Happy International Women’s Day, folks!
I couldn’t let this holiday go unnoticed. Yesterday was National Book Day, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that these two holidays are back to back. Today, I wanted to highlight some badass women in literature, simply because I know that Literature (with a capital L, like the award-winning kind) can often be dominated by male authors featuring male protagonists, and I think women deserve some recognition.
[Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on a link and purchase something I’ve talked about or recommended, I’ll receive a very small percentage of the sale.]
Women in Historical Fiction
It is Women’s History Month, after all, and I love looking back at the roles that women played in some of the greatest events in history. Most of these things go unnoticed by the history books, because who cares about learning about an all-women’s spy ring in WWI? (I do, actually). So here are some books that highlight the cool things women have been doing since forever.
Circe by Madeline Miller
In one of the breakout books of last year, Madeline Miller writes Circe’s tale. And it doesn’t get more badass female than Circe, who turned all of the men who came to her island into pigs. We always hear Odysseus’s side of things (from The Odyssey), and I loved getting her side of the story.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Remember that WWI spy ring I mentioned? This book brings it. But it also touches on life after WWII, featuring Charlie St. Clair, who is a pregnant, unmarried woman in 1945, looking for her cousin. Through her adventures, she finds Eve Gardiner, who tells her about the spy ring that she belonged to in WWI. This dual timeline book epitomizes strong female resistance and breaking away from the roles expected of women at that time.
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Say what you want about Gone with the Wind, but… Scarlett O’Hara is THE badass female character in literature. She is no-holds-barred and determined to do whatever she can to avoid going hungry again. If you’ve watched the movie, you may have fell in love with her (and Vivian Leigh, and Clark Gable), but the book brings so much more nuance to her character and really shows who she is as a badass female.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
If you’re looking for anything about Tudor England, Philippa Gregory is the author to look for. She has taken women in the background of history and written their story (using historical documents and her imagination), and where better to start than with her most popular story about Anne Boleyn’s sister, Mary. Mary caught the king’s eye long before Anne did, but it was Anne who made the splash. You can watch Anne’s rise and fall through the eyes of her sister in this novel (but skip the movie. Trust me on that one.)
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Ok so technically this one isn’t historical fiction, since, at the time of writing, Charlotte Brontë was writing about her present-day life. BUT. I couldn’t leave Jane off this list. Victorian England was no joke for women — they were basically sold off to the wealthiest husband they could find. But in this world, orphan Jane Eyre forges her own path and refuses to compromise her ideals for what society says she should do.
Contemporary Women’s Literature
Of course, historical women aren’t the only badasses. In an effort to read more diversely, I’ve been reading a lot of books that feature women who are struggling against their culture to become something more, and what that may look like in today’s world. Here’s a few characters that have really resonated with me.
Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
Set in Nigeria, this novel really shows the force of cultural norms and women’s struggle to break free of them. Yejide has trouble conceiving, so her mother-in-law brings in a new wife for Yejide’s husband. Seeing the two women together, watching Yejide struggle with what this means for her, and seeing the lengths she will go to get pregnant… all of it really resonated with me.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
This was one of my favorite books in 2017, and while I scream at the mailman patiently await Daisy Jones and the Six (Reid’s newest release), I will reminisce about this wonderful novel. At first glance, it may seem that Evelyn Hugo is hardly at the whim of societal norms… she’s a rich, old, white lady. But through her story, you see her struggle with her past and her identity and realize that she is not everything you see on the surface.
The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir
Essie is growing up on television; her dad is an evangelical minister who hit it big with a reality show. But when Essie turns up pregnant… things fall apart. Essie is one of the strongest women I read last year. She had a quiet strength, but she found a way to get out of the hell she was living in, and she refused to let anything deter her. Her determination and willingness to forge her own path makes me want to be her when I grow up.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My best book of 2018, and Starr Carter is the reason why. When Starr witnesses her friend getting shot by a police officer, she must come to terms with what society has set up around her, and she must figure out who she wants to be. Her character growth and struggle against societal expectations really just made this book for me, and I cannot stop recommending it to everyone (also, the movie was wonderful, and different from the book, so read it and watch it and thank me later).
On My To Read List
I didn’t feel right recommending books I haven’t read, but here are some novels that I plan on reading this month, in the spirit of Women’s History Month! All of these come highly recommended by The Internet and my mother.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
I just picked up this book this morning! Set in biblical times, this story centers around Dinah (from Genesis, Jacob’s daughter) and her life as a woman during these times.
America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
My mom recommended this one to me, and, since then, I’ve seen it popping up all over Goodreads. With Thomas Jefferson’s daughter as the center point, this novel examines what life was like as the daughter of a president with questionable habits.
Matilda by Roald Dahl
I can’t believe I made it this far as an English education major and library science minor and I have’t read Matilda! I do plan on tackling this this year, because Matilda is one of my favorite movie characters, and I feel like it’s about time I read her in novel form.
More Resources
If you’re looking for a long, extensive list on all kind of books featuring badass women characters, I like this list from Goodreads.
One of my favorite literary awards is the Women’s Prize for Fiction. They just announced their 2019 Longlist, and you can find it here. (Off of this list, I recommend An American Marriage, My Sister the Serial Killer, and, of course, Circe.)
