Plus, meet the author of the best WWII fiction of 2022!
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| | Hi there! We’re putting the finishing touches on our annual TBRs with a list of the biggest YA titles coming out this year. Plus, meet a debut author who’s already an international bestseller. |  | The Introduction |
| |  | | How to Write a Smash Hit | The Book
Historical fiction fans know that the genre is crowded with World War II stories—it’s not the easiest place to draw attention as a new writer! Amita Parikh’s debut, The Circus Train, shot to the top of international bestseller lists by approaching the sprawling conflict from a unique angle. The novel follows a young Greek woman, her father, and his apprentice Alexandre as they travel across Europe as part of a circus train. When they’re forced to perform in a Nazi-created labor camp, Lena must navigate the treacherous landscape on her own.
The Author
Author Amita Parikh has a full-time job in tech. She worked on The Circus Train for six years before it was published to glowing reviews around the world, with more translations and international editions coming in 2023. She spoke with author Rachel McMillan about writing the book.
Rachel McMillan: What ingredients make a story stand out for you, and how did you incorporate them into The Circus Train?
Amita Parikh: I love my characters to have nuance and flaws, even villains. People who are the antagonists in stories aren’t necessarily “bad” for me. I always wonder: “Why are they like that? What was the triggering event?” Having memorable characters and ones I can root for until the end is important.
RM: You’ve unearthed a story from the second World War that’s different from the stories readers might be used to. Tell us about that.
AP: My main character, Lena, uses a wheelchair after a childhood bout with polio. Is her experience going to be the same as everyone else? Absolutely not. One character can’t possibly speak for an entire demographic, but I hope that it does shine a light on what the experience would’ve been like at the time.
RM: As a historical fiction writer, how do you balance historical accuracy with creativity?
AP: The reality is we can do all the research but there comes a point where we’re just going to have to put it on paper. I told myself, I have to let it go and deal with the fact that there are going to be some errors and people are going to find them and email me! The other trick with research is that authors can make the mistake of putting in too many facts—you don’t want it to sound like a textbook! It’s a very fine line: It’s historical fiction, not historical fact-ion.
For more stories with vivid settings and nuanced characters, check out these titles suggested by Amita and Rachel: |  | | The Diamond Eye | | Quinn’s historical novel is based on the real life figure of "Lady Death,” a Russian sniper who traveled to the US to build American support for the Russian campaign against Nazi Germany during WWII. | |
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|  | | The London Restoration | | A couple who were separated by WWII just after their wedding reunite in post-war London, only to be drawn into one final war-related mystery. | |
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|  | 20 Words: Guess The Novel |
| | A depressed and directionless young woman is trapped in a world where all of the books are only about her. | |
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| Answer in footer |  | The Stack |
| |  | | | The Most-Anticipated YA Novels of 2023 | | It’s shaping up to be another huge year in the world of young adult literature, with both new titles from beloved authors and high-profile, buzzy debuts on the horizon. Our No. 1 pick? The Stolen Heir, a new novel set in the world of Holly Black’s best-selling Folk of Air series. For readers who’ve already devoured it, here are three more of our top picks for the year. Looking for even more? Check out the full list of YA novels we can’t wait to read this year. | |
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 | | The Davenports | | Four young women find love in this sweeping, swoony romance set in upper-crust Black society in 1910. | |
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|  | | Spice Road | | A dagger-wielding young woman sets out to find her traitorous brother in this Arabian-inspired fantasy. | |
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|  | | Throwback | | Gen Z teen Sam time-travels to the ‘90s, where she falls inconveniently in love and meets her teenaged mom. | |
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| Critical Love
Kirkus says Thomas’ historical novel is “at once majestic and intimate.” BookPage praises its “great power and beautifully heightened eloquence.” | |
 | | In The Upper Country | | In a Canadian town settled by people who fled enslavement in the American South, an old woman is accused of murder, and the young woman who arrives to interview her uncovers a story that spans the continent. | |
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The Big Debut
Maria Dong’s debut thriller, out this week, topped “most-anticipated” lists from Goodreads, Good Housekeeping, and more. Bestselling author Alix E. Harrow says it “blurs the line between daydream and nightmare.” | |
 | | Liar, Dreamer, Thief | | Katrina is sure no one is aware of her obsessive surveillance of her co-worker—until the night she receives a mysterious message from him and then, hours later, witnesses his suicide. | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | PS: Products you purchase through our links may earn Likewise a commission. |
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