I'm a little tired of the narrative of a female protagonist who is beautiful, enigmatic, or remarkable (and doesn't know it for whatever reason), who embarks on a strictly 'upward' trajectory after some kind of life-altering event — lives the dream, excels at her career, lands the perfect guy etc. I'm looking for a book where the protagonist is interesting but average, experiences some career setbacks, maybe mild heartbreak, and grows as a person, but nothing too drastic. I'm not looking for a tragedy though; just something that's ultimately about trying to be happy or content even when you don't have everything you wished for.
by disconnectedloop
3 Comments
*Olga Dies Dreaming,* by Xochitl Gonzalez.
*Unlikely Animals*, by Annie Hartnett.
*Florida Woman*, by Deb Rogers
Anything by T. Kingfisher, her characters are not all 20 year old supermodels haha, they’re usually regular women in their 30s, 40s, etc.
Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb meets most of your criteria. Fantastic novel. Definitely some heartbreak, but it never feels unrealistic.