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Welcome

I started this blog in 2013 to share my reflections on reading, writing and psychology, along with my journey to become a published novelist.​  I soon graduated to about twenty book reviews a month and a weekly 99-word story. Ten years later, I've transferred my writing / publication updates to my new website but will continue here with occasional reviews and flash fiction pieces, and maybe the odd personal post.

ANNE GOODWIN'S WRITING NEWS

Five fictional heroines for International Women’s Day

8/3/2015

18 Comments

 
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This time last year, I posted a review of How to Be a Heroine by Samantha Ellis, in which she shares her reflections on the novels that have shaped her life. Although I warmed to the way the author openheartedly shared her love of fiction, I did feel somewhat irritated by the limitations of these heroines’ heroism, so often linked to a romantic plotline. So, in honour of International Women’s Day 2015, let’s take a look at some fictional women who have been heroic in other ways.

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First up is Jenny Pepper, an ordinary wife and mother who, in Shelley Harris’ second novel, Vigilante, surprises herself as much as anyone when she rebels against her increasing marginalisation. Donning mask and cape like a cartoon superhero, she patrols her town, tackling petty crime until a vicious rapist puts her life, and that of her teenage daughter, in serious peril.

The second nomination is Bethany in Peyton Marshall’s futuristic thriller, Goodhouse. At significant risk to herself, teenage Bethany defies convention, and the wishes of her father, to penetrate the brutally-run corrective institution for children with criminal genes and save the life and sanity of one of the inmates, the unfortunate James.

My third heroine is less dramatic than either Jenny or Bethany, but no less deserving of the name. Tess Lohan, the main character of Mary Costello’s debut novel, Academy Street, lives her life with a quiet dignity, bearing her trials and tribulations with a certain stoicism, serving others in her work as a nurse and asking little for herself.

The oldest heroine I’ve chosen is Maud, the narrator of Emma Healey’s Costa award winning first novel, Elizabeth Is Missing. Despite her failing memory, Maud is determined to solve the mystery of her missing friend, Elizabeth. Never mind that she’s been told time and again while Elizabeth isn’t at home, she has an admirable persistence which leads to the revolution of another genuine mystery: what happened to her beloved sister who disappeared during the war.

Finally, I’d like to propose a historical heroine, and the only one of the group created by a male writer, Dave Boling, author of The Undesirables. Another teenager, Aletta Venter manages to tolerate the confinement, deprivation and loss of being transported to a tented concentration camp across the South African veld, even fitting in a scrap of adolescence normalcy with a forbidden romance.

I’m sure I could find other heroines from my recent reading if time allowed and, on a different day, I might come up with an altogether different list of examples. But I wonder which of the five would get your vote for annethology heroine of the year? Or perhaps you’re not satisfied with any of them and would like to propose an alternative? There’s no need to have read the novels to pass judgement, and your choice of heroine doesn’t have to reflect the quality of the novel in which she stars. If you’re not polled-out from my last post but one, do take the poll! And, given that the longlist for the Bailey’s prize will be announced in two days’ time, I’ll be interested to see what kind of heroines crop up there.

Given that the latest flash fiction challenge from Charli Mills is to write a 99-word story featuring the colour turquoise, it’s a pity (I’m joking!) that purple is the official colour of International Women’s Day. But, hey ho, surely I can mix the two together. A little googling threw up this list of turquoise books and then I thought of Alice Walker, a true heroine in both fiction and real life. Add to that my current preoccupation with finalising the design for the front cover of my forthcoming novel, as well as my penchant for colour-coded bookshelves, this is what I got:

“There’s this book, right? Something about purple?” The girl addressed her words to the counter instead of to me.
“Alice Walker, The Color Purple,” I said. “You’re in luck. A copy’s just come in.”
I strode across to the bookshelves. She shuffled behind me. “I already looked there.”
I found it between Turquoise and Aquamarine.
The girl stared as if I’d plucked a rabbit from a hat. “What’s the purple book with the turquoise books?”
The manager wanted everything alphabetical. This teenager knew better. “I was keeping it for someone who really needs to read it. Someone like you.”

I don’t like to bias the poll, but I imagined it taking place in Jenny Pepper’s charity bookshop. What do you think?

Thanks for reading. I'd love to know what you think. If you've enjoyed this post, you might like to sign up via the sidebar for regular email updates and/or my quarterly Newsletter.
18 Comments
Catherine Gault
8/3/2015 03:16:05 am

Enjoyed your article and have made a note of some of your choices. I tend to read crime novels and would nominate Denise Mina's Rose Wilson in 'The Red Road' and Louise Welsh's Stevie Flint in 'A Lovely Way to Burn' for their strength and resilience, qualities also demonstrated by my own creation Kate McKinnery in 'Bones and Whispers'.

Reply
Annecdotist
8/3/2015 06:59:39 am

Thanks for adding to the list, Catherine. So many strong heroines to be encountered in fiction.

