5 Women Authors We Love | Lit-Fic Edition
Elif Shafak
Bringing Middle Eastern culture to the West in a highly politically charged time is ambitious, brave and all-around badass. No man could do it without being called a politician or accused of writing propaganda. So naturally, a woman does it best. While it is true that Middle Eastern writers, or writers of colour, are still vastly underrepresented, we must not forget the people who forged the path for Middle Eastern writers, namely Dick Davis, Rumi, and Khaled Hosseini (and yes, I am well aware they are all men). While they brought Middle Eastern cultures to the mainstream, it means that more voices are being heard, voices like Shafak’s and a slew of other Eastern voices as well. So go ahead, call me a propagandist.
Sally Rooney
I love Sally Rooney’s works. Not 100% sure about the television adaptations, but her books? Amazing. She rewrote the rule book on ‘how to write a novel’. Her characters are well-meaning, young, occasionally naive and painfully human. I also love that she simply does not care what you think of her - it might be a different case about her work, but her as a person. In every interview I’ve seen of her, she couldn’t care less. And while I may not agree with all of her socialist ideas, I cannot fault her for standing up for what she believes in. In recent times, she’s kind of gone ‘fuck this, this is wrong’ about Palestine. Mad respect for her.
Valerie Martin
So this writer came out of nowhere for me. I discovered her on a reading list from one of my favourite bookshops in London, John Sandoe in Chelsea. My god, what a book. I was left feeling bereft, and when it comes to books, I always recommend this to people; it is high on the list. Valerie Martin is one to watch and one to read. I cannot wait to read her next books.
Gillian Flynn
I think it goes without saying that Gillian Flynn is the undisputed queen of writing for women. In ‘Gone Girl’ Amy is such a brilliantly built character that even though she is a psychopath, my god, do I want her to win. Never did I ever wish to root for the villain, but times change, and Gillian’s story-writing and narrative construction are addictive. I couldn’t put the book down
Elena Ferrante
As we know, this isn’t the writer’s real name, and I’m sure this only adds to her allure. Her books, famously the Neopolitain Quartet is a beautiful bildungsroman of womanhood. My god, if I wasn’t a feminist before I read her books, I really, really am now. The narrative is told from the viewpoint of two young children growing up in a toxic environment, and they’re fighting tooth and nail to make a better life for themselves in a world that really doesn’t look too kindly upon girls.