9 Elegant YA Novels That Explore The History Of England And The United Kingdom

9 Elegant YA Novels That Explore The History Of England And The United Kingdom

8 Great Historical Films

1. Schindler's List (1993)
2. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
3. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
4. Milk (2008)
5. Braveheart (1995)
6. Lincoln (2012)
7. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
8. All the President's Men (1976)

Slang Terms From the Regency Era

In Depth

Set in a variety of eras from the medieval to the Victorian, the young adult novels included on this list reflect the rich and vast history of England and the United Kingdom. For Anglophiles or for those merely curious about this storied nation, here are, in no particular order, nine sophisticated works of Y.A. historical fiction that bring Britain's past to life.

For #1 we find "Quintspinner" by Dianne Greenlay. Sixteen-year-old Tess, the daughter of a doctor in early 18th-century London, enjoys a mostly privileged and comfortable existence. But when she witnesses the murder of an old psychic, and comes into possession of a bejeweled ring with mysterious powers, she finds herself forced into a world of perilous adventure. Navigating the tumultuous high seas while dealing with vicious pirates and attractive sailors, Tess must realize her destiny through the ring she holds.

Arriving at #2 is "Following Ophelia" by Sophia Bennett. The modest Mary Adams has come to London to be a maid, but she finds her true calling when a group of young artists sweep her up in the 19th-century pre-Raphaelite movement. Awed by Millais's painting of Ophelia, and inspired by the story of a young woman who became a successful artist's model, Mary turns herself into a dazzling muse for one of her painter friends. But as she is propelled into the city's lavish art world, she encounters dubious individuals who could ruin her new life.

Awed by Millais's painting of Ophelia, and inspired by the story of a young woman who became a successful artist's model, Mary turns herself into a dazzling muse for one of her painter friends.

For #3 we have "Where the World Ends" by Geraldine McCaughrean. Based on real events that took place within Scotland's St. Kilda archipelago in 1727, this engrossing novel follows a hunting party fighting for survival after being stranded on a giant sea stack. The party, a group of men and boys who have come to an isolated part of St. Kilda to harvest birds, expects to return home after a few weeks. But when no one shows up to take them back, the superstitious group suspects the world has come to an end, leaving them on their own to contend with starvation and a merciless environment.

At #4 is "Ripper" by Amy Carol Reeves. Following the death of her mother, street-smart Abbie leaves Dublin for her grandma's home in an upscale area of Victorian London. Heeding her grandma's request, she volunteers at a hospital, taking care of women who are abused and sick. But as Abbie grows fond of her job, someone else is becoming fond of murdering the patients: the one and only Jack the Ripper. Discovering that she has visions that allow her to foresee the Ripper's next moves, the tenacious young woman makes it her mission to put an end to the gruesome slayings.

For #5 we get "Act of Faith" by Kelly Gardiner. Against a backdrop of 17th-century religious persecution, sixteen-year-old Isabella becomes destitute when her intellectual dad is imprisoned for his stance against the God-fearing Oliver Cromwell. Ending up in Amsterdam after a tragic chain of events, she is taken in by her father's old friend Master de Aquila, a printer of subversive books. When she follows him and his young apprentice Willem to Venice in search of a publisher, only to be caught up in the terror of the Spanish Inquisition, Isabella is forced to partner with Willem in a life-or-death pursuit across the continent.

Against a backdrop of 17th-century religious persecution, sixteen-year-old Isabella becomes destitute when her intellectual dad is imprisoned for his stance against the God-fearing Oliver Cromwell.

Showing up at #6 is "These Vicious Masks" by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. When her sister Rose disappears without notice, the willful Evelyn is certain she was kidnapped. Going against her parents' advice, and desperate to escape a life of high-society balls, she travels to London with her debonair friend Mr. Kent in order to find Rose, who is also sought by Sebastian Braddock, an enigmatic young man who alleges that both sisters possess supernatural powers. Initially skeptical, Evelyn eventually discovers a treacherous, paranormal world lurking within 19th-century London.

For #7 we come to "Worlds of Ink and Shadow" by Lena Coakley. Mixing fact and fiction, Coakley's clever novel brings readers into the minds of the four Bronte siblings as they create and take refuge in their exuberant stories. Growing up in a remote clergy house on the Yorkshire moors, the sisters rely on their imaginations to turn their mundane lives into transporting fantasies. But as the girls become more immersed in the stories they tell, and increasingly attached to their romantic characters, they find themselves losing their grips on reality.

Landing at #8 is "Search of the Moon King's Daughter" by Linda Holeman. After losing her father to cholera, ten-year-old Emmaline's peaceful, bucolic existence is turned upside down. She and her family are forced to relocate to an industrial town, where her alcoholic mother is severely injured at her new factory job. Taking opium to assuage her pain and needing more money to feed her growing addiction, her mother sells Emmaline's mute younger brother Tommy to work as a chimney sweep. Determined to save her sibling from a life of child labor, the courageous girl will have to risk everything on a quest through the gritty streets of Victorian London.

After losing her father to cholera, ten-year-old Emmaline's peaceful, bucolic existence is turned upside down.

Finally, for #9 we have "The Forestwife" by Theresa Tomlinson. A reinterpretation of "Robin Hood" told from the perspective of Mary, later known as Maid Marian, this gripping book follows the fifteen-year-old orphan's adventures in Sherwood Forest. Arriving there after running away from an arranged marriage, she is galvanized by the colorful population of outlaws, mystics, and rebels living in the woods. Guided by their community, which includes the fearless future Robin Hood himself, Mary learns to take control of her own life and stand against the injustices of medieval England.