YA Historical Fiction

Historical fiction is defined as novels in which a story is made up but is set in the past and sometimes borrows true characteristics of the time period in which it is set.  Reading historical fiction is my favorite way to learn history!  This month I am recommending new young adult historical fiction novels.  The Downstairs Girl by Stacy Lee (Outrun the Moon) is set in the Reconstructionist South and focuses on a Chinese- American girl who anonymously writes an "agony aunt" column for the local newspaper. Across the Broken Shore by Amy Trueblood is set in San Francisco during the construction of the Golden Gate bridge and involves a young woman who aspires to become a doctor.  Enchantee by Gita Trelease is the first book in a new magical realism series set during the French Revolution. Camille uses "magic ordinaire" to disguise herself as an aristocrat, who gambles at the palace of Versailles.   

In The Downstairs Girl Chinese-American Jo Kuan lives in 1890 Atlanta with her guardian, Old Gin, in the abolitionist quarters underneath the home of the publisher of a failing newspaper. When she loses her job as a milliner's assistant, she returns to a job as a lady's maid to the cantankerous daughter of a society maven. She overhears the publisher talking about bolstering newspaper sales with an "agony aunt" column, so she begins anonymously submitting a column that offers advice on fashion, women's suffrage, and prejudice that sparks controversy and raises subscriptions.  Her sharp wit and questions about her identity are the talk of Atlanta. Subplots about Jo's parentage and her romance with the publisher's son complement her first-person narrative, which sheds light on the struggles of women and people of color in the Reconstructionist South.  The well-researched narrative raises important questions about how we understand the past, as well as the ways that understanding shapes the present. 

Across the Broken Shore is set during the fall of 1936 in San Francisco. Willa MacCarthy, who is plagued by guilt over an incident in the past, agrees to join a convent and make her Catholic family proud.  However, secretly she longs to be a doctor.  When her brother Paddy has an accident in the family bar, she hurries him to the family doctor, only to find the Dr. Katherine Winston has taken his place.  Willa, who has been reading Gray's Anatomy, jumps in to help with Paddy's treatment. Dr. Winston offers her a job and encourages her to follow her dreams.  Willa accompanies her to a field hospital to administer first aid for men working on the Golden Gate Bridge, and she also begins treating sick people in a Hooverville near the bridge. When Willa meets Sam, an ironworker on the bridge, she dares to dream of a different life.  The author says she was inspired by the history of the Golden Gate Bridge construction and by an actual female physician who practiced nearby. 

Enchantee, the first book in a new series, introduces Camille and her sister Sophie, who are struggling to survive during the French Revolution. After their ne'er-do-well brother steals their meager savings, the daring and passionate Camille uses her gift of magic to create a double identity.  As Baroness Cecile Descharlots, she games at Versailles, even as she is befriending nobility.  Her Indian aeronaut boyfriend, Lazare, and the nefarious Vicomte Sequin vie for her attention.   Meanwhile, the bourgeoisie are threatening revolt against the decadence of the French court of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. When Camille's double life begins to fray and Sophie disappears, she must take desperate measures to save their lives. Many realistic historical elements add to the story, including the decadent lifestyle of Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV, the outrage of impoverished Parisians, experiments with balloon aeronautics, and prejudice against queer and biracial characters.   Historical footnotes and a French glossary are included. The sequel Liberte will be released in 2020.