Literary fiction featuring lesser-known women in history
June 20, 2023 6:58 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for recommendations for biographical literary fiction, with some specific criteria.
Titles must meet all of the following requirements:
- protagonist is a woman who is an overlooked/lesser-known figure in history
- novel fits squarely within literary fiction category
- published in the U.S. within the past 5 years
- critically acclaimed
- commercially successful
Notes:
- I know that "Commercially successful" can be tricky to determine in the absence of sales figures... but generally speaking I’m referring to novels that have hundreds (if not thousands) of Amazon/Goodreads ratings and reviews, were nominated for major award(s), appeared on numerous "best of" lists, etc.
- Author does not need to be a woman
- Open to all historical periods and geographic regions
- Translations are fine
Examples that work:
- Lauren Groff, Matrix
- Maggie O’Farrell, The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet
Examples that don’t work:
- Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall (Anne Boleyn isn’t overlooked; not published recently enough)
- Pip Williams, The Dictionary of Lost Words (based on real events, but central character is fictional)
- Dexter Palmer, Mary Toft; or, the Rabbit Queen; Samantha Silva, Love and Fury; Nuala O’Connor, Nora (all critically acclaimed but not commercial enough)
- Marie Benedict, The Personal Librarian; Shana Abe, An American Beauty; Phillipa Gregory's series (commercially successful but not literary enough)
Titles must meet all of the following requirements:
- protagonist is a woman who is an overlooked/lesser-known figure in history
- novel fits squarely within literary fiction category
- published in the U.S. within the past 5 years
- critically acclaimed
- commercially successful
Notes:
- I know that "Commercially successful" can be tricky to determine in the absence of sales figures... but generally speaking I’m referring to novels that have hundreds (if not thousands) of Amazon/Goodreads ratings and reviews, were nominated for major award(s), appeared on numerous "best of" lists, etc.
- Author does not need to be a woman
- Open to all historical periods and geographic regions
- Translations are fine
Examples that work:
- Lauren Groff, Matrix
- Maggie O’Farrell, The Marriage Portrait and Hamnet
Examples that don’t work:
- Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall (Anne Boleyn isn’t overlooked; not published recently enough)
- Pip Williams, The Dictionary of Lost Words (based on real events, but central character is fictional)
- Dexter Palmer, Mary Toft; or, the Rabbit Queen; Samantha Silva, Love and Fury; Nuala O’Connor, Nora (all critically acclaimed but not commercial enough)
- Marie Benedict, The Personal Librarian; Shana Abe, An American Beauty; Phillipa Gregory's series (commercially successful but not literary enough)
Rivka Galchen - Everyone Knows Your Mother Is A Witch is about Johannes Kepler’s mother (who was accused of witchcraft) and generally had positive reviews?
posted by SoftRain at 8:38 PM on June 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by SoftRain at 8:38 PM on June 20, 2023 [4 favorites]
I think that Hamnet fits your criteria - if Shakespeare's wife is overlooked enough.
posted by FencingGal at 6:20 AM on June 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by FencingGal at 6:20 AM on June 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I’m never sure where the line is when it comes to what is or isn’t literary fiction, since the definition can be sort of wide, but maybe Amy Bloom’s White Houses, about Eleanor Roosevelt’s “First Friend,” Lorena Hickok.
posted by Mchelly at 7:16 AM on June 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Mchelly at 7:16 AM on June 21, 2023 [2 favorites]
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posted by suelac at 7:59 PM on June 20, 2023 [4 favorites]