The Hidden Light of Northern Fires

In The Hidden Light of Northern Fires, a town on the Underground Railroad secedes from the Union after it becomes fractured by the politics of the American Civil War. As a huge geek on the subject, I'm often skeptical of historical fiction relating to it. While Wang's tale benefits from being based on truth, that is a moot point. His well-developed, very real characters and masterful writing are all that's needed for an incredible debut. Though a novel of the home front, it is nonetheless a war novel focusing on how conflict brings out the best and worst in people. It is one of the best works of historical fiction on the Civil War that I've ever read, and perhaps even that exists.

The Hidden Light of Northern Fires, Daren Wang’s creative reimagining of the true story of a small northern town that voted to secede with the south—as experienced by a white abolitionist woman and a fugitive slave—is a page-turning yarn. I was delighted to have my mind opened to the radical possibilities of historical fiction to illuminate and explore perspectives outside of the dominant narratives—something Wang accomplishes without falling into excessive sentimentality or caricature. I’m not usually a big reader of historical fiction, but this book’s cross-genre appeal warrants the start of a new section in our store: ‘Historical Fiction For Those Who Don’t Usually Read Historical Fiction.’