Why historical fiction matters

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Historical fiction bridges past and present, geographic borders, and gender divides in a way that reaches readers outside of educational institutions. A textbook just doesn’t provide as much “experience” and emotional depth as a well-written historical novel.

The storytelling in novels puts flesh onto the bones of historical fact, fills its veins with human blood. Struggles, hopes, and failures of the past become relatable when the novelist draws you into situations and scenes that might otherwise be dry and abstract reports and headlines. If it’s done well, the story and characters become part of our lived experience.

Fiction also helps fill gaps in official records by exposing marginalised voices and everyday lives. This gives the reader a fuller picture of the society they’re reading about, often in a micro-view of a wider story. Yes, so and so leader just won a war, but who was wearing the boots on the ground? Who supported them with food and clothing? Fiction narrows in on the details and happenings behind the “headlines”.

Historical fiction (good historical fiction) sharpens our critical thinking with intrigue. It piques our interest and invites us to weed out facts from the author’s artistic license.  In a noisy world full of misinformation and gossip, this strengthens our media literacy.

Book clubs discuss the “what-ifs” and “should-have-beens”. General book talk focuses on the possibility and potential of characters in the past and present. We are talking, thinking, and learning the whole way.

Through extended reading into history, we may find empathy with other cultures and economic classes; gain an understanding of lives we can never live or experience otherwise. Fiction can also be a safe space for tough or taboo topics. We can broaden our understanding of the impact of colonialism or gender oppression through the lives of fictional characters. Again, we're supported (within the borders of a semi-fictional world) to discover more outside of our own experience. Most authors stick to the facts when writing about real people and situations and introduce deeper meaning through fictional characters and viewpoints. Even then, the fictional character will keep within a certain set of rules regarding the real lives included in the story.

For instance, in Keeper of the Way, I use several real historical people to add interest and authenticity to the story. It’s historical fantasy fiction and the presence and use of traditional magic is, as far as I know, not widely used (or admitted to) in 1880s colonial Australia. The lives of the real people (those whose lives are officially recorded in biographies and newspapers of the time) do not suggest they were involved in anything occult or possessed supernatural powers. I give those traits to the fictional and semi-fictional characters.

Historical fiction matters

We humans love a good story. Storytelling is a central part of our make-up enabling us to learn and understand the world. Historical fiction matters because it acts as a catalyst to open our eyes and explore our empathy for and knowledge of the people around us.