It's been a while since I've participated in Booking Through Thursday, but I fancied this question so here's my answer.
Given the choice, which do you prefer? Real history? Or historical fiction? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion that they are equally well-written and engaging.)
It has to be historical fiction. Mere facts cannot be as illuminating as fiction can, no matter how well written it is. Gaining access to an imagined point of view on a historical event or situation can teach us just as much about it as the pure facts can and fiction gives us a social understanding too.
Ps- 'The Other Boleyn Girl' is exempt from the above praise. Historical fiction should not re-write history, it should fill in the gaps that research cannot.
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