Real Book Reviews
17th August 2026 by | Uncategorized
A Question of Historical Boundaries and Real book reviews !
I have read The Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle before—long before I began writing historical novels myself. To be entirely honest, I did not particularly rate it as a novel at the time. However, rereading it now, I am far more troubled by the sheer number of established historical facts that have been altered.
Within the first thirty pages, Katherine Parr is portrayed as having been raped, given birth to a stillborn daughter and killed her husband. There is no historical evidence that any of these things happened.
It made me wonder: how many people read historical fiction and assume that what they are reading is broadly true?
All historical novelists invent dialogue, private conversations and intimate moments; without imagination, there would be no novel. But when does creative licence become the rewriting of a real person’s life—and how many readers ever realise that they have been misled?
All fiction involves invention. Historical novelists must create dialogue, private conversations, emotions and motives that the historical record cannot supply. That is part of the craft. However, there must surely be a boundary between filling the gaps in history and substantially altering established events or imposing distinctly modern behaviour upon historical characters.
When that boundary is repeatedly crossed, are we still reading historical fiction—or should such books be described as ‘historical fantasy fiction’?
That would not necessarily be a criticism. Historical fantasy is a perfectly legitimate form of storytelling. However, it would tell the reader what is actually inside the tin: a story built upon a foundation of historical fact, but one in which the author has taken considerable liberties with the people, events and realities of the period.
My concern is that placing such works indiscriminately beneath the broad heading of ‘historical fiction’ risks devaluing those novels whose authors have undertaken painstaking research and worked hard to remain faithful to the known evidence.
What do you think? Has anyone else read this book? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Best wishes
Gemma
Author of The Reflection in the Mirror, The Wolf of Whitehall & The Queens Heart Always
Founder, The Princes in the Tower Society
Member of the Norfolk Archaeological Trust
www.murderinthetower.london