I was just rewatching Fleabag and realized I can’t recall reading any books that have complex anti-hero women. Most female characters are either love interests, flawless super heroes, princesses needed saving by men, or one-dimensional villains. I would love to read some books where women are portrayed more realistically.
Sci-fi and fantasy are fair game, too, although those genres seem the least likely to hold space for anything like that 😆
by anushy7
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A lot of Jennifer Weiner characters are layered. In her shoes is a good one.
Maame is a recent book that fits the bill.
The main character in Flight Behavior is complex.
There’s a lot of classic literature, don’t sleep on Jane Austen. Though there’s a lot of love and marriage, there’s also depth
Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden, T Kingfisher, Nicola Griffith, Ursula LeGuin, Lois McMaster Bujold, Philip Pullman, Mercedes Lackey, Terry Pratchett, Brandon Sanderson. Lots of authors in the speculative fiction space write excellent female characters.
The Power by Naomi Alderman and A Certain Hunger by Chelsea Summers
lmao there are actually pretty good SF/F representations of women if you know where to look. *The Locked Tomb* series, definitely, plus the *Baru Cormorant* series as well if you really want to see flawed, antagonistic, and complex female characters in fantasy. Tamsyn Muir makes wonderful fucked up women; *Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower* is a special favorite of mine. I love her dry wit and humor in this one.
If you want a sci-fi space opera graphic novel where the author said she “forgot to write any men”, there’s *On a Sunbeam*.
Ursula K. Le Guin writes women well I’ve heard, but I’ve read mostly Terry Pratchett: the *Tiffany Aching* series and *Equal Rites* would be a good place to start.
The *Chaos Walking* sci-fi series deconstructs sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and colonialism and it’s very dense as well. *Midnight Robber* is also an engaging read on colonialism, misogyny, and sexual abuse when a child is kicked out of a utopia.
If you want litfic, definitely *The Lovely Bones* – an encapsulation of (white, middle class) womanhood. Jane Austen is also an option, and *The Handmaid’s Tale.* I’ve recently read *Free Food for Millionaires* and honestly it’s great representation of what it feels to be an Asian girlfailure. If you want a character who dabbles in unethical mindreading and manipulation, *The Two Doctors Gorski* is one that’s been rattling in my head for a while.
Ursula LeGuin and V.E Schwab never miss in that department.
They inspired me as an author.
*My Year of Rest and Relaxation* is a completely unlikable anti-hero protagonist, who’s also complex and fully realized as a realistic woman.
All My Puny Sorrows
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
When I was looking for this, I started by reading through all of the joint Hugo and Nebula award winners written by women. It’s been great for the most part! That said, a few that immediately come to mind:
The Future by Naomi Alderman
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Dreamsnake
Ancillary Justice
Witches Abroad