This is all just my own impression but…
Many male-centred thrillers tend to focus on external threats – outside the domestic sphere, often in exciting or extraordinary circumstances – and often have the MC occupy some kind of skilled role like spy, agent, renegade, fugitive, etc. They’re often a form of escapism/fantasy.
Many female-centred thrillers tend to focus on internal threats – inside the home or the MC’s own social circle. The MC is often an ordinary woman who discovers that her house, family, neighbourhood, etc is hiding a secret. They’re often about real experiences that are distinctly non-escapist – parenthood, work-life balance, the challenges of blended families, separation and divorce. They focus on the idea of evil hiding beneath the mundane.
This distinction is long-standing and can be traced back through the centuries to genres like picaresque or gothic/sensationalist fiction respectively.
Disclaimer that these are broad evaluations and obviously not absolute/across the board. But what do you think it says about us as a society/as readers? Does either variety speak more to you personally?
by OpenCantaloupe4790
2 Comments
In the patriarchy, men are socialized not to value empathy and therefore not notice when things are “off”. Women are forced to the the ones carrying the burden of caring about their community. Fiction reflects this.
This is a pretty cherry-picked assumption.
Plenty of books with a female MC have them as a badass assassin character saving the world and plenty of male MCs are quite scholastic and political in their own environment. Just depends on the series.