I am looking for books that talk about themes of female identity, mental illness and girlhood, etc- both niche and popular. I prefer books with an emphasis on the macabre, perverse and intense. The books that have captured this vibe for me so far are:
- The Bell Jar (Sylvia Plath)
- Marlena (Julie Buntin)
- White Oleaner (Janet Fitch)
- Shuggie Bain (Douglas Stuart)(Though not about girlhood, still encompasses a lot of the other themes mentioned)
Any suggestions are appreciated!
by scintillatesgently
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Peggy orienstien books, packaging girlhood, cut me loose, being Lolita, Prozac nation, bunheads, moxie, Ballards of suburbia, the recovering, loud in the house of myself, female chauvinist pigs, pain, parties, work, all the lives I want, girl land, not otherwise specified
– A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
– To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
– Push by Sapphire
– Claudine at School by Colette
Susanna Kaysen’s *Girl Interrupted* had a moment in the 1990’s.
Penance (Eliza Clark), American Rapture (CJ Leede), Witchcraft for Wayward Girls (Grady Hendrix)