Best Historical Fiction of the 21st Century

The best historical fiction written in the 21st century.

flag

1	The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 3,425,625 ratings score: 42,223, and 428 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Help by Kathryn Stockett (Goodreads Author) 4.47 avg rating — 2,976,730 ratings score: 35,705, and 364 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Goodreads Author) 4.39 avg rating — 2,820,895 ratings score: 33,636, and 343 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (Goodreads Author) 4.45 avg rating — 1,696,964 ratings score: 29,338, and 299 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer 4.19 avg rating — 797,991 ratings score: 19,082, and 196 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 1,686,016 ratings score: 18,213, and 190 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Other Boleyn Girl (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #9) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 510,042 ratings score: 17,602, and 179 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 1,922,538 ratings score: 13,862, and 143 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Secret Magdalene by Ki Longfellow (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 4,720 ratings score: 13,559, and 136 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	World Without End (Kingsbridge, #2) by Ken Follett (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 270,891 ratings score: 13,500, and 140 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 4.31 avg rating — 703,244 ratings score: 12,008, and 125 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (Goodreads Author) 4.64 avg rating — 1,951,186 ratings score: 11,333, and 118 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy, #1) by Ken Follett (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 342,460 ratings score: 9,914, and 103 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 172,789 ratings score: 8,833, and 93 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 323,938 ratings score: 8,271, and 86 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 383,934 ratings score: 8,206, and 86 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides 4.04 avg rating — 658,918 ratings score: 8,101, and 84 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 491,381 ratings score: 7,887, and 83 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell, #1) by Hilary Mantel 3.91 avg rating — 229,130 ratings score: 7,601, and 80 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	11/22/63 by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 4.35 avg rating — 621,862 ratings score: 6,708, and 71 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Bell Hammers by Lancelot Schaubert (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 726 ratings score: 6,591, and 66 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova 3.80 avg rating — 274,309 ratings score: 6,579, and 69 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	The White Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #2) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 181,237 ratings score: 5,762, and 63 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 312,684 ratings score: 5,427, and 58 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 154,421 ratings score: 5,372, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	The Fiery Cross (Outlander, #5) by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 224,106 ratings score: 5,202, and 55 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Winter of the World (The Century Trilogy #2) by Ken Follett (Goodreads Author) 4.38 avg rating — 174,196 ratings score: 5,032, and 54 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	Moloka'i (Moloka'i, #1) by Alan Brennert (Goodreads Author) 4.20 avg rating — 138,918 ratings score: 4,984, and 52 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	The Boleyn Inheritance (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #10) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 94,616 ratings score: 4,828, and 52 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir 3.98 avg rating — 34,783 ratings score: 4,632, and 49 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander, #6) by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author) 4.44 avg rating — 189,265 ratings score: 4,610, and 49 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 772,177 ratings score: 4,552, and 51 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 1,341,770 ratings score: 4,425, and 51 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	The Red Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #3) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 77,231 ratings score: 4,328, and 49 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Goodreads Author) 4.15 avg rating — 235,573 ratings score: 4,286, and 46 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7) by Diana Gabaldon (Goodreads Author) 4.44 avg rating — 163,495 ratings score: 4,038, and 44 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (Goodreads Author) 4.33 avg rating — 420,077 ratings score: 4,038, and 44 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 644,396 ratings score: 3,933, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	Nefertiti by Michelle Moran 4.09 avg rating — 40,623 ratings score: 3,691, and 39 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 180,310 ratings score: 3,675, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	The Queen's Fool (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #13) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.89 avg rating — 100,110 ratings score: 3,635, and 40 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle, #1) by Libba Bray (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 225,281 ratings score: 3,553, and 37 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1) by Ariana Franklin 3.93 avg rating — 40,674 ratings score: 3,461, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	March by Geraldine Brooks (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 76,816 ratings score: 3,459, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,075,707 ratings score: 3,445, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom (Goodreads Author) 4.23 avg rating — 297,487 ratings score: 3,415, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author) 3.96 avg rating — 161,907 ratings score: 3,250, and 35 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	The Constant Princess (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #6) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 166,343 ratings score: 3,248, and 38 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	The House at Riverton by Kate Morton (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 124,096 ratings score: 2,943, and 33 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Shanghai