Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity

This thematic Collection highlights Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity. Through novels, plays, and works of nonfiction, the selections in this Collection explore the feminine experience in a variety of historical settings and cultures as they examine topics such as gender roles, feminism, and what it means to be feminine.

Hedda Gabler

by Henrik Ibsen

Publication year 1890

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Femininity

Tags Play: Drama, Scandinavian Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Classic Fiction

Hedda Gabler is an 1891 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It is widely considered one of the most accomplished plays of the 19th century. Ibsen was a prolific and highly acclaimed writer who penned over two dozen plays. Many of his most famous works focus on the challenging relationships between family members and the quiet tragedies of ordinary life. Hedda Gabler is one of the most complex, challenging, and sought-after roles in theater. Many... Read Hedda Gabler Summary

Helen Keller

by Margaret Davidson

Publication year 1969

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Disability, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery

Tags Children's Literature, Education, Education, History: World, Classic Fiction, Biography

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Hester

by Laurie Lico Albanese

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism

... Read Hester Summary

His Only Wife

by Peace Adzo Medie

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery

Tags Romance, Gender / Feminism, African Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

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Holmes, Marple & Poe

by James Patterson, Brian Sitts

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

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Homeless Bird

by Gloria Whelan

Publication year 2000

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction, History: World, Indian Literature

Homeless Bird, a novel written by Gloria Whelan and published in 2000, was a New York Times Best Seller and winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Marketed to middle grade readers, the novel has elements of historical fiction in its portrayal of cultural customs in India. Homeless Bird tells the story of Koly, a 13-year-old girl whose arranged marriage leads to her untimely widowhood. Through Koly’s coming-of-age journey from helplessness to... Read Homeless Bird Summary

Honey & Spice

by Bolu Babalola

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, New Adult

... Read Honey & Spice Summary

Honor

by Thrity Umrigar

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Historical Fiction

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Hood Feminism

by Mikki Kendall

Publication year 2020

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Race / Racism, Class, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Politics / Government

... Read Hood Feminism Summary

Hospital Sketches

by Louisa May Alcott

Publication year 1863

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Community, Society: War

Tags Military / War, American Civil War, History: U.S.

... Read Hospital Sketches Summary

Hour of the Witch

by Chris Bohjalian

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction

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How Does It Feel?

by Jeneane O'Riley

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Flora/plants, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Religion / Spirituality

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Hunger

by Roxanne Gay

Publication year 2017

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Mental Illness, Biography

Content Warning: Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body describes and references rape and sexual violence, emotional abuse, and verbal abuse.Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body (2017) is a memoir by Roxane Gay that addresses the emotional, physical, and psychological effects of sexual assault—and how they tie into self-image. Though Gay’s memoir centers her body, food, and self-image, she also confronts society’s fatphobia—the world’s unwillingness to accept fat people as they are due to assumptions about... Read Hunger Summary

I Am Watching You

by Teresa Driscoll

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Mental Illness

... Read I Am Watching You Summary

I Capture the Castle

by Dodie Smith

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Classic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Historical Fiction, Romance, British Literature, History: World

I Capture the Castle is a young adult novel published in 1948 by Dodie Smith. It follows the fictional journal of aspiring author Cassandra Mortmain as she writes about her family’s rise from poverty to wealth through their association with the Cotton brothers. The novel discusses themes of authorship, history, and the multiplicity of feminine identities. I Capture the Castle was adapted for film in 2003 by director Tim Fywell. This summary uses the St... Read I Capture the Castle Summary

Ice Planet Barbarians

by Ruby Dixon

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity

Tags Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Love / Sexuality, Religion / Spirituality

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Identity: Youth and Crisis

by Erik Erikson

Publication year 1968

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Education, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Indigenous, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology

Tags Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Parenting, Sociology

... Read Identity: Youth and Crisis Summary