|
|
Post by andreaisabbbw on Jul 28, 2011 0:10:54 GMT -5
Do you like it? Despise it? Why or why not?
My favorite historical fiction is Gone With the Wind. Everything about it was beautifully executed.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dodger Thirteen on Jul 28, 2011 0:52:47 GMT -5
Like most things, if it's done correctly, I'm good with it. If it's GOOD, I'm good with it. I love historical fiction, though. :3
|
|
|
|
Post by andreaisabbbw on Jul 28, 2011 15:24:02 GMT -5
Absolutely about Gone With the Wind. I think I read and reread it about five times before the size of it intimidated me.
I've been meaning to pick up Memoirs of a Geisha but I haven't been to the bookstore in a long (gasp!) time. I'm currently reading The Help by Katherine Stockett and it's really good so far.
I third that it the quality of historical fiction depends on how it's written. Sometimes the author focuses too much on getting every detail of the time period right and it takes away from the story. But, if it's good, I love it. It's an amazing genre.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marina on Jul 28, 2011 20:59:25 GMT -5
Have to agree, Gone With the Wind was beautiful, and Rhett is my one true crush of literature (besides dozen of others, but he's The One.) Has anyone read Scarlet, the sequel? It gets a bit on the trashy historical romance side, but it was my guilty pleasure.
Also, I could not stand Memoirs of a Geisha. I could not. Hate, hated it, hate it still.
Other than that, besides the classics, I don't really venture into historical romance or whatnot.
|
|
|
|
Post by Marina on Jul 28, 2011 21:49:22 GMT -5
Have to agree, Gone With the Wind was beautiful, and Rhett is my one true crush of literature (besides dozen of others, but he's The One.) Has anyone read Scarlet, the sequel? It gets a bit on the trashy historical romance side, but it was my guilty pleasure. Also, I could not stand Memoirs of a Geisha. I could not. Hate, hated it, hate it still. What ): This makes me so sad! Were there specific reasons why you hated it? Truthfully? It was the subject matter. I generally stay away from such (rape, prostitution and anything like) because subjects like those make me uncomfortable (so it's really a personal thing). The way he glorified being a geisha, as a means to an end (this can be argued, but I say he did). And I disliked the main character and that friend of hers. I gotta say I admire how she was able to get through everything to get the man she loves, she is a very strong woman, but still... |
|
|
|
Post by andreaisabbbw on Jul 29, 2011 16:52:40 GMT -5
I haven't read Scarlett because I was very satisfied with the way Gone With the Wind was finished (and, not that I could pick it up and reread it anytime soon so I know what's going on in the sequel, haha). But I have to agree, I love Rhett Butler. He's definitely one of the most memorable male protagonists that I've ever read.
I'm really loving The Help so far and when I found out the film is coming soon I got really excited! Especially since Emma Stone is in it and playing Skeeter.
|
|
|
|
Post by inarikins on Aug 4, 2011 14:24:01 GMT -5
Naomi Novik's Temeraire series! lovelovelove. It is like dragons collided with Master and Commander. I stopped with the third or fourth book; I need to find time to get back into it. You really should. I really loved the books (and I'm impatiently awaiting Crucible of Gold). I read them first and now I'm working through listening to them (I love Simon Vance's voice, he's a perfect Laurence) and it's really quite a funny series. It's a kind of dry humor, which I like. I suppose the only thing I don't like is that Novik can get kind of wordy at times and I have to reread a passage or two, but otherwise they're pretty awesome. |
|
|
|
Post by cyanea on Aug 12, 2011 3:26:05 GMT -5
Historical fiction's probably my favorite genre now. I'm a huge history nerd, so it goes perfectly with my love of reading. My interest in learning about historical periods is directly tied to what fiction I've been reading. I recently finished Fatherland by Robert Harris (okay, it's a speculative "what-if Germany won WW2" thing, but close enough) which has me studying Nazi Germany and World War 2 again.
My guilty pleasure genre is the historical mystery. Teddy Roosevelt helps Mark Twain solve a mystery? Sign me up.
|
|
|
|
Post by sammybluejay on Dec 22, 2011 23:15:30 GMT -5
I know nobody's replied to this since August but I'm gonna do it anyway. I LOVE me some historical fiction, but as others have said above, it has to be written well. Phillippa Gregory's novels - particularly The Other Boleyn Girl - are absolutely wonderful, I find. That's also my favourite period in history, which probably has something to do why I love them so much, hehe.
I'm also really into historical fiction like Pauline Gedge's Egyptian novels, in particular House of Dreams. Again, one of my other favourite periods in history, anything to do with the ancient or classical world.
Also, Ariana Franklin's novel Mistress of the Art of Death is such a good representation of medieval society that I actually read it for a medieval history course in my first year!
|
|
