1800’s A to L

1800’s A to L

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Place of Setting Author Title Notes
Algeria Djebar, Assia Fantasia: An Algerian Cavalcade 1830 to 1950: a young woman joins her brother to fight against French colonialism
Australia Fairbairns, Zoe Stand We at Last Family saga of five generations of women and three continents
Australia Kent, Hannah Devotion Two friends emigrate from Prussia to Australia
Austria-Hungary Pataki, Allison Sisi: Empress on Her Own Based on the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph
Balkans Stankova, Reni Sirma Woman disguises herself as a man to fight the Ottoman Empire.
Brazil Williams, Jeanne So Many Kingdoms The history of Brazil through the eyes of six women
Canada Atwood, Margaret Alias Grace In 1843 a servant girl is accused of murder
China Buck, Pearl S. Imperial Woman Based on the life of Empress Tzu-Hsi
China Buck, Pearl S. Peony Chinese maid to Jewish family in China
China Curry, Alexandra The Courtesan Orphan becomes courtesan and travels to the west
China McCunn, Ruthanne Lum The Moon Pearl Women silkworkers in 1830’s
China See, Lisa Snow Flower and the Secret Fan Two women bond by writing in Nushu, the Chinese women’s language
China Min, Anchee Empress Orchid Based on the life of the last Empress of China
Egypt Shomer, Enid The Twelve Rooms of the Nile 1850’s — the imagined story of a meeting between Florence Nightingale and Gustav Flaubert in Egypt as young adults
England Baker, Jo Longbourn Pride and Prejudice re-told from the POV of the servants
England Benjamin, Melanie Alice I Have Been Based on the life of Alice Lidell, who inspired Alice in Wonderland
England Brown, Carrie The Stargazer’s Sister Based on the life of Caroline Herschel
England Chevalier, Tracy Remarkable Creatures Women fossil hunters
England Collins, Sara The Confessions of Frannie Langton Jamaican woman may have murdered her employers
England Duncker, Patricia The Doctor Based on the life of James Miranda Barry, a woman who practiced medicine disguised as a man.
England Holman, Sheri The Dress Lodger A poor young mother makes a daring pact with a doctor to save her infant son
England Kohler, Sheila Becoming Jane Eyre Based on the life of Charlotte Bronte
England Martin, Valerie Mary Reilly Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde from the POV of the maid.
England Natel, Lilian The Singing Fire Jewish immigrants
England Silko, Leslie Marmon Gardens in the Dunes Native American girl in England
England Smith, Dinitia The Honeymoon Based on the life of author George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)
England Waters, Sarah Affinity Woman prison visitor becomes fascinated by inmate
England Waters, Sarah Fingersmith Child of thieves becomes involved in a scam
England Waters, Sarah Tipping the Velvet Young working-class woman becomes enamored of a woman performing as a man
England and United States Donnelly, Jennifer The Tea Rose Working class London woman flees tragedy to New York City
France Berg, Elizabeth The Dream Lover Based on the life of George Sand (Aurore Dupin)
France Buchanan, Cathy Marie The Painted Girls Based on the lives of women who modeled for Edgar Degas
France Burdick, Serena Girl in the Afternoon A young woman seeks to become an artist
France DeSanti, Carole The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R. A poor woman who gave up her daughter tries to find her again
France Drudge, Drema Victorine Based on the life of Victorine Meurent, an art model and painter in 1860s Paris.
France Felt, Elizabeth Caulfield Syncopation: A Memoir of Adele Hugo A novel in the form of a “memoir” of the daughter of Victor Hugo
France Horan, Nancy Under the Wide and Starry Sky The relationship of Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne and Robert Louis Stevenson
France King, Joan Impressionist Based on the life of painter Mary Cassatt
France Mahoney, Cheryl Nocturne (The Guardian of the Opera) Phantom of the Opera from a woman’s POV
France Robards, Elizabeth With Violets Based on the life of painter Berthe Morisot
Ghana Attah, Ayesha Harruna The Hundred Wells of Salaga Lives of a village girl and princess intersect
Hawaii Davenport, Kiana Shark Dialogues The story of Hawaii from the 1800’s to the 1900’s
Iceland Kent, Hannah Burial Rites A woman accused of murder is sent to work on a remote farm
India Moran, Michelle Rebel Queen Based on the life of Lakshmi, Rani (Queen) of Jhansi
India Mukherjee, Bharati The Tree Bride A woman “married” to a tree joins the Indian freedom movement
Ireland Kidd, Jess Things in Jars Woman detective and magical realism
Isle of Man Elphinstone, Margaret Light Two women lighthouse keepers must fight for their livelihood
Israel and Ukraine Herzfeld, Smadar Trail of Miracles A Jewish woman reflects on her life
Italy Hornby, Simonetta Agnello The Nun A young woman is conflicted between life as a nun and life in the world
Italy Olmi, Veronique Bakhita Slave girl from Sudan becomes Catholic saint
Italy Scego, Igiaba The Color Line Black American artist in Rome
Jamaica Levy, Andrea The Long Song The end of slavery told through the eyes of a slave girl
Jamaica Rhys, Jean Wide Sargasso Sea 1830s – the story of Antoinette Cosway, the “madwoman in the attic,” wife of Edward Rochester, Jane Eyre’s lover
Japan Avery, Ellis The Teahouse Fire An American orphan is adopted by a Japanese family
Korea Shin, Kyung-Sook The Court Dancer Relationship of court dancer with a Frenchman
Liberia Moore, Wayetu She Would Be King The founding of Liberia