In “How to Write a Review” I wrote about how many writers struggle when it comes to writing a review as they are never quite sure what to include, what not to include, how long it should be, what to focus on, and some are unsure of what a review is supposed to be. According to Oxford Dictionaries (2018), a review is “a formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary.” Through this definition, a writer can understand that the purpose of a review is to assess the product or book and this can be used to institute a change if necessary. This means that while reviews can be negative in nature, they should be geared towards being constructive in intention. Yet, in my article, I wrote in general terms and did not focus on any specific genre. One genre that many review writers struggle with is historical fiction books, as many writers are unsure of what subjects to focus on when reviewing historical fiction books.

In addition to the areas of focus included in “How to Write a Review”, historical fiction reviews should focus on three main categories.

Characters/People

One of the most important aspects of a historical fiction book is the characters themselves. A historical fiction review should include a focus on not just the fictional characters, but also any real people that are featured in the book. Historical fiction books often include a mix of fictional characters created by the author for the purpose of the story as well as historical figures and people who really did live during the time period in which the book takes place.

This section can be a paragraph or a single sentence depending on the writer and the desired length of the review. One example of a character review is:

The author did a spectacular job in keeping George Washington realistic in personality, appearance, and in his historical background. Yet, I found myself liking the fictional character of Ava Button more as the author was able to truly create her character from scratch giving her a unique personality, appearance, and background.

Historical Accuracy

Many review writers fail to discuss the historical accuracy of the historical fiction book that they are reviewing and this is a detriment to the review. Many people want to know if historical fiction books stay true to history so it is an important part of the review, yet many reviewers neglect it often due to a lack of historical knowledge. The review writer does not have to spend hours fact checking the book, but a couple of quick Google searches to confirm dates and the accuracy of historical events can go a long way.

A Blending of Fiction and Non-Fiction

The blending of fiction and non-fiction is an important aspect of any historical fiction review. The review writer should be sure to touch on how well the facts and fiction are blended, if the book leans more one way than the other, and how well everything comes together.  An example of this is:

The author’s talent for historical fiction truly shone in this book with how fact and fiction were seamlessly blended together in a way that allowed the setting to stay true to history while keeping the story and the main character fictional in nature.

References:  "Review." OxfordDictionaries.com. Oxford Dictionaries, n.d. Web. 3 May. 2018.