In the afterword, the author says, "I often liken historical fiction to 'literary Advil,' in that, ideally, readers enjoy the sugarcoating of a story while benefiting from the 'good stuff' (i.e., history) along the way." Do you find this comparison apt? Do you think she achieved this goal?
What do you think of historical fiction as a genre? Do you read historical fiction primarily for the story or the history behind it?