100 books like World Without End

I seriously enjoy a good “between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place” romance, especially when the female heroine is able to navigate it while staying true to herself. In this one, King John weds his illegitimate but beloved daughter Joanna to his bitter enemy, Llewelyn, Prince of North Wales, in an effort to take Wales under his control. But Joanna loves both of them—father and husband—and is forced time and again to prove her loyalty to one side or the other, until neither faction supports her in return. While this definitely portrays the helplessness that many medieval women faced, often experiencing a forced marriage for some political purpose or other, Joanna’s courage, bravery, and sense of self in the face of so much conflict were inspiring and so addicting to read about.

When I discovered Kristin Lavransdatter was 1000 pages, I never expected to fininsh it (I'm a slow reader). However, about 50 pages into it, I was hooked and was at a loss when I read the final chapter. Religion is pervasive but delivered indirectly. The Catholic Church in the Middle Ages was an absolute authority with an iron grip on the main character Kristin. Undset was not judgmental in the book, but I was in reading it. 

A Fine Balance, written by Egyptian author Rohinton Mistry puts you inside the household of a Muslim family at the turn of the 20th Century. Although the protagonist is respected if not admired in his community, within the family, he is a tyrant who destroys their lives. Is it his fault when he's just an ordinary man living what his religion and culture expect of him? 

When I read this book, I felt like I was back walking on the streets of India. Alka Joshi's vivid storytelling will transport you to a world of vibrant colors, rich traditions, and compelling characters.

In this first book of the Jaipur Trilogy, Lakshmi, a skilled henna artist, navigates a complex society, unraveling secrets and defying societal norms. Joshi's exquisite prose and the book's engrossing plot offer the perfect blend of escapism and depth, making it an ideal companion for a journey.

As you soar through the skies, it promises to transport you to another time and place, making the flight feel like a brief detour into an enchanting literary world. 

This nonfiction about a French priest who was burned at the stake in 1634 reads like fiction. Although I knew the story and how it ends, Rapley’s writing is suspensful and dramatic. The author keeps close to Grandier, whose character flaws contribute to his death. Grandier’s enemies are given their separate situations and in some cases are treated with generosity. Though the writing is not emotional, I was dismayed and hardly able to believe this actually happened. 

Star-crossed lovers and a strong female heroine! This setting is the beginning of the end for the Plantagenets. Their royal court is turbulent—filled with secrets and enemies after the dramatic coup of the current king’s father, King Edward II (the events of which are featured in my book). When the beautiful and willful Joan of Kent, cousin to the royal family, is sent to live among them, she soon learns they’re the ones responsible for her father’s unjust execution and her family’s subsequent shame. Though the handsome and chivalrous Black Prince of Wales is falling at her feet, she twists his affection against him in an act of revenge, only allowing Fortune’s Wheel to turn once she decides it should be so.

I love this story because the main character, Jacquetta, is not outright royalty—like the typical queen or princess that many historical fiction novels feature. She’s descended from a river goddess, which gives her the gift of second sight and an alluring presence, propelling her into various rings of power. From meeting Joan of Arc in France, to studying alchemy, to participating in a secret marriage, to becoming a trusted confidant of the Queen of England, Jacquetta navigates so many dangerous situations and precarious relationships using her special gifts. Yet after all of this, it’s her family that ultimately comes out on top in what is the beginning of a dynasty in the War of the Roses… the revered House of York! Sneaky and fascinating!

I always knew that espionage and spycraft were a huge part of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, but to have a young woman be at the very core of the conspiracies was totally badass and unexpected! Mallory Bright is the talented daughter of a London locksmith, but after a terrible scandal, she’s propelled into Sir Francis Walsingham’s world of danger and deception—picking locks, unraveling codes, and trying on new identities! At first, she’s enamored with her new profession, but even as a woman, she can’t escape the brutal tortures and punishments that await someone in such a dangerous role. Throughout her trials, her bravery and talent are captivating, and I loved watching her eventually regain her own agency and strength while putting her horrid past behind her.

If I hear someone who has never studied medieval history once in their life refer to the “Dark Ages” as a time when “Science” was banned by the Church one more time, I will actually die, and this book does an amazing job of explaining how ignorant those old myths are.

Falk laces this book with delicious tidbits of the weird and wonderful of medieval scientific (or, to be nerdy, what we would call natural philosophical) ideas. Goat fat enemas? Sure. But there is also the transcription of Persian manuscripts, the invention of mechanical clocks and eyeglasses, and the creation of the University.

The book brings to life a vibrant, interconnected intellectual world and is a testament to how clever medieval people were in circumstances that were much more difficult than our own.

It’s a real frustration of mine that so much historical writing pays little or no attention to women, even though they made up half the population.

However ‘important’ whatever the men were doing was, they couldn’t have done it without women. There’s more written on elite medieval women—queens, noblewomen, abbesses, etc.—than there used to be, but peasant women remain mostly neglected.

I like Bennett’s book not only because she pays attention to village women but also because it doesn’t sugarcoat the story. Peasant women could do many things in medieval England, like owning property, going to court, and running businesses, but their options were sharply curtailed by male domination.

As Bennett puts it, "Insofar as these women had choices about their lives, the choices were always poor ones."