10 Historical Fiction Doorstopper books by Women Writers You’ll Love Getting Lost In
Posted on by Patricia Furstenberg

10 Historical Fiction Doorstoppers by Women Writers You’ll Love Getting Lost In

Enjoy your pick at 10 historical fiction doorstoppers written by women writers as part of the Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, Jana, and created by The Broke and the Bookish.

This Tuesday’s theme is Books with a High Page Count, Share Those Doorstoppers (defined on my blog as such if they’re over 450 pages) — the kind of hefty tomes you can truly sink into. For my contribution, I’ve gathered ten historical fiction “doorstoppers” written by women, novels that sweep you across centuries, continents, and tangled human fates.

Arranged in chronological order of publication year, here’s my list of top 10 historical fiction doorstoppers written by women writers:

~ All links lead to the books’ respective Goodreads pages. ~

1. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1846, published under “Currer Bell”)

A gothic masterpiece, Jane Eyre follows the journey of a plain but fiercely independent governess who insists on her dignity and moral integrity in a world that wants her silent. Jane stands out as one of literature’s earliest modern heroines, showing readers that resilience and self-respect matter as much as romance.

In 1839, Brontë visited Norton Conyers in North Yorkshire, where a secret staircase and the tale of a madwoman confined to the attic likely inspired Bertha Mason of Jane Eyre.

2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)

At once tender and ambitious, Little Women is the coming-of-age tale of the March sisters, each one a heroine in her own right. With Jo March blazing a trail for independent-minded young women everywhere, this novel continues to inspire readers to chase dreams, love deeply, and live authentically.

Alcott’s publisher noticed a gap in the market, novels for teenage girls, and promised that if Alcott wrote one, he would publish her father’s book of philosophical speculations. Alcott produced 400 pages in twelve weeks. The publisher’s daughters adored it. Little Women was published.

3. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936)

Sprawling across the American South during the Civil War, Mitchell’s epic brings us Scarlett O’Hara — flawed, determined, and unforgettable. Her grit and will to survive make her one of historical fiction’s most complex heroines, embodying both the desperation and resilience of a world in upheaval.

Margaret Mitchell spent a decade secretly developing her characters and plot, going to great lengths to hide her work, even tossing a rug over pages on her living room floor when unexpected guests arrived.

4. The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning (1960)

Set in Bucharest and later Greece during WWII, Manning’s sweeping series follows Harriet Pringle (and her husband), a heroine who endures displacement and fear with quiet resilience. The couple’s contrasting personalities might have kept them together in peacetime but are tested and strained by the pressures of war.

Olivia Manning’s Balkan Trilogy (The Great Fortune, The Spoilt City, and Friends and Heroes) written between 1960 and 1965 is a lightly disguised autobiography.

5. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough (1977)

Spanning three generations in the Australian outback, McCullough’s saga is as thorny as its title suggests. At its heart stands Meggie Cleary, whose forbidden love for a priest embodies both passion and sacrifice, making her one of the most tragic and enduring heroines of modern fiction.

While working in the Neurology Department at Yale Medical School, McCullough reportedly typed at least 15,000 words a night over 1975 and 1976 to produce the 1,000-page manuscript of The Thorn Birds.

6. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005)

Mixing gothic mystery with sweeping historical research, this novel resurrects the Dracula legend across Europe. Its unnamed female narrator, caught between personal discovery and scholarly pursuit, is both a seeker of truth and a reminder of how women navigate legacies of silence and myth.

The Historian was the first debut novel in publishing history to debut at number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.

7. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson (2013)

Atkinson’s genre-bending masterpiece asks: what if you could live your life over and over until you got it right? Through Ursula Todd, we witness the 20th century’s most harrowing events — from the Blitz to wartime Germany — with the haunting awareness that every choice, every breath, might shift destiny. Ursula is a heroine of quiet strength and endurance, reminding us that women, too, lived history in its infinite possibilities, often in silence and shadow.

“I felt a great release when I was writing this [Life After Life]. I enjoyed every minute. I really missed it when I finished it. I could have gone on writing it forever, I think. Just the way the book goes on forever, I could have gone on forever.” (Kate Atkinson)

8. The Huntress by Kate Quinn (2019)

Quinn masterfully intertwines multiple narratives, but the standout is Nina, a fierce female pilot trained by the Soviet “Night Witches.” Her story burns with courage, vengeance, and survival, ensuring that women’s roles in wartime are remembered with the intensity they deserve.

The characters in The Huntress draw from real-life figures: Nina Markova from the “Night Witches” of the Soviet Air Force, Ian and Nina Graham from Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld, and the female antagonists, though fictional, embodies the untold experiences of women under the Soviet regime.

