From political leaders to scientists, artists to activists, women have made an undeniable impact on our world. This month, pick up one of these historical novels inspired by the women who shaped our past.
Check cloudLibrary for even more titles to enjoy during Women’s History Month.
American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson
Based on real events! This gripping tale of espionage and betrayal follows FBI agent Marie Mitchell as she goes undercover to investigate Thomas Sankara, the revolutionary leader of Burkina Faso. As she gets closer to Sankara, Marie begins to question her mission and her own loyalties.
Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen by Sarah Bird
Uncover the remarkable story of Cathy Williams, a former enslaved woman and the only known woman to have served as a Buffalo Soldier in the US Army. Praised by Publisher’s Weekly as a “fast-paced, action-packed story,” this novel celebrates a forgotten hero of the Old West.
Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
Island Beneath the Sea follows Tété, a young enslaved girl in Haiti who determines to forge her own identity even in the harshest circumstances. NPR called this sprawling novel “elegant, moving and infused with a real sense of loss.”
Joan: A Novel by Katherine J. Chen
Inspired by the life of Joan of Arc, this novel reimagines the legendary warrior as a flawed but fierce young woman. The New York Times called this book “affecting and adventurous,” and Margaret Atwood noted that Chen’s version of Joan portrays “a strong soldier and smart military strategist and logistician.”
Leonora in the Morning Light by Michaela Carter
This compelling novel introduces a woman who forged her own path into the art world. A fictionalization of Leonora Carrington’s life with Max Ernst, the novel spans time and borders as the two try to reunite and reclaim their creative power in a world broken by World War II. Kirkus Reviews called this book “a satisfying historical novel about love, art, and war.”
The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale
This witty, uplifting novel is based on the true story of reporter Nellie Bly. When the New York World challenged her to go undercover as a patient in an insane asylum for women, Nellie resolves to survive ten days in the madhouse. Booklist praised the book’s “gripping details” that will keep you “eagerly turning the pages.”
The Night Witches by Garth Ennis
In this graphic novel inspired by true events, award-winning writer Garth Ennis celebrates the daring female pilots who flew for the Soviet Union, flying obsolete planes and attempting to outmaneuver enemy pilots. With scenes that are “gripping as they are beautiful” (NPR), The Night Witches is a thrilling tribute to unsung heroines of World War II.
Sister Mother Warrior by Vanessa Riley
The story of the most successful Black uprising in history! This vivid, sweeping novel of the Haitian Revolution is based on the real stories of two extraordinary women: the first Empress of Haiti, Marie-Claire Bonheur, and Gran Toya, a West African-born warrior who helped lead the rebellion that freed the enslaved people of Haiti.
Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik
A beautiful novel about the life of celebrated Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad. The novel explores her creative genius, personal life, and struggles against patriarchal oppression. The New York Times praised it as “a complex and beautiful rendering of a vanished country…a reminder of the power and purpose of art, and an ode to female creativity under a patriarchy that repeatedly tries to snuff it out.”
The Tubman Command by Elizabeth Cobbs
This well-researched work of fiction follows Harriet Tubman’s mission to liberate slaves during the Civil War, in which she became the first woman to lead an armed expedition. Kirkus Reviews called it “a stirring fictional tribute to an American icon” that “strives for verisimilitude while avoiding caricature.”
