looking for good historical fiction
 

My favorite way to prepare for a trip is to read historical fiction about where I am going. Any suggestions of good historical novels about France - particularly Paris, Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley as that is where we will be going. thanks.

Hmmm... Well, there is a great series by Bernard Cornwell called Sharpe's, also made into a miniseries of episodes, set during the Napoleonic wars. The first couple novels are set in India, but set the stage for the 20 or so set in France and Spain.

I enjoyed the White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but that was about 20 years ago. It's set during the 100 years war, a group of English adventurers going off to pillage France.

Several of Sharon Kay Penman's books take place in both France and England, and she's a joy to read. Her novels usually follow particular historical people, such as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard III, Llewellyn the Great, etc.

"The Virgin Blue" by Tracy Chevalier. Cuts back and forth between the present, and 400 yrs earlier. French Huguenot history. FIrst heard of it on this forum.

You may find The Traveler's Reading Guide, edited by Maggy Simony, as helpful as I have. Look for it in the Reference Department of the Library. It has reading lists and includes historical fiction, among other genres.

Happy travels.

I also highly recommend the books by Sharon Kay Penman. I just finished reading the trilogy about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. They are excellent books.

Another favorite of mine is The Distance from Normandy by Jonathan Hull. I loved this book.

Depending on your taste, the Angelique series might be the thing, especially the first three books. Old-fashioned historically dense bodice-rippers, much beloved by the French. Set in 17th c France, populated by historical figures including Louis XIV.

Angelique's childhood friends include the future Mme de Maintenon and Mme de Montespan (it turns out the latter two were friends in fact). Historical accuracy at about the Dumas level ("I wish it were true.")

By SergeAnne Golon. You can probably tell by Amazon revues if you'd like it.

Thanks everyone, I'm already a great Sharpe fan, and have devoured all the Sharon Kay Penman books (also love Sharon Newman who writes about 12th century (I think) France). I will definitely check out the others - great advice.

If you already love Sharpe, check out Cornwell's other books - he writes LOTS of historical fiction, of all time periods.

I just came across the Rhetoric of Death by Judith Rock (set in 17th c. Paris) and it got very good reviews, but I am saving it for my next trip. :)

The Paris Vendetta among others by Steve Barry are a great intertwining of a real life tale and historical fiction (this one involves Napoleon). The move quickly. There are multiple books in the series and most (if not all) are set in Europe.

Sarah's Key is also a great book that is set during WWII and involves the French's own round-up of Jewish citizens. It also moves between current day Paris and WWII Paris.

Last check, Alexandre Dumas (esp. The Three Musketeers, La Reine Margot, and The Count of Monte Cristo, The Two Dianas) and Victor Hugo (Notre Dame de Paris, Les Miserables) are as historical as historical fiction based in France gets. At least Les Mis is about an uprising OTHER THAN the one that has been cited as an inspiration by Lenin, Mao, Pol Pot, Mussolini.

Other classics: The Red and The Black, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Scaramouche, A Tale of Two Cities.

I can't vouch for this, but it certainly is relevant to the Loire Valley (just cut and paste at amazon) -- Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France.

If you like Sharpe you'll enjoy Cornwell's
"Azincourt".

R.F. Delderfield's "Seven Men of Gascony" is a rollicking Three Musketeers type romp.

And while not fiction it is still a fascinating page turner... Barbara Tuchman's "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century".

The last time we took our daughter to France with us I bought her a 'Monsieur Pamplemousse' Omnibus that kept her laughing throughout the trip.

Have a great trip and happy reading!

Laura (love that name!)
Highly recommend SUITE FRANCAIS by Irene Nemirovsky – riveting novel of Parisians fleeing the City of Light in the wake of the French surrender in June, 1940. The writer wrote in real time as she and her young family were among the displaced. Despite her literary fame and connections, both she and her husband died in Nazi concentration camps a few years later. The work was brought to light by Nemirovsky’s daughters a decade or so ago and was widely acclaimed.

I second the recommendations for Les Miserables, Three Musketeers and Count of Monte Cristo (also a fabulous movie). I have read Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France which would be a good one. I also recommend Marie Antonette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser.

Alexandre Dumas is one of my favorite authors and hands-down created the most sexy-evil female villain EVER. I strongly third the Three Musketeers and Count of Monte Cristo (fab movie, too). I also really liked The Red and the Black, but it's the ending that makes it. Until he redeemed himself, I wanted to strangle the self-absorbed main character, who reminded me of Goethe's whiny "romantic" Young Werther.

I'm taking notes about many of these others recs. There's a year's worth of reading on this thread!

We should start an online Fodor's French Book Club.

Suite Francaise definitely. For another take on wartime France, this time in the Loire, try Joanne Harris's Five Quarters of an Orange. A great read and very insightful about what it must be like to live with the enemy on your doorstep.

Not historical in any way but Stephen Clarke's series of Merde books (A Year in the Merde, Merde Actually)
take a lighthearted poke at the French generally and Parisians in particular. Not to be taken seriously at all, but if you have travelled or lived in France you'll recognise some of the caricatures with fondness!

Sarah Smith's The Knowledge of Water is set in 1910 Paris during the flood there.

wow, so many great suggestions. I read all the Dumas and Hugo books years ago, not sure if I have the patience for them before we go, but maybe on my nook for the plane over (: - will definitely check out the other suggestions - I love the historical breadth of the suggestions.

to add my own, while Diana Gabaldon is mostly about Scottland and prerevolution America, her second book, Dragonfly in amber takes place almost entirely in prerevolution France and is wonderful. I love the idea of a fodors book club!

I was about to mention Gabaldon, Laura!

Another that takes place partly in France (though more historical fantasy) is Naomi Novak's Temeraire series - English army, but during the Napoleonic wars... with dragons :)

The Antonia Fraser book about Marie Antoinette mentioned above is good, but not historical fiction. It is a great book for understanding what an awful position MA was put in by marrying into the French ro