrated subgenres of fantasy (as compared to something like a fantasy romance or portal fantasy or quest fantasy).
Historical fantasy set in varying time periods is such a fascinating concept to me, and this past year I’ve gotten to read so many amazing books set not only in unique time periods but in different locations and cultures.
Some of the books I mention here are very closely tied to historical facts, with just a dash of fantasy to change things up. Other books may be less so, since they are merely set in that period of history in a sense, and don’t stick to every real-life fact too much. Whatever may be the case, in my opinion, I found each and every one of these so transportive.
Before I begin, I wanted to talk about the reason that personally endeared me to the historical fantasy genre so much. As a student of history, so many of the concepts that we studied in our chapters in school were so easy to visualize and comprehend because topics like the feudal system in France or the slavery system…. life in the Roman empire, power struggles between kings, uprisings and revolutions- because I’ve already seen and experienced those events through characters in stories.
It feels a lot less surface-level learning and a bit more fun (or maybe that’s just me) when you can make yourself think of the big historical figures as fictional characters, and then relate them to the stories you know and love.
And now that I’m done ranting, let’s get into the actual books!
Table of Contents
1) These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights #1) by Chloe Gong- THE book of 2020, TVD was an instant all-time-fav that blew my mind with how well crafted it was, and how simultaneously my heart was attached to the characters. And not just Roma and Juliette, the protagonists, but all the side characters as well. Set in 1920s Shanghai, the city thrumming with activity and on the cusp of change,
STAY FOR:
a bloody rivalry between two gangs, and a horrifying plague spreading throughout the city.
Roma and Juliette, heri of said two rival gangs, who are forced to set aside their past and work together to solve this mystery and save the city.
Lush and vivid writing,
the atmosphere feels as if it's vibrating with a sense of urgency.
An addictive page-turner, full of underlying raw angst and a fair amount of blood and gore.
2) Belladonna (Belladonna #1) by Adalyn Grace- Belladonna is more leaning towards gothic-inspired horror, tbh, but it's historical and it has magic, so I’m counting it. I can’t point out the exact time period, but from what I can guess it’s around the 18th CE century. Still, around the time there were horse-rolled carriages and parties at mansions and people had manners.
It's beautifully atmospheric, and dark, with a twisted mystery and romance with a mysterious helper. It’s one of those books that I mentioned that are only set in a historical time period, and do not necessarily talk about any important events or details. Definitely a must-read.
3) The Poppy War (The Poppy War trilogy) by R.F. Kuang- I’m sure for any regular fantasy reader, the Poppy War series coming up on lists isn’t a big surprise. And apart from the really complex themes that it handles, it’s how R.F. Kuang is a seasoned genius at taking great events in history and making them accessible and infinitely unputdownable to the layman reader. Kuang, being the over-qualified student of Asian history that she is, took inspiration from two parts of Chinese history- its plot and politics from mid-20th-century China, with the conflict in the novel based on the Second Sino-Japanese War, and an atmosphere inspired by the Song dynasty.
Brace yourselves for characters that make us question our own moral code, and shrivel our hearts with the no-holds-barred view of the impact of war.
And to the curious and nerdy- finishing this series and then looking at the real history of China at that time and what went down is endlessly fascinating. From personal experience, I can say that it is definitely hard to get through; not just because of the uncensored look into violence and war crimes, but the really grim vibe. You see the cycles of violence sown throughout generations that won’t break, how power corrupts, and how wars are just games to the powerful who don’t care how many people are sacrificed for their ambitions.
4) She Who Became the Sun (The Radiant Emperor) by Shelley Parker-Chan- With the most gorgeous cover I’ve ever seen, SWBTS is a reimagining of the story of the rise to power of the Hongwu Emperor. It is set in 14th-century China, during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty and the Red Turban Rebellions (as per Google).
The book itself was amazing, with its morally grey characters (it's a villain origin story, so to speak) and underlying themes of power, revenge, loyalty, and fate and destiny. It explores the question- “Are we completely bound within our destined fate, or can we change it to mean something else?”
We follow a girl who disguises herself as her brother and joins a monastery and becomes a monk. But then her trajectory takes a drastic change as she becomes a Commander of an army and gets ready to take that throne to fulfill her foretold destiny. We also follow a second character on the opposite of this war, who works under the Yuan King, and he single-handedly carries the “emotionally wrecking” factor of this story. That’s all I’ll say.
5) Castles in their Bones by Laura Sebastian (Castles in their Bones #1)- A riveting start to a political fantasy series that I'm really looking forward to reading more of, Castles in their Bones is full of light magic, heavy scheming, court machinations, and sinister plots.
We follow the story of three sisters, who are triplets, and have been trained since birth in all the deadly arts- from poisons to seduction to magic- and have now been married off to the Princes of three different kingdoms. Their mother’s ultimate plan is to get all three kingdoms under her control, but now that the sisters are on their own, they have to make a lot of decisions themselves. But surprisingly as it turns out that they actually grow to care about their new kingdom, new friends, and partners, which in turn makes their mother’s plan seem not so appealing anymore. It’s an amazingly well-written story that keeps you hooked on every page.
6) Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley- It's been a while since I read it, but I distinctly remember its first few chapters because they were so bizarre and interesting and I had no idea what I was being set up for.
In a gist, we follow a girl who is a tightrope walker in a circus in 19th-century Victorian London. AND (surprisingly a trend throughout this blog post) cannot die. Like she gets injured, gets stabbed, falls down 100 ft, snaps her neck- then gets right back up in a minute. And a mysterious man named Adam has recruited her to participate in the Tournament of Freaks. Again, a very strange backstory behind that tournament. When you pick up this book, be prepared for some very unique and unexpected plot twists, some awesome fight scenes between people with crazy magical abilities, and also found family. Seriously, don’t let this fly under your radar.
7) Invisible life of Addie by V.E. Schwab- Of course, this book is that one person at a party who needs no introduction- be it only because of a mixed reputation. Addie LaRue was more of a 3/3.5 star read for me, which I never thought was possible with a V.E. Schwab book before. I still really loved some parts of it. It has this element where it captures the progression of time really well. Addie LaRue is a girl who bargained with the devil for immortality, and so the novel spans centuries. And there are so many fairy-tale-like, fan-art-worthy moments in this book, that I’d just read it purely for the aesthetic.
8) Gilded Wolves by Roshni Chokshi- Alright, so I see a lot of people comparing this series to Six of Crows because of the heist element in both stories, but I really don’t think that's the accurate way to market this story. The heist element is only important in the first book, and we deviate to waaayyy bigger stakes and expand the magic system much more or it to be fair to just confine it to that one plot device.
Set around the end of the 19th century, Chokshi weaves a spell-binding story that surprises you with the choices the characters make, and the way something that was foreshadowed 2 books ago plays a part here. It centers around a cast of six characters that you can’t help but be enchanted by, no matter the glaring flaws and mistakes they make. It's very atmospheric- in the sense that it evokes very opulent. beautiful, sparkling imagery. Like, it has the feeling of those fae revels scenes in stories, except that there is no fae. Just two very over-dramatic, stubborn people unwilling to admit their love? My point is- just read this series. It's amazing.
9) The Diviners series by Libba Bray- This series of 4 books is a more supernatural vibe, rather than hard fantasy, but I still counted it because it has a lot of magical elements to it as well. It is set in the hustle-bustle of 1920s Manhattan, and we follow a group of six characters, whose lives don't seem to intertwine at first, but when they do eventually meet- it's incredible.
A well-done Found family trope, with characters that are fascinating, frustrating, lovable, enigmatic, and damaged. Everybody has secret motives, secrets in their pasts, secret magical powers, and secret affairs that they're hiding from each other.
Mysteries pile up from the very first page, and the writing is engrossing and transportive that 1920s New York feels like a character in itself.
(P.S.- If you like the idea of seeing New York City as a character check out this review of The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin).
10) Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices) and Chain of Gold (The Last Hours series) by Cassandra Clare-
If you’re one of those unfortunate people who, after reading The Mortal Instruments books (or god forbid, watching the show) gave up on the series, this is your sign to give these a second chance. Because no matter how much I love Magnus and Alec, I will pick these two series over any City of -blank- any day.
Not to mention that Shadowhunters and the Victorian era really vibe with each other. They create the true aesthetic together, you know what I mean?
And the characters are infinitely more lovable and smart (we’re talking about the very last few good breed of Herondales. Because after this, it just goes downhill. Until Kit arrives, of course). So yes, if you like gorgeous sword-wielding girls, if you like unrequited love, watching-the-sunset-in-Paris kinda angst, and a very wholesome, heartwarming group of friends, there’s nothing that would be better than these two.
On My TBR
Engines of Empire by R.S. Ford:
epic fantasy
multi-POV (three siblings and mom, that's so interesting)
promises a lot of politics and turn-of-the-century feel
Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
epic fantasy
themes of power, justice, and morality
"let me tell you my life story" narrative style
Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick
old, Venetian setting vibes
very intricate and detailed world-building
my favorite reviewer says it's dark, mysterious, and adventurous. I don't need more endorsements.
Babel by R.F. Kuang
written by R.F. Kuang
themes of the importance of language, translation, and colonization, and its consequences
dark academia setting (did I mention R.F. Kuang wrote it?)
(look at the cover).
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal Mohtar, Max Gladstone
Dark of the West by Joanna Hatthaway
Time to Chat!
THE END.
Alright, I really hope you guys enjoyed this post and got some good recommendations out of it. I'll be posting more and more frequently throughout this month till the end of January, so keep an eye out. Future content includes more Discussion posts on reading-related topics and End of Year content like tags and Anticipated Releases lists!
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