Reply
sarah link
8/3/2015 03:45:14 pm

Love the flash. Fantastic post for IWD. I still haven't read Shelley Harris’ Vigilante, but it's on my TBR list. Goodhouse looks like something I'd like, too. Did I miss that review? I have to write that one down, too.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 05:58:32 am

I hope you enjoy Vigilante, Sarah. As for Goodhouse, you actually commented on my review!! But the premise might have been so scary you've successfully blocked it out.

Reply
sarah
12/3/2015 06:33:14 pm

I'm not at all surprised. O_o If my head wasn't attached... Although, I do remember a few disturbing books so it's possible I did block it out.

Annecdotist
13/3/2015 08:26:13 am

I also quite often do the opposite, think I've commented but I've just been talking to myself in my head.

GEOFF link
8/3/2015 03:59:22 pm

lovely post. I want it to be Maud; she's the one I want to read about. For my part my mind blanked when I posed it your questions Then I thought of Rosie in the Rosie Project who is really the only one to see through the narrator's autism at the person beneath. A true heroine.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 05:59:39 am

Glad you like the sound of Maud, Geoff. I haven't read The Rosie Project, but I think that's one I'd enjoy too

Reply
Norah Colvin link
8/3/2015 11:02:50 pm

Another lovely post, Anne, and a great tie in to IWD. Interesting that you posted your flash (or part) in turquoise. I linked my post to IWD also, and posted my flash in turquoise! I wonder how many others did!
I think I remember most of the books listed from previous reviews, except maybe the last. Elizabeth is Missing appeals to me today, and I voted that way. After that, I'd probably choose Vigilante.
I love your flash. I can't imagine arranging my books by colours, though I often use colour when trying to locate a book among many. The visual is a great prompt. But I think I'd find an alphabetical arrangement of authors easier. That's a system I use, along with genre (basic): poetry, fiction, short stories, biographies, education and other non-fiction. And then a haphazard arrangements of books for which there is no more space!
But your flash is gorgeous: the all-knowing teenager, as if the book was right there waiting for this particular reader. The covers would have looked stunning together anyway! :)

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 06:05:32 am

Great minds, eh, Norah, that we both coloured our letters turquoise in the flash. I think your IWD post went quite a lot deeper however than mine.
But I think I've misrepresented my bookshelves in this post (backtracking again) as in the one in the link I did mention colour-quoted bookshelves but mine are ordered geographically – although somewhat messy at present.
I have a list of novels I've reviewed on the blog on my Reading and Reviews page where they're alphabetically by author surname. But it doesn't work for me at all. I tend to – just – remember the names of those who completed my debut novelist Q&A, but it's the subject matter that stays in mind best for me.

Reply
Norah Colvin link
14/3/2015 09:36:59 pm

I thought you had previously mentioned that your books were organised geographically. I think it's a very creative way to do so. We each must find a way that works for us! :)

Annecdotist
16/3/2015 10:54:00 am

Smart of you to remember that, Norah. I'm not sure the geographical method IS still working.

Lori Schafer link
9/3/2015 04:01:04 pm

I had to go with vigilante - although my current dream of heroism involves sitting out at nights in popular garbage-dumping spots with an infra-red camera. Hey, littering is a crime, too! ;)

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 06:09:43 am

That would certainly be a heroic and noble thing to do, Lori, but do take care! I don't know how we've gone from a society that frowned on littering to people dropping their discarded remnants anywhere they choose in less than two generations. One of the most annoying aspect for me is people who go to party in the National Park (not strictly allowed, but it happens) carrying in cans and bottles of booze but won't take back the empties …
Now look what you've started! Perhaps we need a blog anti-littering day along the lines of voices for compassion.

Reply
Charli Mills link
9/3/2015 09:39:55 pm

Maude appeals to me, too and I've got Elizabeth is Missing in my TBR queue on Kindle. There's something so hopeful in a flawed character who tackles whatever the journey is before her. I was AWOL on IWD and sorry to have missed it. But I'm catching up on wonderful posts. I did get to see the migrating tundra swans and listen to them whistle. Literary heroines that come to mind are the unlikely Aes Sadai of Robert Jordan's epic fantasy, Wheel of Time. One thing that I love about his rich story-telling and huge cast of characters, is that women are diverse and heroic despite flaws. I think of authors like Toni Morrison and a young female journalist I know in Minneapolis who is tireless in reporting stories that impact her native Somalian community in that area. I think of the Mung women who put together a literary project to preserve the importance of their culture's story as they are now second and third generations living in the US after evacuation from Vietnam. Stories are powerful, and often it is the storytellers I find to be the heroines.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 06:12:54 am

Thanks for sharing some of your heroines, Charli, and I'm sure you can be excused for honouring the swans rather than your blog on IWD. One of the things I liked about Maud is that, although she's wrong, and can be annoying, she's noble in her intentions. A very adept creation.

Reply
Charli Mills link
9/3/2015 09:42:13 pm

And love your colorful flash! Turquoise is my purple. :-) I like how the the woman makes a connection with the timid girl. And I'll do my best to maintain color in tomorrow's compilation.

Reply
Annecdotist
11/3/2015 06:13:30 am

Thanks for that, Charli, you've done a beautiful job in preserving the colours.

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