Women-centered historical novels dogged by questions of accuracy
Women-centered historical novels are having a moment, particularly when uncovering little-known histories. Resistance to these narratives, which cast heroines with agency, hidden talents and extraordinary achievements, has declined, but only after a hard-fought battle. Perhaps women have won the war and we can pen stories of our ancestors without the dreaded attack of the old guard — a patriarchy accustomed to controlling the narrative and wielding the term “historical accuracy” like a weapon.
Not long ago, I released my first historical romance that centered marginalized characters as Regency heroes. Despite the accuracy of my history, I was skewered by questions of historical accuracy. Critics seemed genuinely unaware that women in any age did not act as a monolith. Others were ignorant of the diversity of England’s history or its deep colonial ties to Africa and the West Indies. Some hinted that the mere existence of this work was a way to assign guilt to society for ignoring the wealth derived from enslavement.
The ferocity of the reactions was unexpected. The rage was raw. Some quibbled at my sheer audacity — how dare I give women of color agency, ballgowns and the privilege of marrying peers?
A pep talk from my mentor brightened my outlook. Beverly Jenkins, the author of “Wild Rain” among nearly 50 other novels, metaphorically wiped my tears and suggested adding a more detailed author’s note to my books, as she did with her first, “Night Song,” and every book since. This notation goes beyond story motivations and plotrequired anachronisms to include definitions, book recommendations, online archives and an occasional bibliography.
For a long time, history has been told through the lens of White men and judged important by the same. Jenkins understands a more detailed accounting will change this and allow for “a deeper dive into our subject matter, with documentation for those who deny the vast contributions made by women and marginalized people.”