Minnie's Fiction Addiction

To celebrate the 4th of July, here are six historical fiction novels set in the USA that bring the nation’s past to life with drama, heart, and unforgettable characters:

✨ The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich — Based on Erdrich’s grandfather, this novel follows Thomas Wazhashk, a Chippewa Council member fighting against Native dispossession in 1950s North Dakota. It intertwines the struggles of Native communities with moments of quiet humor, love, and hope, capturing a rarely told piece of American history.

✨ My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie — Through Eliza Schuyler Hamilton’s eyes, this sweeping novel traces the chaos and triumph of America’s founding. From her marriage to Alexander Hamilton to her decades-long fight to preserve his legacy, Eliza emerges as a fierce, flawed, unforgettable woman at the heart of a revolution.

✨ March by Geraldine Brooks — Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, March reimagines the absent father from Little Women as he serves as a chaplain in the Union Army. His journey through the Civil War forces him to confront the gulf between his ideals and the brutal realities of war, slavery, and personal failings.

✨ The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead — A daring, lyrical reimagining of history where the Underground Railroad is an actual subterranean train system. It follows Cora, a young woman fleeing slavery in Georgia, on a harrowing and surreal journey toward freedom, blending stark history with elements of magical realism.

✨ America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie — Through the life of Patsy Jefferson, the devoted daughter and political confidante of Thomas Jefferson, this novel explores the personal sacrifices and complex choices behind the founding of the nation. Rich with historical detail, it portrays the cost of building—and keeping—a fragile new democracy.

✨ The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd — Set in colonial South Carolina, this novel tells the true story of Eliza Lucas, a young woman who defied tradition and transformed the Southern economy by developing indigo as a cash crop. Eliza’s determination and keen intellect shine against the backdrop of colonial tensions and gender barriers.

Whether you want tales of revolution, resilience, or reinvention, these books are the perfect way to honour America’s history this Independence Day.

Happy reading! 📚🎆