Fantasy Politics and Tudor Nerds

The Future is a near-apocalyptic, feminist, technology-rich Sci-Fi novel with cleverly crafted characters who stay with you no matter what. It feels like the most underrated novel of 2023.

The World That We Knew weaves the stories of a masterful cast of characters all trying to survive the brutality of World War II in Europe. Hoffman brings readers to one of the darkest times in history, yet she makes room for a little light to shine through. I’ve loved every Alice Hoffman book that I’ve ever read, but this one haunted me most of all—while somehow leaving some hope for humanity.

Did someone say time travel back to the plague-ridden fourteenth century? You had me at “plague.” The Plague Tales is a favorite that I’ve read more than once.

First published in 1979, Kindred is as relevant today as when the author wrote it. Brilliant, unsettling, imaginative, clever, arresting, and courageous.

What was it really like to live in Tudor England? Ian Mortimer’s wonderfully researched yet eminently readable non-fiction book, The Time Traveller’s Guide to Elizabethan England, offers a realistic and relatable account of Tudor life. A must-read for Tudor nerds and other history buffs.