This thesis contains an original novel titled A Lifetime with Camille. Contemporary character Hannah discovers that she can travel through Claude Monet paintings where she befriends his first wife Camille Doncieux. Though the subject of over thirty paintings by Monet, there is very little known about Camille. After her death, Monet’s second wife disposed of all of Camille’s personal correspondence and possessions, as well as almost all photographs of her – today, only one remains. This novel gives Camille’s narrative a platform in a way that it has not been afforded before.

There has been a rise of historical fiction novels centered around women’s narratives, and I examine how some of these works integrate factors of accuracy and authenticity without falsely empowering these women by filling them with anachronisms and feminist thinking from after their time. There is much to be said about accuracy and authenticity in novels that use real figures from history or are considered neo-Victorian or neo-nineteenth-century fiction, actively attempting to amplify marginalized voices. I situate my novel as neo-nineteenth century as it goes beyond the limited definition of neo-Victorian by not working with the colonial implications of the Victorian era. Through studies of nineteenth-century French societal and domestic expectations for women, other neo-nineteenth century fiction, historical fantasy novels, and Camille’s life, I argue that there is room for authors to utilize accuracy and authenticity in various ways that still stay true to both aspects of historical fiction writing while also bolstering women’s voices.