Hello! I would love recommendations for books that start off with a very disempowered heroine (I would prefer a female protagonist, but I welcome any suggestions) that gradually builds her power over the course of the book. What that power looks like can vary, maybe it's physical strength, magical power, social power, but the most important thing is a strong, emphasized empowerment narrative where the protagonist starts off weak, meek, powerless, helpless, etc, but ends up strong & powerful, and you wanna cheer for them every step of the way as they grasp for power, assertiveness, space they have always been denied (or denied themselves). Thank you!
by petitebike
9 Comments
The Wedding Portrait
The Poppy War by RF Kuang
City of Brass by SA Chakraborty
Two immediately come to mind: **Circe** by Madeline Miller is a take on the myth of Circe, the witch from *The Odyssey*. At first, she’s dismissed by both gods and mortals as too weak, too strange, not powerful enough to matter. But when she’s exiled to a remote island, she discovers something incredible: she *does* have power, and she can shape her own fate. As she hones her witchcraft, she transforms from a timid outcast into a fierce, self-reliant woman who won’t bow to anyone, not even the gods. This is a beautifully written story about finding strength in solitude and owning who you truly are.
**The Nightingale** by Kristin Hannah is an emotional, gripping WWII novel about two sisters in Nazi-occupied France who start off feeling powerless but find incredible strength in their own ways. Vianne, a cautious mother, just wants to keep her daughter safe, but as the war drags on, she’s forced to make impossible choices to protect those around her. Isabelle, her rebellious younger sister, throws herself into the Resistance, risking her life to smuggle downed pilots to safety. Both women go on intense, heartbreaking journeys, proving just how strong they really are. It’s a powerful, moving tribute to the bravery of women in wartime.
The Wedding People
The invisible life of Addie. Laurie
If you can stand grim fantasy: Joe Abercrombie: “best served cold”. A revenge (duh) story. Our heroine, Monza Murcatto, stabbed and left for dead fights her way back. It´s quite bloody.
FYI: No sexual violence but heaps of ordinary violence.
The Count Of Monte Cristo
The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow
“Fair and Tender Ladies”, by Lee Smith. It’s a wonderful book and I recommend it for all kinds of reasons but one is the strong woman at its center.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. You get five powerless female protagonists each gaining power and self-efficacy in their own way