With the end of the semester nearing and finals right around the corner, reading for pleasure has gotten pretty hard for me. Regardless, these books are ones I don’t regret making time for. When I say these books are worth the read, I mean it! To celebrate the ever-present strength of women across all spaces, I’ve compiled a list of seven of my favorite woman-centered novels. Covering science fiction, queer romance, feminist rhetoric, memoirs, and historical fiction, I’ve got a little something in this list for every reader.
- Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-joo
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Starting strong with a piece by Cho Nam-Joo. Kim Ji-young, Born 1982 is a South Korean-based novel depicting the everyday injustices women must conquer just to lead an ordinary life. It touches on sexism in education and the workplace, misogyny in marriage, and the pressure that is placed on South Korean women to have children.
Cho Nam-Joo wrote the novel intending to display the horrific normality of sexism in South Korea. In an interview with South Korea’s national newspaper, Korea JoongAng Daily, Nam-Joo cites that she wrote the novel in a mere two months because of how accurate it was to her reality.
This book is an excellent introduction to understanding the motive behind the 4B Movement prevalent in South Korea. The 4B Movement is a feminist campaign where South Korean women are taking a stance against disrespect and inequality by implementing the four B’s: bisekseu (no sex with men), bichulsan (no giving birth), biyeonae (no dating men) and bihon (no marriage with men).
It’s also gaining footing in America as a retaliation against former president Donald Trump’s reelection. Nam-Joo’s novel gives insight into the unique cultural background behind the movement. This equally uncomfortable and informative read honors what makes the movement so potent in South Korea and can bring attention to why a 4B Movement might begin to rise in the States.
- I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman
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For my science fiction lovers, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman follows the story of the youngest of 39 women residing in an underground bunker. The narrator is the only girl who doesn’t have the memory of her life before being imprisoned. The only interaction she has ever had with men is watching the emotionless guards who police the cage.
When an alarm rings out, and the guards evacuate just as they’re serving the women their meal, they escape. When they enter the world, they discover only the vast plains before them. The women live as nomads until only the narrator is left. The narrator journeys through her emotions, from naïve and cynical to accepting the life she had the privilege to live.
As prevalent within science fiction, Harpman leaves much of the novel to the audience’s interpretation, making it a good think-piece for introspective readers.
- Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami
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I might be biased because of my love for Japanese literature, but Breasts and Eggs is definitely a part of my top reads for 2024. Mieko Kawakami writes two interconnected stories about a pair of sisters and their search for what makes them feel whole.
Grappling with topics like asexuality, unattainable beauty standards, pregnancy, and artificial insemination, Kawakami does not shy away from writing about the female body. It’s a refreshing read that unapologetically portrays what are considered taboo aspects of womanhood.
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
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Dolly Alderton’s Everything I Know About Love has become my favorite memoir. Touching on love, friendship, career, and life, Alderton’s story is one for women of all ages. She reminds us that no matter what, there is love in everything. If you want a feel-good book about the female experience, this novel is for you.
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
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One of my favorite works of historical fiction is Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. The novel was a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction, and rightfully so. Beautifully written, it follows four generations of Korean women’s struggles and sacrifices in the name of family and honor. The setting of the book takes place during Japan’s occupation of Korea during WWII and depicts the stereotypes and discrimination that Koreans faced as immigrants in Japan.
I end up reading this book at least once a year, and I find more quotes worth noting every time. It shows the vitality of connections between women and the effort they put into creating fulfilling lives for everyone around them. It is truly a testament to the strength of women everywhere.
- A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum
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A recent read of mine is by Palestinian-American author Etaf Rum. She uses her novel A Woman is No Man to reveal the oppression of women within some Arab communities. She touches on the cycle of trauma that families get caught up in attempts to conform to the gender roles of their culture. She says in an interview with NPR that while writing, she had to overcome her fear of “betraying” her community to produce a book that authentically portrays and honors the struggles women have faced within her society.
Through two interconnected narratives of Isra and her oldest daughter, Deya, readers witness the female characters break out of generational cycles of oppression and trauma to follow their ambitions against all odds.
- The Color Purple by Alice Walker
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Alice Walker’s The Color Purple is a well-renowned classic depicting the varying relationships formed between black women in the early twentieth-century American South. The layout of the novel is centered around Celie and her prayerful letters addressed to God and, later, her sister Nettie. Celie writes about her life, formal marriage to Albert, and relationship with his lover and blues singer Shug Avery.
It was one of the first novels to gain significant success while portraying a queer relationship between black women. Alice Walker became the first black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for the novel in 1983.
The novel has since been adapted into two movies in 1985 and 2023. Both face criticism for “softening” the romantic relationship between Celie and Shug Avery, which is vital to the original storyline. Because of these criticisms, I have to say that the sentiment “the book is better than the movie” is absolutely true in this case.
Your to-be-read list probably looks never-ending after this article, but remember, you can always buy now and read later!
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