Minnie's Fiction Addiction

The night air smells like smoke, the sky flickers with gold and red, and somewhere, a sparkler is tracing bright shapes in the dark. Bonfire Night has always been about fire and memory — rebellion, secrecy, and the stories that survive the flames.

This week, we’re diving into books that carry that same energy: revolutions both quiet and loud, betrayals that smoulder beneath the surface, and the heat of change burning through every page.

1. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Remember, remember the fifth of November.

This graphic novel is a cult classic for good reason. Set in a dystopian Britain ruled by a fascist regime, it follows a masked vigilante known only as V, who plots to bring down the government. The imagery of Guy Fawkes’ mask has since become an icon of rebellion across the world. Moore’s writing is razor-sharp, questioning power, identity, and the cost of freedom. For Bonfire Night, there’s no story that fits the mood better, a tale born from the flames of resistance.

2. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Victorian secrets and shocking twists, lit by gaslight and deceit.

Dark, seductive, and utterly enthralling, Fingersmith plunges readers into a Victorian world of thieves, orphans, and secret schemes. Sue Trinder, raised among pickpockets, agrees to con a wealthy heiress, only to find herself caught in a web of deception and desire. Waters’ prose crackles with tension, and her plot twists are explosive. Like a box of fireworks, this novel lures you in with beauty before everything bursts apart in dazzling chaos.

3. The Familiars by Stacey Halls

Witch trials, suspicion, and survival , history with a spark of magic.

Inspired by the real Pendle witch trials of 1612, The Familiars tells the story of Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a young noblewoman desperate to protect her unborn child. When she befriends a midwife accused of witchcraft, their fates intertwine against a backdrop of fear and superstition. Halls’ lush historical detail and feminist perspective make this novel a glowing ember of defiance. It’s a perfect pick for readers who love their history laced with danger and quiet rebellion.

4. His Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae Burnet

 A crime. A confession. A community in flames.

Set in a remote Highland village in 1869, this Booker-shortlisted novel begins with a brutal triple murder, and the confession of the young man accused. But nothing is as simple as it seems. Told through police reports, witness statements, and diary entries, it’s a chilling puzzle about class, isolation, and truth. Like the flicker of a bonfire in the wind, Burnet’s narrative constantly shifts perspective, leaving you questioning who really struck the match.

5. The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

For those who love secrets hidden in smoke and ash.

In post–Civil War Barcelona, a boy named Daniel discovers a forgotten novel that changes his life — and leads him into a dangerous mystery surrounding the book’s vanished author. Zafón’s writing is both gothic and romantic, full of rain-slicked streets, candlelit libraries, and haunting memories. This is a love letter to books and storytelling itself, best enjoyed with a blanket, a cup of cocoa, and the faint pop of fireworks outside your window.

Final Thoughts

Bonfire Night reminds us how history is written, and rewritten, by those who dare to speak, fight, and dream. These stories, filled with rebellion and revelation, will warm your heart while stirring your mind. Whether you’re by a bonfire or wrapped up indoors, let these books spark your imagination long after the last ember fades.