YA Spotlight: Historical Fiction

The power of historical fiction is demonstrated when an author can transport the reader into the sensibility of another time.  All three of these books accomplish that goal in a compelling manner.

Come August, Come Freedom by Gigi Amateau (Candlewick, 2012) tells the story of Gabriel Prosser, an African-American slave who organized an uprising in Virginia in 1800.  Amateau researched Prosser extensively, then took the pieces she discovered in primary sources and fashioned them into a gripping portrait of a complex man.  Who would Gabriel be to take on such a mission in his time and place?  What events would take someone from dreaming about freedom to organizing a full-scale rebellion?  Amateau creates a believable, thrilling version of events that examines human motivation beyond the bare bones of the court records.  

Ruta Sepetys' first book, Between Shades of Gray, was a outstanding debut.  She returns with another historical fiction title, but one that is completely different in setting and tone.  Out of the Easy (Philomel, 2013) takes us to 1950s New Orleans. Josie Moraine is the daughter of a prostitute.  Her part-time job is cleaning up the brothel and doing errands for the madam, Willie.  Raised in this world, Josie accepts it but is not eager to embrace it.  Sepetys is particularly good in catching the rhythms of her characters.  The setting is another star here--the mixture of grit, glamour, truth, and deception that Josie sees each day is unforgettable.  Things begin to change when Josie makes a friend who is everything Josie wishes she could be--a college girl with a respectable family.  Sepetys' characters are multi-dimensional however, and most are not all good or bad.  Discovering the many layers within each person is one of the great pleasures of Out of the Easy.

Z:  A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler (St. Martin's Press, 2013) is a fascinating novelization of Zelda Fitzgerald's life.  Fowler takes on some of the criticisms of Zelda--was she really mentally unstable?  jealous of her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald?--and answers with compassion and insight.  Maybe Zelda was unfairly criticized by people like Ernest Hemingway.  Maybe Scott was jealous of Zelda's abilities.  The story is told from Zelda's point of view, so regardless of whether you believe her, the story is always interesting.  From her debutante years in Alabama, to New York City, Paris, and other European hot spots, Z provides a tantalizing glimpse into a glamorous life.  To prepare for the new Great Gatsby movie coming out in May, re-read that novel along with Z--Lucinda Whitehurst.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

What was going on in Lithuania during World War II?  Not sure?  Before reading Between Shades of Gray, neither was I.  Children’s literature includes many important books about World War II and the Holocaust but most well-known titles recount the experience in countries such as Germany, Poland, France, and England.  The daughter of a Lithuanian refugee, Ruta Sepetys makes an important contribution to the field with her first novel. 

While American readers are accustomed to viewing the Soviet Union as an ally against Hitler in World War II, the situation was somewhat different in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia.  Annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, those countries ceased to exist as independent nations until 1990.  In order to secure their hold, when the Soviets came to power they deported many political and intellectual leaders.  Fifteen-year-old Lina’s father is a university professor, which puts him under immediate suspicion.  Still, Lina is shocked when her father disappears and she, her mother, and her younger brother are picked up by soldiers and put on a transport to Siberia. 

The harshness of the journey only becomes worse when they reach their destination.  The fact that anyone survived the Siberian work camps is surprising.  While the annihilation was not as immediate or systematic as Hitler’s, the result was chillingly similar.  Sepetys vividly conveys Lina’s quick maturation.  Lina is not a saint, but she becomes a leader simply because she has no other choice. 

In an author’s note, Sepetys explains that “those who survived spent ten to fifteen years in Siberia.  Upon returning in the mid-1950s, the Lithuanians found that Soviets had occupied their homes, were enjoying all of their belongings, and had even assumed their names.  Everything was lost.  The returning deportees were treated as criminals…Speaking about their experience meant immediate imprisonment or deportations back to Siberia.  As a result, the horrors they endured went dormant, a hideous secret shared by millions of people.”  Sepetys deserves great praise for giving voice to people silenced so long.  For more information, go to www.rutasepetys.com

—Lucinda Whitehurst.  (Historical fiction, gr. 7 and up; Philomel, 2011)