Girls (Shanghai Girls, #1) by Lisa See (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 161,327 ratings score: 2,915, and 33 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 60,670 ratings score: 2,860, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber 3.89 avg rating — 44,805 ratings score: 2,845, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 30,607 ratings score: 2,794, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Bring Up the Bodies (Thomas Cromwell, #2) by Hilary Mantel 4.30 avg rating — 103,254 ratings score: 2,753, and 31 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author) 4.30 avg rating — 267,758 ratings score: 2,692, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden 4.16 avg rating — 2,089,979 ratings score: 2,672, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Cane River by Lalita Tademy (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 50,191 ratings score: 2,630, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	New York by Edward Rutherfurd (Goodreads Author) 4.19 avg rating — 43,451 ratings score: 2,589, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	Dissolution (Matthew Shardlake, #1) by C.J. Sansom 4.07 avg rating — 60,531 ratings score: 2,437, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Atonement by Ian McEwan (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 555,316 ratings score: 2,399, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent (Goodreads Author) 3.79 avg rating — 37,062 ratings score: 2,390, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 397,960 ratings score: 2,387, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Pompeii by Robert Harris (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 52,179 ratings score: 2,310, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 15,006 ratings score: 2,253, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 944,078 ratings score: 2,244, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant 3.81 avg rating — 99,645 ratings score: 2,234, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Agincourt by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 31,482 ratings score: 2,199, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	The Forest by Edward Rutherfurd (Goodreads Author) 4.05 avg rating — 10,241 ratings score: 2,189, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Time and Chance (Plantagenets #2; Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine #2) by Sharon Kay Penman 4.30 avg rating — 9,325 ratings score: 2,065, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 26,457 ratings score: 2,061, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	The Serpent's Tale (Mistress of the Art of Death, #2) by Ariana Franklin 3.96 avg rating — 13,693 ratings score: 2,014, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 1,896,589 ratings score: 1,972, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (Goodreads Author) 4.09 avg rating — 171,734 ratings score: 1,962, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 601,286 ratings score: 1,961, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 11,760 ratings score: 1,942, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir 3.99 avg rating — 28,449 ratings score: 1,906, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	The Luck of the Weissensteiners by Christoph Fischer (Goodreads Author) 3.84 avg rating — 978 ratings score: 1,893, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	Roma (Roma, #1) by Steven Saylor 3.94 avg rating — 8,695 ratings score: 1,880, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (Goodreads Author) 4.07 avg rating — 79,494 ratings score: 1,879, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	The Bronze Horseman (The Bronze Horseman, #1) by Paullina Simons 4.29 avg rating — 93,062 ratings score: 1,835, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	Dreams of Joy (Shanghai Girls, #2) by Lisa See (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 67,957 ratings score: 1,754, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill 4.47 avg rating — 90,575 ratings score: 1,752, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	City of Thieves by David Benioff 4.30 avg rating — 163,209 ratings score: 1,714, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline (Goodreads Author) 4.20 avg rating — 459,933 ratings score: 1,679, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Stories, #1) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author) 4.27 avg rating — 109,927 ratings score: 1,642, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	Letters to the Lost by Iona Grey (Goodreads Author) 4.17 avg rating — 10,598 ratings score: 1,635, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	Devil's Brood (Plantagenets #3; Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine, #3) by Sharon Kay Penman 4.38 avg rating — 8,113 ratings score: 1,612, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity, #1) by Elizabeth Wein (Goodreads Author) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 126,505 ratings score: 1,610, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Loving Frank by Nancy Horan 3.77 avg rating — 101,077 ratings score: 1,610, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	King Robin by R. A. Moss 4.18 avg rating — 151 ratings score: 1,499, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende (Goodreads Author) 4.11 avg rating — 45,764 ratings score: 1,454, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	The Other Queen (The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels, #16) by Philippa Gregory (Goodreads Author) 3.70 avg rating — 49,189 ratings score: 1,450, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd (Goodreads Author) 4.26 avg rating — 329,242 ratings score: 1,429, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	Mistress of Rome (The Empress of Rome, #1) by Kate Quinn (Goodreads Author) 4.02 avg rating — 29,798 ratings score: 1,385, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Lilac Girls (Woolsey-Ferriday, #1) by Martha Hall Kelly (Goodreads Author) 4.29 avg rating — 334,790 ratings score: 1,373, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author) 3.75 avg rating — 17,188 ratings score: 1,357, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Flow Down Like Silver by Ki Longfellow (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 4,508 ratings score: 1,356, and 14 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	Grave Goods (Mistress of the Art of Death, #3) by Ariana Franklin 4.11 avg rating — 12,255 ratings score: 1,341, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks 3.78 avg rating — 18,390 ratings score: 1,333, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	The Pale Horseman (The Saxon Stories, #2) by Bernard Cornwell (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 60,571 ratings score: 1,302, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 14 15 Next →

