I need help!

[Abbie K.]

I am doing a comparative study of the feminine hero and am in need of some recommendations for strong female hero main characters in 21st century straight fiction. I have the early fiction of Charlotte Bronte, Kate Chopin and Sylvia Plath...but I need more recent novels. Any and all suggestions will be gratefully received.

[Alycia]

Do you mean books written in the 21st century, or set in the 21st? And can you give an example of 'straight fiction'? I assume you are excluding fantasy, etc?

[Karen]

Abbie K. wrote: "I am doing a comparative study of the feminine hero and am in need of some recommendations for strong female hero main characters in 21st century straight fiction. I have the early fiction of Charl..."I just finished reading death angel by Linda Howard. I felt that Drea/Andie is a heroine as she regains control in her life and seeks her independance and revenge against her Druglord b/f.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews]

Cane River has strong female characters and so does The Help

[Stephanie]

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has a very strong female lead (Salander). And it's a great book!

[Abbie K.]

Alycia,
Straight fiction would be all those books that do not have a specialized genre. No fantasy, sci-fi or mystery. I did mean written in the 21st century or rather anything in the last 5 to 10 years. I'm buying the Dragon Tattoo tomorrow for the July discussion group and I'll look at Death Angel, The Help, Cane River too.
Keep the ideas coming!!!

[Kathleen (itpdx)]

The Book Thief

[Karen]

how about secret Life of Bees --Sue Monk Kidd

[Abbie K.]

Thanks Karen, you're right.I do have Bees on my list. She is a strong character. My Master's Thesis should be good!
Keep going ladies and gents...great suggestions!

I have to read the Book Thief yet, but it sounds so interesting. I can see this month's paycheck is going to the bookstore again lmao!

[JG (Introverted Reader)]

This was published in '99 but Ahab's Wife Or, The Star-gazer A Novel has one of my favorite strong female leads.

[Abbie K.]

Good idea! Thanks!

[Lu]

Karen wrote: "Abbie K. wrote: "I am doing a comparative study of the feminine hero and am in need of some recommendations for strong female hero main characters in 21st century straight fiction. I have the early..."

I am presently reading The Help and really enjoying it. I'd say very strong female characters.

[Serena]

Definitely check out The Help. It has strong female characters and 's a great read.

[Manday]

The Help would be perfect for that kind of paper!

[Abbie K.]

I'll check it out. Thanks. I've read the intro to The Help and it looks very good!
I'm currently reading Persepolis, The Princess, Glass Castles, and of course, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. All very different forms of female protagonists.

[Abbie K.]

My goodness, such wonderful suggestions! I'll enjoy reading all these...of course, this could be the longest paper I've ever written! Hope my advisor likes it.