Eowyn Ivey creates worlds that feel real and yet magical, often in the stunning landscape of Alaska. Her books, like *The Snow Child* and *To the Bright Edge of the World*, explore the relationship between people and the wild, often weaving in elements of folklore and history.
If you are drawn to stories with a similar atmosphere and focus, stories that explore the power of nature and human connection in remote settings, here are some authors you might find interesting.
If you enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s blend of gentle magic and lyrical storytelling, Erin Morgenstern may be another author worth exploring. Her novel “The Night Circus” invites readers into a mysterious and enchanting circus that appears without warning and opens only after sunset.
Within its whimsical tents, two young magicians, Celia and Marco, have unknowingly entered a competition set by their mentors. As their magical abilities grow, the circus becomes the stage for their rivalry and romance.
Morgenstern crafts vivid settings and rich characters, offering an experience full of wonder, mystery, and romance.
Alice Hoffman is an author well-known for blending reality with subtle elements of magic. Readers who enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s rich blend of nature and quiet magic may find Hoffman a suitable choice.
A wonderful introduction to her style is “Practical Magic,” a story of the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian.
Raised by eccentric aunts who dabble in magic, the sisters experience love and heartbreak as they navigate a world full of superstition, family secrets, and whispered spells.
Hoffman creates characters that feel real, with small but fascinating elements of magic weaving through their everyday lives. It is a story of sisterhood and resilience told with warmth, charm, and just a hint of the mystical.
Hannah Kent is an Australian author who crafts vivid, atmospheric stories set in historical settings and harsh landscapes, similar to Eowyn Ivey’s novels. Her debut novel, “Burial Rites,” tells the story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman sentenced to death in Iceland.
Set in the early 19th century, the book recreates the stark Icelandic countryside and explores the relationships Agnes builds with the family forced to house her during her final days.
Rich historical detail, emotional depth, and a character-driven narrative make it a great choice for readers who appreciate Eowyn Ivey’s blend of historical fiction and stark, compelling storytelling.
Delia Owens is an author whose storytelling brings readers the quiet wonder and lush settings that fans of Eowyn Ivey appreciate.
In her novel “Where the Crawdads Sing,” Owens invites readers into the life of Kya, a young woman abandoned as a child who grows up alone in the marshlands of North Carolina. Kya learns to survive by observing her surroundings, becoming deeply connected to the marsh.
Owens explores isolation, human relationships, and the wonders of the natural world. When a local man is found dead, suspicion falls onto the mysterious “Marsh Girl,” leading to tension and suspense.
Owens builds a world that feels gentle yet wild at the same time, full of secrets, mystery, and the fragile strength of nature.
Readers who enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s blend of historical settings, nuanced characters, and emotional depth might also connect with Jessie Burton’s storytelling.
Burton’s novel “The Miniaturist” transports you to seventeenth-century Amsterdam, where young Nella Oortman begins married life in a home full of mystery.
When she receives an elaborate dollhouse—a precise miniature replica of her real house—the line between reality and fiction blurs. The miniaturist commissioned to create pieces for this tiny home seems to foresee events in Nella’s own life.
Burton weaves suspenseful drama, historical detail, and vivid characters into a narrative that keeps you questioning what secrets lie behind closed doors.
Readers who appreciate Eowyn Ivey’s lyrical storytelling and evocative descriptions of human connections may find Sarah Winman’s novels equally appealing.
Winman’s writing beautifully captures emotional depth and tender relationships, particularly noticeable in her novel “Still Life”.
Set against the backdrop of post-war Florence and London’s vibrant community, “Still Life” follows the intertwining lives of Ulysses, a British soldier, and Evelyn, an art historian.
Their chance encounter in war-torn Italy sparks a story rich in friendship, art, and the unexpected ways life joins people together.
With vivid imagery and heartfelt characters, Winman creates a tale full of warmth and charm, offering readers an engaging journey of discovery and the power of lifelong bonds.
Readers who enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s atmospheric storytelling and captivating historical settings may find Paula McLain equally appealing. McLain has a rich talent for depicting real-life figures with emotional depth, blending facts seamlessly with fiction.
Her novel “The Paris Wife” vividly portrays the life of Hadley Richardson, Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, set against a vibrant backdrop of jazz-age Paris.
Through Hadley’s eyes, readers experience the complexities of love, ambition, and loss as the Hemingways navigate literary circles and personal uncertainty. McLain’s clear prose and insightful character portraits give fresh perspective to well-known historical figures.
Maggie O’Farrell crafts rich, memorable stories filled with sensitive human portraits and thoughtful storytelling. Readers drawn to Eowyn Ivey’s atmospheric settings and emotional depth may appreciate O’Farrell’s novel “Hamnet.”
