Femenist literature
Lessons in Chemistry
What is Lessons in Chemistry about?
Being a female scientist in the 1960s America is not that simple. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist who faces blatant sexism in her field. After falling in love with Nobel Prize nominee Calvin Evans and experiencing personal tragedy, Elizabeth unexpectedly starts hosting a cooking show called "Supper at Six." This show becomes her platform for facilitating change.
The Handmaid's Tale
What is The Handmaid's Tale about?
Are you interested in dystopian novels and totalitarian regimes? Margaret Atwood’s "The Handmaid’s Tale" is set in a future where environmental disasters and declining birth rates have led to the rise of the Republic of Gilead. Gilead enforces strict social roles: fertile women become Handmaids to bear children for the country's commanders. You will learn the customs and laws of Gilead following the female protagonist, Offred.
A Room of One's Own
What is A Room of One's Own about?
"A Room of One's" explores the challenges women writers face in a literary world dominated by men. What hinders women's creativity? And what do women need to write fiction? Virginia Woolf definitely created a foundational text in feminist literary criticism.
Circe
What is Circe about?
A daughter of the sun god Helios, Circe is not as powerful and charming as her siblings, feeling lonely and lost. When she discovers her witchcraft powers, she is exiled to the island of Aiaia; completely alone – she has to find herself and navigate her path. This story is rich with Greek mythology, introspection, and numerous adventures.
The Country Girls
What is The Country Girls about?
Cait and Baba, two young women from rural Ireland, navigate adolescence and seek independence in 1950s Dublin. It's the story of love, friendship, and societal expectations. The book was banned in Ireland for its frank depiction of female sexuality and criticism of traditional norms. Intrigued?
Parable of the Sower
What is Parable of the Sower about?
"Parable of the Sower" is a dystopian novel is the speculative depiction of 2024, where United States are ravaged by climate change and disintegrating social order. This novel follows the journey of Lauren, a teenage girl with the gift of hyperempathy – feeling the pain of others. Lauren forms a religion called Earthseed, sharing it with others and striving to navigate the uncertain world.
The Color Purple
What is The Color Purple about?
“The Color Purple” by Alice Walker will take you into the heart of rural America, where a young Black woman named Celie finds her voice amidst a world of oppression. Walker discusses major problems of racial and gender oppression,as well as sisterhood and personal empowerment. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel will take you on an emotional journey, leaving you profoundly transformed.
Little Women
What is Little Women about?
Four sisters - Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy - live during the Civil War in New England. "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott tells their stories, sheds light on the challenges they face, and depicts their unique personalities. It's a classical novel that doesn't go out of fashion even today.
The Silence of the Girls
What is The Silence of the Girls about?
"The Silence of the Girls" retells the story of The Trojan War based on the narration of Briseis, a Trojan queen turned slave. Although she’s given to Achilles and had lost all her power, she struggles to survive and remain herself. It’s an emotional tale that does not romanticize the war, showing its traumatic effects.
Americanah
What is Americanah about?
"Americanah" is a book about Nigerian identity and diaspora experience. A young Nigerian woman, Ifemelu, moves to the United States and faces the complexities of being a black African in a predominantly white society. As the author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, had grown up in Nigeria herself, this novel is pierced with an authentic point of view.
When Women Were Dragons
What is When Women Were Dragons about?
In this alternate reality, women don’t just break free from societal norms, but they quite literally transform into dragons. "When Women Were Dragons" takes you to 1950s. It is a part feminist manifesto, part fantasy adventure. Barnhill’s world is one where anger and repression create something far more powerful, leading to a mysterious mass dragoning event.
The Power
What is The Power about?
“The Power” by Naomi Alderman is an experimental book that upends traditional gender roles. What if women suddenly developed the ability to deliver electric shocks? This electrifying premise sparks a global revolution, challenging centuries-old power structures. Naomi Alderman is a master storyteller, who has a special view on the nature of power and its impact on humanity.
Sense and Sensibility
What is Sense and Sensibility about?
"Sense and Sensibility" tells the tale of two completely different sisters, Marianne and Elinor. As readers, we will follow their love stories and moments of loss. Will they find true love and happiness?
The Yellow Wallpaper
What is The Yellow Wallpaper about?
In 1892, when feminism was not yet a widely popular movement and women wrote books, typically about love, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman was published. It tells the story of a woman suffering from depression, whom her husband places in a secluded room with yellow wallpaper. As she descends further into madness, the protagonist begins to see a woman trapped in the wallpaper pattern, who becomes her embodiment. This novella was a breakthrough in literature for women and the discussion of women's mental health.
Her Hidden Genius
What is Her Hidden Genius about?
Meet Rosalind Franklin — the brilliant scientist whose work was crucial to the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure, though history rarely gave her credit. In "Her Hidden Genius", Marie Benedict brings Franklin’s story to life, painting a portrait of a determined woman fighiting for her place in a male-dominated field.
Anne of Green Gables
What is Anne of Green Gables about?
"Anne of Green Gables" is an iconic story of Anne Shirley, a girl who enchants almost everybody she meets. You won't be an exception, too. Anne grows up, dreams, hopes for the best and loves. Once an orphan, this girl finds a real family.
The Giver of Stars
What is The Giver of Stars about?
Jojo Moyes presents a heart-warming story about female resilience, books, and sisterhood, set during Great Depression-era. It is based on a true story of The Pack Horse Library Project, where women delivered books to remote regions in the Appalachian Mountains. "The Giver of Stars" is a great choice if you want to immerse yourself in this particular era of US history and enjoy well-written, strong female characters.
By Her Own Design
What is By Her Own Design about?
You might not know her name, but Ann Lowe designed Jackie Kennedy’s iconic wedding dress. "By Her Own Design" tells the extraordinary story of Lowe, a Black fashion designer who broke barriers to become a hidden legend in American couture. Huguley’s novel beautifully captures Ann’s journey. It carefullly retells a story of Lowe's life: from her humble beginnings to dressing high society.
Big Little Lies
What is Big Little Lies about?
Three women whose children attend the same kindergarten live in a wealthy seaside town. Madeline, Celeste, and Jane's lives seem normal, sometimes even perfect, but there are deep dark secrets inside. A death at a school fundraiser turns into an investigation as gossip and different perspectives shift the narrative.
My Brilliant Friend
What is My Brilliant Friend about?
Elena Ferrante, an Italian novelist, tells the story of two friends, Elena and Lila, and their great journey through life. The girls grow up in the 1950s and 1960s in a poor neighborhood in Naples. This coming-of-age novel is deeply sentimental, heartwarming, and real.
Lady Tan's Circle Of Women
What is Lady Tan's Circle Of Women about?
"Lady Tan’s Circle of Women" is a beautiful historical fiction novel about smart and strong women in China during the 15th Century. The protagonist, Lady Tan Yunxian, was a real practicing doctor who treated only women and girls. Lisa See tells her story in detail, moving through different stages of Lady Tan's life.
The Help
What is The Help about?
What does courage really look like in a divided world? "The Help" unforlds in 1960s Mississippi, where three women (a young writer and two African-American maids) work together to expose the ugly truths of racism in their town. Full of wit, heartbreak, and the small rebellions that drive big changes, Stockett’s novel is a unique combination of friendship, bravery, and finding your voice when society wants you silent.
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