lou's library

One of my favourite things while reading is when there’s a properly well-written female heroine who just kicks ass. To me, that can look lots of different ways, because there are multiple ways to show strength, be bold and fierce. So, here’s a small list of books featuring some of my favourite female characters. Enjoy!

Circe by Madeline Miller

I talk about Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller on here with a frequency some might call alarming. And while I do adore that book, singing its praises so often usually means Circe doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves. In order to right that wrong, let me encourage you to run to the book store or library right now and get your hands on a copy of it, because you will not regret it. As the title suggests, this is another Greek mythology retelling, focusing on Circe, a minor goddess and enchantress with the power to turn her enemies into animals (quite badass, if you ask me). In Circe, Madeline Miller retells her story and that of the Odyssey, but from the perspective of the goddess. That means the reader encounters lots of Greek heroes and monsters as well as familiar stories, but from a refreshing and fascinating view point (that of a woman with lots of powers, but also lots of emotions and anger). Circe is often uncompromising, and very much focused on keeping her power, fostering it, even (what a very daring thing to do for a woman). The book is written in absolutely gorgeous prose (wouldn’t have expected anything else from Madeline Miller, let’s be honest) and it’s so easy to fall into the world she creates and get completely lost in it. The craft and skill with which the author has written her female protagonist is what makes this such an enticing and enjoyable read, and it’s a great opportunity to brush up on your Greek mythology knowledge, but with a feminist twist.

Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare

One of the greatest crimes of the literary world (in my humble opinion) is the lack of respect and love for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. That girl is thirteen, for heaven’s sake, and she knows exactly what she wants and how to get it. She is fierce, and loyal, and headstrong and yes, completely naive, but that does have its charm too (and, again, she is thirteen, so cut her some slack). Romeo, on the other hand, is a complete fool and TOTALLY to blame for everything going tits up in the final acts of this play. He changes his mind constantly (the boy completely forgets about Rosaline, the supposed love of his life, the moment he sets eyes on Juliet), loses his temper every two seconds (which leads to him becoming a murderer) and is just not that interesting a character, I find. Yet he steals so much of Juliet’s light, because of the whole star-crossed lovers thing. But each time I read Romeo and Juliet, I fall in love with her a bit more. I mean, plotting to outsmart your parents and marry who you want, and not who they chose for you, is pretty damn badass to me ( did I mention she’s only thirteen?). Yes, she does end up dead, but we all know who is to blame for that (it’s Romeo). Her plan would have worked, if Romeo had had hits wits together, god damn it. So here’s to Juliet, my favourite Shakespearean heroine who would have deserved so much better!

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

My perception of Paris Hilton was shaped entirely by the paparazzi photos of her in the early 2000s that were all over my Grandma’s gossipy magazines when I was a child. Until I read her memoir. I listened to it on audiobook, and I would highly encourage you to do the same, as Paris Hilton narrates it herself. What became utterly clear to me only a few pages into Paris: The Memoir, is that this woman is smart as hell. She is a businesswoman (and pretty damn successful at that) and has played with the cards society has dealt her in such a genius way. The media loved (and I bet still tries) to portray her as a silly little blonde with no brain and a lot of privilege (I mean, the privilege part is true), and she has turned that into her brand and made it work for her. More importantly though, her memoir talks about the hardships she has had to endure as a child and teenager (and I mean it when I say hardships, without spoiling anything). It’s a good reminder that, no matter how great someone’s life might seem from the outside, you never know what’s truly going on. Whereas before reading her memoir, I probably looked down upon her a bit (not saying I’m proud of that), I now respect her massively. Paris: The Memoir is an honest and open account of her life in the spotlight, and she surprised me with her progressive views on topics such as feminism. Also, it was just written really well and while it touches on heavy subjects, it’s also highly entertaining. Plus, it set the record straight on one of the most iconic women in the public eye in the early 2000s. Turns out, she’s a total badass.

Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid

I do love me a Shakespeare retelling (blog post on that coming hopefully soon!). And Queen Macbeth by Val McDermid is no exception. As the title suggests, it’s a retelling of Macbeth, but from the point of view of his wife. Macbeth isn’t even one of my favourite Shakespeare plays (though I’m long overdue a reread, to be fair), but this account of the Queen’s fate after her husband’s death is nothing if not immersive, gripping and heartfelt. I did not want to put this book down and my only point of critique is that it is WAY TOO SHORT. Seriously, you can read this in one sitting, but I would have read an 800-page version of it happily. As you can probably tell from my summary above, Val McDermid takes some artistic license and retells the story in her own way. I did not mind that at all, in fact I found it intriguing and fascinating. By centering the Queen, she ponders the question what life was like for the wife of a Scottish Lord, the dependencies she had to endure and how her fate was ultimately always tied to that of the men whom she belonged to over the course of her life. But the author doesn’t paint her protagonist as a victim. Instead, she is portrayed to be constantly scheming and plotting in order to survive. The heroine is smart and strong, yet also has tender and vulnerable moments. She’s such a dynamic and complex character, I really do wish we would have gotten to accompany her for longer. Still, she is one of my favourite female characters and an absolute badass.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

I feel like this one should be a no-brainer, and yet I don’t often hear the words Alice and badass uttered in the same sentence. Think about it, though. A young girl goes through the rabbit hole and has to face numerous challenges while encoutering a vast number of strange creatures (some more kind than others). And she does so while never losing her courage, or her wonder for this world she has stumbled into. I love Alice in Wonderland for its quirkyness, and for how choc-a-bloc full of wisdom it is. Alice is headstrong and imaginative, knows how to help herself and is open and kind to others. In so many ways, she’s the ideal heroine. To me, she totally deserves the title badass and something makes me think she so rarely is seen this way because hers is a story for children. Obviously, that has nothing to say about the badass-ness of its protagonist. I’m not saying Alice is flawless, but none of the characters I’ve mentioned above are. To me, Alice is such a great and strong female character, because she has weaknesses, is still a child and brings so much wonder and love to the story and everything she encounters in it. Alice, you are a hero to me and I hereby declare you a badass of the first order!

There you go, some incredible female characters to enjoy and root for! Tell me all about your favourite girl badasses, please! I’m always looking for more to add to my list ❤