Women’s History Month sets aside time annually to explore the contributions of women throughout history and celebrate pioneers of women’s rights, but narratives centering and created by women can always top your TBR list. The ongoing work of feminist thinkers and activists has seen women in media move from the wings to center stage, claiming a place of equal value as their male counterparts. Female main characters have dreams, goals and ambitions, histories to explore and futures to claim. They have all of what makes a character interesting.
And, like every good character, these women have flaws. In fact, sometimes our heroines wind up rather left-of-center. The books below feature unconventional female protagonists who are exemplary not just for their primary place in their stories, but also for their misdemeanors, misdeeds and more-than-occasional murders. These narratives speak to the draw of stories about, and from, the anti-hero, and challenge conventions of femininity by exploring some of the darker parts of the psyche.
Circe from Circe by Madeline Miller
Whether a witch or a goddess, a villain or a victim, the Greek mythic figure of Circe is a memorable one. Her story is interwoven with a pantheon of famous names, from Prometheus to Odysseus. Madeline Miller’s 2018 retelling centers Circe’s own perspective and brings a feminist slant to these ancient tales that can leave readers questioning their recollections of Greek mythology – and wondering if maybe those men deserved to be pigs after all.
Wu Zetian from Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
This loose reimagining of China’s first and only empress, set in a futuristic version of Imperial China, follows the meteoric rise to power of Wu Zetian, a sacrifice-turned-savior pilot of a giant fighting robot. Zetian’s bitter cunning and ruthless determination to escape the oppressive life she’s been born into set her against the world, quite literally. Riding along as she claims her power, embraces her nature and breaks all the rules imposed upon her is a gratifying, if harrowing, experience.
Carmilla from Carmilla by Sheridan le Fanu
While Dracula may be the most famous vampire, the titular character from Sheridan le Fanu’s 1872 gothic novella predates the count by more than two decades. Carmilla is fierce, capricious, and, yes, murderous, all traits unsurprising for a vampire. But Irish author Le Fanu’s surprising choice to center and explore the relationship between two women – Carmilla and the novel’s protagonist, Laura – defied the expectations for women in literature of the time.
Amy from Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Dubbed “pragmatically evil” by her creator Gillian Flynn, we learn from our first meeting with Amy that she is far from the perfect picture we’ve been given of her. It’s true that she lives up to her “amazing” moniker, but it’s her capacity for vengeance that truly astounds. Amy’s schemes to get back at her cheating husband are truly diabolical, but every twist and turn of this now-iconic revenge plot is sharp as a cool girl’s eyeliner pencil.
Korede from My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Our narrator Korede is the definition of morally grey. Not only does she keep quiet about her aforementioned sister Ayoola’s growing body count (and even clean up her messes – literally), but Korede herself is borderline misanthropic. It’s not until the man she’s secretly in love with takes an interest in Ayoola that she even begins to truly worry about her little sister’s murderous habits. Korede’s spiral into her own ethical and personal compunctions is smartly told with impeccable dark humor, and leaves readers wondering if blood is truly thicker than water.
So, with Women’s History Month drawing to a close, do you find yourself interested in women’s wrongs as well as their rights? Try one of the titles described above. The characters in these books may challenge your perception or unsettle your sense of morality. More than likely, they’ll charm you, or make you laugh in spite of yourself. They may even feel just a little too relatable.
Renée is the Development Project Coordinator at OCLS