9. Chiajna din Casa Mușatinilor by Simona Antonescu (2023) – in Romanian

Romanian history comes alive in this richly layered tale of Lady Chiajna, a princess whose ambition and strength defy the constraints of her era, the 16th century. Antonescu gives us a heroine often maligned in legend but here reimagined with complexity and power.

“[While reading Chiajna…] I would like the reader to stop receiving any signals from the outside world, so that their senses take in only the world of the book: the smells, tastes, textures, and sounds of the sixteenth century are there, waiting for them.” (Simona Antonescu)

10. When Secrets Bloom by Patricia Furstenberg (2025)

Furstenberg’s newest novel promises to be both lushly historical and deeply human, with women’s lives and choices at its core. Her 15th century heroines are written with tenderness and resilience, reminding us that history is as much about the quiet sacrifices of women as it is about kings and battles.

When I was writing When Secrets Bloom and the rest of the series, the plotting was so intricate, like an embroidery. I found myself circling, inserting new threads, shifting chapters, rearranging scenes like piecing together an elaborate jigsaw puzzle. Every twist had to fit just so, every secret had to land in its precise place, and in that meticulous crafting, the story slowly began to breathe.

Have you read any of these books?

What’s the longest books you’ve ever read?

You can discover more door-stopper book lists by visiting this week’s TTT, Top Ten Tuesday.

37 Replies to “10 Historical Fiction Doorstoppers by Women Writers You’ll Love Getting Lost In”

    1. Oh, yes, so much drama especially around the school where Jane Eyre / Brontë went to. Chamberlain was definitely the heart-throb of the ’80s. Still, I read that McCullough wasn’t entirely pleased with either of her protagonists. I think The Thorn Birds followed a similar path to Gone With the Wind, the era fades into the background while the love story takes center stage.

  7. What a fantastic twist on this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! I really enjoyed seeing your selection of historical fiction “doorstoppers” by women writers. It’s such an interesting theme and a great way to discover new authors. I’ve read some of the classics on your list, like Jane Eyre and Little Women, but you’ve introduced me to several new writers that I’m excited to explore. Thank you for the wonderful recommendations!

  8. Teresa, thank you for your kind words. 🙂 Yes, I’ve been voluntarily reading historical fiction by women writers lately 🙂 But I was glad to discover that I was always gravitating towards this bub-genre. I am so pleased this list inspired you.

  9. ‘Little Women’ is a great fit for this list. It definitely has a lengthy page count. 🙂 One I really would like to read someday.

  15. I’ve seen The Thorn Birds on a few list today, and it’s one I really need to give a go.

  17. Great list. Jane Eyre, Little Women, Gone With the Wind and the Huntress are all ones I have read over the years. I watched Thornbirds, so didn’t read the book.

    1. Some classics here, yes. As it happens when the movie comes out with a bang before the book had a turn. I got to read many good books after watching the movie first: Out of Africa, Outlander, all of Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs novels 🙂

    2. I prefer the books for both Tess Gerritsen and Kathy Reichs. I think because I read the books first.

  19. Thank you, Susan. I realised while compiling my list that most of it is made of pre ’80s literature 🙂 But I found some enticing new doorstopper titles this TTT.

  20. This is such a great list, and I love that you made it all female writers of historical fiction. I have fond memories of reading Little Women as a girl, and I recall reading Gone With the Wind many years ago. Currently, The Historian is sitting on my bookshelf, unread and giving me serious side eye, saying ‘I told you I was good!’ I’ve also wanted to read The Thorn Birds, but I was much too young at the time and ended up not reading it because of the length. Maybe it’s time to resurrect that from my TBR? Your book also sounds fascinating!

    1. Leah, you are so kind. I appreciate it. Women writers tend to have an emotional edge to their historical fiction novels, one less matter-of-fact-ly. Rather enjoyable for some readers. Memories, yes, that’s how this book list started 🙂 Now, although The Historian has some vampires in it (I try not to read about them in literature), but it has an unique take and a “realistic” one without being Hollywood-ish. I enjoyed the historical locations and it kept me hooked. The Thorn Birds is long, but if you try to focus on the history behind the love story (as was also the intent of Gone With the Wind) maybe it will get you through. 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind words about my book baby. 🙂

    2. Of course! I love the more emotional edge to historical fiction written by women, and I think women and men writers both write their world as they see it, although things aren’t always seen or experienced the same.

      I’ve heard so much great feedback about The Historian, that I was thrilled to find it at a local thrift shop, dirt cheap! Now to find the time and hide from interruptions long enough to actually read it.

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