Historical fiction shapes plot and characters on real events, settings, and people that occurred in the past. The Agency by YS Lee is an example of historical fiction based in the Victorian era. In the text, there is a female detective agency whose aim is to reveal the scandalous secrets of some of Britain's richest people. The plot is created by combining historical facts with fiction, making it believable to the reader. Beginning by examining the narrator is crucial to beginning the analysis of this novel. The narrator, as well as the main characters, have a contemporary vision of the world which makes understanding simplistic for the reader. The Agency asks the reader to think critically about what would happen if a non-English female detective existed in the Victorian era. How the reader interprets this novel is affected by their own life experiences. The historical details in The Agency by YS Lee generate a believable plot that is simplistic for the reader to understand and that inspires the reader to analyze and think critically about the Victorian era of Britain. There is a believable plot in The Agency because of the balance between fact and fiction and YS Lee's use of necessary anachronism. In order to legitimize the fiction, historical details are used. The fusion of fact and fiction is clearly seen when the narrator says: "As she emerged from the omnibus into Great George Street, the first brass nameplate she saw was that of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the engineer the most eminent in the country” (Lee 161). ). This demonstrates how YS Lee easily merges fact and fiction in the same sentence. Isambard Kingdom Brunel is indeed a historical figure while Easton Engineering is comprehensive...... middle of paper ...... the trials and tribulations of the British Chinese community in the Victorian era. She rewrote the stereotypical story with a protagonist who could have been a much younger version of herself at that time. Just as the novelist placed herself in this time, this allows the reader to visualize herself in the past. The interweaving of fact and fiction in The Agency allows the reader to accept the historical premise. The narrator and main characters like Mary have a modern view of the world. Their way of speaking can easily be compared to historical figures. The Agency challenges the common plot of the Victorian novel which tests the reader's common beliefs of the past. Having this non-English detective helps the reader put themselves in her place and continually think about the main mysteries of the novel. Lee's L'Agence