Basic Elements of a Great Historical Fiction Novel

Historical fiction proves that literature and history go hand in hand. It is a popular book genre featuring wonderful and eye-opening stories, such as Mr. Crane’s historical fiction book, allowing readers to be moved, inspired, and informed. It also brings the readers back to a particular time and place where significant events occurred.

Whether you are an avid reader or an aspiring writer under the aforementioned genre, you should know the basic elements that make a great historical fiction novel. If you are eager to know the said common factors, then please refer to the ones listed below.

Setting

Building great imagery to successfully transport the reader to your chosen place and time is one of the foundations of historical fiction. The setting must be built well with enough descriptions to help the readers picture when and where the story happened. Since it’s based on historical facts, authors must do thorough research to bring out the best of that particular era and bring nostalgia to the readers by mixing factual and fictional elements that appeal to the senses.

“Just before dusk in the late afternoon of June 16, 1832, 1 found myself walking along the crowded docks of Liverpool, England, following a man by the name of Grummage. “ – Avi, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. The excerpt is a great example of how a setting should be presented.

Character

The set of characters, like the setting, may also be a mix of real and fictional aspects. Most stories under this genre make use of historical figures as characters, such as in Paula Mclain’s The Paris Wife. However, writers also blend both real and fictional characters and connect them together through a powerful backstory and other necessary literary devices. The author has all the authority and means to reinvent a particular historical family tree, group, and event to tell a story. But, the challenge is to make sure that the alteration wouldn’t affect history or make fabrications on the significant happenings in the past.

Dialogue

Development is essential in every story, especially in historical fiction. And, dialogue is one of the most functional tools that help bring out the best in a story. With an engaging dialogue, character development will gradually become evident, which helps move the story forward. It allows the authors to establish or uncover essential parts of the storyline that readers didn’t notice or aren’t aware of. It also heightens the tension between characters and sets the mood in some scenes.

Storyline

What makes novels more appealing is their unique ways of mixing and matching. This means that historical fiction books excellently know how to mix fictional events with real happenings. Authors are allowed to build their own world on a specific timeline with characters that both existed and were imaginary. As a result, the ordinary plot will become more interesting. The storyline becomes more engaging because stories present different plot twists and turning points that may or may have happened, how the plot gives a new type of excitement to the readers by either injecting surprising elements on a significant event or on the outcome of that particular historical happening.

Conflict

History is filled with different kinds of events — both good and horrific, that mold the present and the future. Given that fact, the plots of historical fiction novels must also showcase an engaging and realistic conflict. This doesn’t only enhance the readers’ drive and curiosity, but it also teaches them about the culture, norms, and traditions during those periods. The typical conflict in historical fiction books revolves around defying traditions, clashing political beliefs, family conflicts, and more.

Theme

Central messages often go beyond history. However, it is still essential to have a significant message interpreted in the context of the story’s setting. Although readers and even authors are already aware and have learned about the beauty and horrors of particular events in the past, they are still unaware of specific details. Thus, most historical novels communicate simple yet hugely impact people. They transcend the common societal issue and touch into the simple things and experiences in life that appeal to the senses and the emotions of people.