Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s—The last queen

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s—The last queen

This is historical fiction at its best. JIndan lives in a village while her father works for the maharaja in Lahore. Her brother, Jawahar and Jindan steal produce from farms and their mother sews because her father doesn’t give the family enough money. As Jindan grows, she becomes more beautiful and her father sees her potential for marrying into a rich family. He takes her to Lahore after she pleads with him to take Jawahar too where her life is about to change forever.

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Maggie O’Farrell’s—Land

Maggie O’Farrell’s—Land

Leaving the Irish workhouse to labour for the redcoats, over the years, Tomas gradually learns the skill of map making. After marriage, his son, Liam accompanies him on these working trips for the English, leaving his wife and two daughters in Dublin. When he stumbles upon a copse, Tomas does not return for several days, abandoning Liam who grows frightened. When Tomas, does appear, he is no longer stern, but jibbers on hardly making sense and Liam fears his old father won’t return. Tomas no longer wishes to help the English map Ireland and Liam is worried for the rest of the family who need the money. But what lays install for Tomas, is far worse and sets him at odds with Liam for the remainder of his life.

Lisa See’s — Daughters of the Sun and Moon

Lisa See’s — Daughters of the Sun and Moon

An important historical fiction as well as a gripping tale of three Chinese women from different backgrounds fated to save each other.     

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Sally Hepworth’s—Mad Mabel

Sally Hepworth’s—Mad Mabel

Elsie’s childhood in Australia is riddled with jeering and bullying at school. At home, she keeps her nose in a book but she can’t always avoid her father’s hateful gaze and her mother’s often indifference. At eighty-one, she hides her earlier life by living quietly and unnoticed, but her notorious past has a way of creeping up on her. When her neighbour with an annoying dog dies and she discovers his corpse on the floor of his house, eyes of suspicion turn on her and Elsie suspects it’s her neighbour Joan, who has informed the police who she is.

Will she be able to escape the murderous image painted about her in the past or will the taunts return to haunt her remaining years?