lou's library

All too often, male characters in books can be a mixture of the same tired stereotypes society likes to make us believe are the epitome of maleness. You know the drill – physical strength, no emotional weakness, etc. But in recent years, I have been delighted to come across more complex portrayals of masculinuty that question the aforementioned stereotypes. So, without further ado, here are some of my favourite books featuring dynamic, well-rounded and slightly unusual depictions of what it means to be a man.

Boys Don’t Cry by Fiona Scarlett

Set on a working class estate in Dublin, Boys Don’t Cry focuses on family dynamics, and particularly on the relationship between the brothers Finn and Joe. Without spoiling the plot, it is fair to say that they have to go through a lot and Fiona Scarlett not only depicts their family dynamics with great care and skill, but also manages to create two unforgettable characters in the brothers. Joe, the older of the two, has to grapple with coming of age in a disfunctional family where money is always scarce and conflict ripe. Yet he loves his family, and particularly his younger brother and cares deeply for him. Despite being a teenager, Joe is not afraid to show his emotions, despite trying to be strong for Finn. Joe is also unusual in that he is a uniquely gifted artist, earning himself a scholarship to a prestigous school. He struggles to find his place in the world, and is vulnerable, yet so strong. I fell in love with Boys Don’t Cry, the title of which already suggests the focus on the question of masculinity, and with the way in which the two brothers are depicted in this book. It is a fundamentally human and encouraging portrayal of two brothers who would go through hell and back for each other, and who don’t care what others might think of them. I loved every single of page of it.

The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne

My oh my. The Heart’s Invisible Furies was one of those books I could not put down. As it was a present from a friend, I did not know what to expect and got completely lost in the story right from the start. It follows Cyril throughout his life, which means we get to see him from a young boy up until old age. And we go through a lot with him, let me tell you. The book starts just after the end of the Second World War and leads us up to the present, and just as the world dramatically changes throughout his lifetime, so does Cyril. He struggles with his family history, with his sexuality and his purpose in life. Despite all of this, he is incredibly funny and life-affirming and just a refreshingly complex male character. You really cannot put him in a box, he is willing to be vulnerable, has to make tough decisions and somehow manages to remain solidly human and empathetic throughout it all. The Heart’s Invisible Furies is quite a long book, but I was so sad when I reached the end as I knew it meant saying goodbye to Cyril: a by no means perfect, but unashamedly unique and unconforming character. He has stuck with me ever since as one of the best examples of a male character I have ever come across.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

I could not write a blog post about progressive depictions of maleness and not include Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. This graphic novel series is perfection, precisely because of its skilled handling of the intricate business of being a queer teenager. I could have picked quite a few male characters as examples, but the most perfect one, in my very biased opinion, is Nick Nelson. At the start of the series, he is a popular rugby player, assumingly heterosexual, until he falls in love with Charlie (<3) and begins to question his sexuality and therefore, sort of, his entire identity. Throughout the Heartstopper series, Nick, Charlie and the other characters learn so much about themselves and each other, including how to speak up for themselves and it is nothing short of life-affirming and heartwarming to witness. Of course, they make mistakes, but these characters are so wholesome and there is so much vulnerability in their decisions that you simply must root for them. Alice Oseman is queen of portraying complex male characters that do not shy away from being different, in a world which does not always welcome otherness, to put it mildly.

Narcissus and Goldmund by Hermann Hesse

Narcissus and Goldmund is a German classic and for that reason I really did not expect any unusual portrayals of masculinity before picking it up. Usually, German classics tend to conform to gender norms, rather than question them. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that with the two main characters, Narcissus and Goldmund, not a lot is “normal” (whatever that even means). Yes, Goldmund is very popular with women and certainly uses that to his advantage. So far, so common. But he has a decency within him that is seldom seen in male characters celebrated for their popularity with women, and he treats each one of them with respect. Okay, I know the bar is low here, but hear me out. Not only is Goldmund decent in his behaviour, but he also questions himself and is not afraid of admitting mistakes. He is prone to thinking a lot about himself, his actions, and the world in general and is on a quest to find his own happiness – free of societal restraints or what might be deemed proper for a man like him. At the same time, his best friend Narcisssus is spending his life in the monastery they grew up in together, trying to find his own purpose in life and struggling with his decisions and feelings for Goldmund. Narcissus and Goldmund is unique for its vulnerable depiction of masculinity, even more ununsual given its Middle Ages setting. The two boys grow into men and drift apart before finding back to one another, both shaped by their experiences. Their feelings are complex as are the answers to their questions. Hermann Hesse did not shy away from that complexity and the result is a beautiful book portraying the depth of two male characters approaching life differently, and dealing with the consequences of their actions.

I hope these recommendations were helpful to you if you too are looking for more books with complex and refreshing male characters. Check out my blog post on how to build a more diverse reading list, if you want to branch out even more!