Set in the 16th century, the novel explores the imagined family life of William Shakespeare, particularly focusing on his son Hamnet. Within their domestic world, you see how love, grief, and resilience shape their lives.
O’Farrell brings history to life through heartfelt narrative that complements Ivey’s emotional authenticity.
Readers who enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s atmospheric storytelling and rich, emotional narratives may appreciate the work of Kate Morton. Morton is known for novels that blend historical settings with mysteries unfolding across generations.
Her book “The Forgotten Garden” follows Cassandra, a woman who inherits a mysterious cottage in Cornwall from her grandmother, Nell.
After Cassandra discovers Nell was found abandoned on an Australian dock as a child, she embarks on a journey to England to uncover long-hidden family secrets.
Morton seamlessly weaves together the lives of several women across different periods and locations, each chapter drawing readers deeper into the puzzle of Nell’s origins and the enchanting, walled-in garden at the cottage’s heart.
David Guterson is an author who writes novels set in the rugged Pacific Northwest, blending lyrical descriptions of nature with rich human drama in remote, atmospheric settings.
Readers who enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s “The Snow Child” will feel right at home in Guterson’s “Snow Falling on Cedars.” This story takes place shortly after WWII in the misty, secluded community of San Piedro Island, where quiet tensions linger following the war.
A local fisherman is found dead. Suspicion quickly falls on a Japanese American man, bringing up past hatreds and hidden secrets.
Guterson guides readers through a tense courtroom drama and unresolved personal conflicts, all wrapped up in vivid descriptions of snowy forests and stormy seas.
If you enjoy the atmospheric storytelling and heartfelt characters of Eowyn Ivey, you might appreciate Leif Enger’s writing. Enger’s novel “Peace Like a River” captures the American Midwest in a vivid tale about family loyalty and unexpected miracles.
Set in the early 1960s, the story is told by an eleven-year-old named Reuben Land, whose older brother is accused of a violent crime. Reuben sets off with his charismatic father and spirited sister to find his brother before the law catches up with him.
Through Reuben’s eyes, Enger touches on faith, redemption, and the rugged beauty of the Dakotas, crafting a story full of warmth and wonder.
Willa Cather evokes the quiet beauty and struggle of frontier life, weaving stories set in an unforgiving yet mesmerizing landscape. If you enjoyed Eowyn Ivey’s “The Snow Child,” you might appreciate Cather’s novel “My Ántonia.”
The book portrays Jim Burden’s memories of growing up in Nebraska, centered around Ántonia Shimerda, a spirited immigrant girl from Bohemia. The story follows their friendship over the years, through harsh winters, tragedies, joys, and their deepening connection with the land.
Cather captures the hardship and magic of prairie life and the endurance of human spirit in tough times.
Tara Conklin is an author whose work resonates with readers who enjoy the quietly magical and emotional depth found in Eowyn Ivey’s novels.
In her book “The House Girl,” Conklin connects two timelines: one set in antebellum Virginia, focusing on Josephine, a young enslaved woman eager to escape, and another in present-day New York, centered around Lina, a determined lawyer tasked with uncovering Josephine’s story.
This narrative skillfully weaves historical fiction into contemporary discovery, exploring hard truths about identity, justice, and the lingering shadows of the past.
Readers who appreciate layered storytelling and thoughtful historical perspectives might find “The House Girl” an absorbing read.
If you enjoy Eowyn Ivey’s blend of beautiful storytelling and magical realism, you might appreciate Louise Erdrich’s novels as well. Erdrich is a gifted storyteller who explores human relationships, folklore, and diverse cultures in her works.
Her novel “The Round House” tells the story of Joe Coutts, a teenage boy living on a reservation in North Dakota, whose life changes after an unsettling attack on his mother.
As Joe and his friends look for answers about what happened, they uncover truths about family relationships, tribal justice, and personal courage.
Erdrich captures the spirit of adolescence and the complexities of family bonds through vivid characters and a rich narrative steeped in Native American culture.
Mary Lawson crafts heartfelt, character-driven novels set against vivid, northern landscapes. Her book “Crow Lake” immerses readers into a quiet Ontario village where family bonds, loss, and personal struggle shape the lives of four siblings.
After their parents tragically die, the Morrison children must find strength in one another and navigate life’s challenges. Lawson beautifully portrays small-town life and the complex emotions beneath seemingly ordinary events.
Her books resonate with similar themes to Eowyn Ivey’s stories—the emotional power beneath remote, harsh settings and the quiet strength within everyday relationships.