1,415 books · 2,283 voters · list created June 25th, 2008 by jessica juniper (votes) .

Tags: 21st-century, best, historical-fiction

284 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (2283)

jessica juniper 137 books
9 friends

TatiAnna 1096 books
150 friends

Jennifer 3878 books
52 friends

Val 589 books
102 friends

Vicki 2150 books
584 friends

JG (Introverted Reader) 4347 books
437 friends

Jess 1101 books
41 friends

Patrick 1365 books
291 friends

More voters…

Post a comment »
Comments Showing 1-33 of 33 (33 new)

date

newest »

message 1: by Annie (new)

Jan 30, 2009 03:45PM

Add 'Shogun' by James Clavell :)

reply | flag

message 2: by Cathie (new)

Sep 02, 2009 03:51PM

Suggestion: Dorothy Dunnett's The Lymond Chronicles and House of Niccolo. Definitely historical fiction.

reply | flag

message 3: by Betty Jo (new)

Jan 14, 2010 04:48AM

add the Josephine Bonaparte series...The Many Trials and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. is the first one.

reply | flag

message 4: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Feb 21, 2011 11:03AM

There are a number of historical fiction lists, including one with nearly 6000 voters: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/15... .

reply | flag

message 5: by Rebecca (new)

Aug 21, 2011 08:35PM

Please add "The Kadin" By Bertrice Small

reply | flag

message 6: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Aug 21, 2011 08:48PM

It's easy to add books to the list; you do it at "add books to this list," which is the tab nezt to "all votes."

reply | flag

message 7: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Aug 21, 2011 08:50PM

Neither Count of Monte Cristo or Little Women is historical fiction; Dumas and Alcott were writing about their own time in both.

reply | flag

message 8: by Charity (new)

Sep 03, 2011 07:01AM

Um, "The Hiding Place" isn't historical fiction. It's true!

reply | flag

message 9: by Lois (new)

Mar 02, 2012 07:46AM

The Hiding Place is not fiction...

reply | flag

message 10: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (last edited Mar 02, 2012 11:48AM) (new)

Mar 02, 2012 11:44AM

Some of these books were not written in the 21st century. There's also the occasional non-fiction.

Do you want me to remove them, Jessica?

reply | flag

message 11: by Ashleigh (new)

Apr 06, 2012 06:16AM

"Night" is not fiction - it was the author's story of living during the Holocaust. And I don't think "A Great and Terrible Beauty" can be defined as historical fiction. To me, for a book to be historical fiction, it needs to either deal with real people or real events with an author's literary freedom mixed in.

reply | flag

message 12: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 06, 2012 10:57AM

Should I remove the non-fiction and the historical fiction not first published in the 21st century?

reply | flag

message 13: by Julie (new)

Apr 11, 2012 11:17AM

Shouldn't these be for books first published after the year 2000?

reply | flag

message 14: by Susanna - Censored by GoodReads (new)

Apr 11, 2012 12:35PM

You would hope so; but there's a lot of stuff on it that isn't.

reply | flag

message 15: by Brittany B. (new)

Jan 01, 2013 07:00PM

Definitely delete The Night. It is certainly not fiction, nor written in the 21st century.

reply | flag

message 16: by Jack (new)

Feb 17, 2013 05:24AM

Hi everyone,

I have created a new group called Goodreads All Sorts and I'd love for people to join it or just even just give it a look. It's a group that discusses anything and everything. There will be monthly group reads, movies, and music. There is a folder for everything you could think of. I'd really like if people could spread the word because I'd love for the group to be a success. Here is the link to the group:

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/9...

Thanks very much,
Jack :-)

reply | flag

message 17: by Lluis_d (new)

Aug 04, 2013 10:50AM

I miss Victus, from Albert Sanchez Pinyol

reply | flag

message 18: by Donna (new)

Oct 09, 2013 10:08PM

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Should I remove the non-fiction and the historical fiction not first published in the 21st century?"
Night was still in space #20. I couldn't stand it! The whole point is that the guy was actually there. It's gone now.

I question the presence of books (such as To Kill a Mockingbird) that were not written in the 21st century, as the subscript states, but that have a re-upped copyright. Didn't touch it, but I'm just sayin'.

reply | flag

message 19: by Donna (new)

Oct 09, 2013 10:11PM

The Scarlet Letter? Seriously? Dr. Zhivago? Looks as if this has just turned into one more list of historical fiction. Is Jessica still among us? I can mop stuff up (later) if you would like, but it would be a wholesale housecleaning that would seriously alter the list.

reply | flag

message 20: by Kate (new)

May 04, 2014 07:31PM

This is the kind of list that made me want to be a Goodreads librarian! Sheesh. During some downtime at work today I removed a ton of books that were published before 2000, books that were not historical fiction, and books that were not fiction at all. I'm still chipping away at it, but the top 100 looks a lot more accurate, at least!

reply | flag

message 21: by Joanie (last edited Jul 11, 2015 06:32PM) (new)

Jul 11, 2015 06:32PM

Add Natchez Burning and The Bone Tree to this list.

reply | flag

message 22: by T (new)

Jul 25, 2015 04:52PM

Lluis_d wrote: "I miss Victus, from Albert Sanchez Pinyol"

HEAR! HEAR! Brilliant stuff, Victus! It gets my vote.

