Girl Power: 10 Books with strong female protagonists

MF editorial team

01 Apr 2015

updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:15

1/10
The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
Rachel, a biracial girl and the sole survivor of a family tragedy leaves Chicago to live with her strict African-American grandmother in a primarily black community. As she struggles with her grief over the loss of her family, Rachel must also grapple with society’s notions of race and identity.
2/10
Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
14 year-old Esch discovers she is pregnant in the midst of Hurricane Katrina threatening her family’s coastal Mississippi town. Despite the chaos and scarcity of food, Esch struggles to protect her family during the storm in this powerful story of strength and hope against all odds.
3/10
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Charlotte Bronte didn't know it then, but her lead protagonist Jane Eyre was an early feminist.
While the individualistic Jane might have been under the spell of different men during her life, she still succeeds in making decisions that are morally right, even though they are cause for heartbreak.
Jane does not depend on her beauty or feminine charm to trick men and is never afraid to speak truthfully about matters. She can be viewed as one of the first 'career' women to make it in a man's world; when she marries by choice, not compulsion.
4/10
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Girl goes missing under mysterious circumstances. Her husband becomes the lead suspect. All hell breaks loose. Amy Duanne stands in defiance of conventional representations of women.
Female characters are typically expected to be strong yet with an inner moral compass, but 'Amazing Amy' refuses to fit society's expectations and that's what makes her a strong female protagonist. She single-handedly brings her husband to his knees and moulds him into what she wants him to be.

Amy is an evil character, but more importantly, she is an interesting one. She has layers and complex motivations, which is what makes Gone Girl empowering.
5/10
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
This novel doesn't have a central female character but the focus is on the lives of four Chinese immigrant mothers and their four American-born daughters. It tells of the immigrant experience and the hardships they went through to give their children the comfortable lives they have.
6/10
A Great And Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Gemma Doyle, the protagonist in this trilogy has to deal with the suicide of her mother and adapting to boarding school life in Victorian England, away from the warmth of India.
Lonely, guilt-ridden, and prone to visions of the future that have an uncomfortable habit of coming true, Gemma’s reception there is a chilly one. To make things worse, she’s been followed by a mysterious young Indian man.
This book starkly contrasts the conservative standards for women in Victorian England with particularly strong, independent female characters who have to fight for what they want.
7/10
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’ Dell
On an island called San Nicholas in the Pacific Ocean, a 12 year-old Indian girl named Karana is left to fend for herself when she jumps off the 'rescue ship' taking her family to California in order to look for her brother on the island. Through her next 18 years in solitude fending for herself on the island, she finds strength, serenity, and self-reliance.
8/10
Daughter of Fortune by Eliza Sommers
Daughter of Fortune’s Eliza Sommers is a young orphaned girl who eventually leaves Chile for California in the Gold Rush of 1849, following in the footsteps of her lover. In California, she finds independence and freedom amid the fierce gold fever, and what started out as a search for her lost love becomes a journey of self-discovery.
9/10
The Ballad of Mulan by Song Nan Zhang
You may be familiar with Mulan as a Disney animation but this kick-ass warrior princess was originally imagined in the 6th century Chinese poem The Ballad of Mulan. The original version sees Mulan as a 17 year-old martial arts expert who goes to war in place of her father, wins and then returns to her family. All in a day's work.
10/10
Three Strong Women by Marie Indiaye
Winner of the Prix Concourt award, this novel tells the story of three West African immigrant women in France who discover their inner strength through their tribulations as their lives begin to intertwine. Powerful and thought-provoking, Three Strong Women explores human suffering, vulnerability, and strength.

The Girl Who Fell From The Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

Sick of the damsels in distress plot? Power up with these novels where kick-ass heroines go on journeys of self-discovery with no Prince Charming in sight.

What better way to round up Women’s History Month in March than to start April by reading about and being inspired by the women who have had a positive impact on our lives. While we applaud the modern day women like Maya Angelou and Emma Watson, some of our favourite inspiring females happen to live within the pages of our favourite fictional books!

While it’s true the literary scene still has a long way to go when it comes to featuring more female heroines who aren’t damsels in distress involved in a love triangle, there are, thankfully some female roles who can hold their own without the stereotypical plot and characters.

Here is our list of 10 awesome novels with strong women protagonists that deserve to get more recognition. Now, grab a hot cup of cocoa or a refreshing glass of soda and allow your minds to be whisked away.

Happy reading!

Karen George

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Girl Power: 10 Books with strong female protagonists

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