The deadline for publishers to submit books published in 2017 for The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction 2018 is fast approaching (31st January). As a historical fiction fan, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the announcement of the longlist and the ‘Academy Recommends’ list in February. Last year, I only managed to read the shortlisted novels but this year I intend to read, if possible, all the longlisted novels (where I haven’t read them already).
Which leads me to the purpose of this post. Here are some of the historical fiction novels I read in 2017 that I’d love to see make the longlist (subject to them meeting the eligibility criteria). In addition, some books I haven’t got around to reading yet but which, judging from reviews, potentially deserve a place on the longlist.
(My early tips: Irish authors seem to do particularly well – perhaps Banville, Boyne and Toibin might fight it out? – and surely it would be lovely for Helen Dunmore to be recognised, albeit posthumously.)
Books I read in 2017 (click on title for my review)
Shelter by Sarah Franklin (Publisher: Bonnier Zaffre)
Miss Boston and Miss Hargreaves by Rachel Malik (Publisher: Fig Tree)
Vindolanda by Adrian Goldsworthy (Publisher: Head of Zeus)
Birdcage Walk by Helen Dunmore (Publisher: Hutchinson)
The Watch House by Bernie McGill (Publisher: Tinder Press)
Anne Boleyn: The King’s Obsession by Alison Weir (Publisher: Headline)
In the Name of the Family by Sarah Dunant (Publisher: Virago)
Widdershins by Helen Steadman (Publisher: Impress Books)
The Wardrobe Mistress by Patrick McGrath (Publisher: Hutchinson)
House of Names by Colm Toibin (Publisher: Scribner)
Books on the grapevine (click on title for Goodreads entry)
The Last Tudor by Phillipa Gregory (Publisher: Touchstone)
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne (Publisher: Hogarth)
How To Stop Time by Matt Haig (Publisher: Canongate) [My outlier – does it even count as historical fiction?]
Mrs Osmond by John Banville (Publisher: Hamish Hamilton)
The Witchfinder’s Sister by Beth Underdown (Publisher: Viking)
Munich by Robert Harris (Publisher: Hutchinson)
- Is your favourite on my list?
- What other historical fiction novels published in the UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth in 2017 are worthy of nomination?
- Come back in February to see how my picks match the judges’ choices…
What Cathy Read Next... 
I also follow this prize and am slowly working through all of the shortlists since it began in 2010. I haven’t read all the books you’ve mentioned here, but I think Birdcage Walk, House of Names, Munich and In the Name of the Family would have a good chance of being on the longlist. It would be good to see John Boyne get some recognition too. Looking forward to the announcement in February!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, that’s quite an undertaking but I bet you’ve read some brilliant books in the process.
LikeLike
You’ve given me an idea! I’ll go and check the shortlists too and see what I will discover 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s great. I’ve discovered lots of wonderful new books and authors through the Walter Scott Prize. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. There are great authors I read for the first time only because their books were shortlisted.
LikeLike
Fascinating set of books – and i’ve only managed to read Witchfinder and How to Stop Time and enjoyed both. I still have Shelter on my pile to read so hope to get that soon! Will be eagerly awaiting the final list! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved Shelter but I haven’t yet read Witchfinder’s Sister of How To Stop Time. I hope they do appear on the longlist because that will force me to get around to reading them!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve only read three of them – House of Names, Birdcage Walk and Munich – and of those, Munich would be my choice by quite a big margin. I hadn’t realise there had been so many big-name historical fiction novels released last year – quite a list!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m keen to read Munich, although I do have a few other Robert Harris books to catch up on, including Pompeii and Conclave.
LikeLiked by 1 person