It is clearly one of the greatest works of HF ever written in any century.

But, this list is so sadly lame, does it really matter?

In fact, it might be a good thing it is not listed here.

reply | flag

message 23: by Donna (last edited Sep 01, 2015 07:29PM) (new)

Sep 01, 2015 06:41PM

Just a gentle reminder that any books you might want to add must be written prior to 2000. That means if they have been published before Y2K and then republished, they aren't contenders. I'm about to clean out some things that should not be here, and will post the removed books as I go. Just remember that it's easier to avoid impulsively adding a favorite title from yesteryear (or yestercentury) than it is for librarians to go in, double-check, yank, and document. Thanks.

Removed from page 2:

Lonesome Dove:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... first pub 1985

Gone With the Wind:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... first pub 1936

My Antonia:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... first pub 1918

What are people thinking???

The Killer Angels:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... first pub 1974

Number the Stars:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... first pub 1989

King Rat:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9... first pub 1962

That's just page 2, and it's just the ones I noticed; there are probably others.

Checked the rest of the list and I'm not going to go find links for all of these, but they are gone nevertheless, along with 4 duplicates which the system found and removed:

Catcher in the Rye, pub. 1951
Roots 1980
The Hunt for Red October 1984
The Crucible 1953
Things Fall Apart 1958
The Winds of War 1971
Confessions of Nat Turner 1967
Anne of Green Gables 1908
Cry the Beloved Country 1948
The Screwtape Letters 1942
The Book of Daniel 1971
O Pioneers 1913
The First Man in Rome 1990
For Whom the Bell Tolls 1940

It might be tempting to give up on this list, but the other historical fiction list that gets a lot of play is messed up even worse, so this is where I'm putting my time and effort as a volunteer.

reply | flag

message 24: by Sarah (new)

Dec 02, 2015 08:44PM

Both The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons are ranked in the top 100. Even though both events deal somewhat with "historical" events, neither is actually set during a historical period. Should these be removed?

reply | flag

message 25: by Donna (last edited Jan 12, 2016 08:54PM) (new)

Jan 12, 2016 08:36PM

The system found and removed 3 duplicates.
Just noticed that Edward P Jones' In the Known World, which earned him a Pulitzer in 2004, is buried in the 300s and I am the only one who's voted for it. If you think this is whack, consider voting for it also.

reply | flag

message 26: by MollyRN (new)

Aug 28, 2016 11:56AM

Oops. Guess I missed the 21st century piece of the title. Once I started looking at the reads I just got pulled in. It's really a list of Historical Fiction.

reply | flag

message 27: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Jan 26, 2017 10:02AM) (new)

Jan 26, 2017 09:46AM

I've removed Tolstoy's Anna Karenina for the obvious reason that the book was first published in the 19th century. Also removed Music & Silence, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China and The Grapes of Wrath, as they were first published in the 20th century.

reply | flag

message 28: by Donna (last edited Jul 03, 2019 09:03PM) (new)

Jul 03, 2019 08:25PM

Removed, nonfiction, #366: The Glass Castle
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

Removed for genre and copyright date:
Backroads, #432
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
#607 All Quiet on the Western Front:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

The system found and removed 1 duplicate.

reply | flag

message 29: by Fiona (new)

Nov 26, 2021 01:40AM

Removed the following books from page 2:
Pride and Prejudice, published 1813
Gone with the Wind, published 1936
The Sunne in Splendour, published 1982

5 duplicates found and removed

reply | flag

message 30: by Donna (new)

Nov 26, 2021 03:41PM

Thanks, Fiona.
The system found and removed 3 duplicates.

reply | flag

message 31: by Lisa (new)

Feb 23, 2022 10:39AM

Ramses: The Son of Light (Ramses #1) #315 was published in 1997

reply | flag

message 32: by Lisa (new)

Feb 23, 2022 10:41AM

The Game of Kings (The Lymond Chronicles, #1) #410 was published in 1997

reply | flag

message 33: by Sarah (new)

Feb 23, 2022 03:21PM

Cleaned up the list a bit - removed the titles mentioned in the previous two comments, plus many pre-21st century titles (The Pillars of the Earth, The Poisonwood Bible, among others), along with some non-fiction and obvious mismatches (Twilight of course).

reply | flag