The best historical fiction novels that immerse you in the struggle for freedom

From the moment Xeones uttered his first line, “I had always wondered what it felt like to die,” I was hooked.

Ancient Sparta is brought to life through the characters of this book. We see their motivations, their training, their society, and what, in essence, makes them Spartans. Xeones isn’t a native Spartan, but his admiration for their society and his devotion to his comrades-in-arms makes him the ideal choice to tell their story.

This book had so many things I like in a good novel: history, life-like characters with great arcs, action, and quotable lines.

Romania in 1989 is bleak: citizens are impoverished and can trust no one.

Anyone could be an informer, either by choice, or by blackmail, and Cristian Florescu is soon trapped. He doesn’t want to inform on anyone, but he doesn’t feel like he has a choice.

Cristian is instantly likeable—though he faces difficult choices, he wants to do the right thing. His relationships with his family members are well-crafted, as is his light romance with Liliana.

I enjoyed this glimpse into Romanian life at the end of the Cold War, when things were awful, but hope was on the horizon—a hope and a future that Cristian is able to play a role in winning for himself and for his people.

Humans are capable of such evil, and also of so much good, and it’s all there in this fictionalized account of Pino Lella’s WWII experiences.

I was captivated first by the grit and growth of this Italian teenager as he leads refugees over the mountains into Switzerland. Then I was fascinated by Pino’s enlistment and assignment to drive a car for one of the most powerful Nazis in Italy.

But Pino isn’t a Nazi, and he and his uncle see his new assignment as an opportunity to glean information for the Allies. His experiences are bittersweet—a poignant reminder that the struggle for freedom is often messy and imperfect.

When the Berlin Wall goes up, Gerta’s family is divided.

Her father and one brother are in the west. Gerta, her mother, and her brother Fritz are in the east. Four years later, the Statsi has their eye on Gerta’s family, Fritz is due to be drafted, and then Gerta catches sight of her father on the other side of the wall, signaling something about digging.

If they’re ever going to be free, they must do something daring, and do it soon. Though written for young readers, the excellent pacing, realistic characters, and powerful themes about freedom and family make this book a great read for all ages. 

In this dual timeline book, readers follow the story of Alina during WWII and her granddaughter Alice during contemporary times.

I loved that both Alina and Alice grew as the story progressed. Alina and Tomasz sacrificed to help others and do the right thing, even when the cost was high. The book included beautiful, complicated relationships, lots of emotion, an element of mystery, and an authentic historical backdrop.

I enjoyed both the WWII and the contemporary timelines.