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.

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Economics

Tags Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction


Publication year 1967

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

Rosemary’s Baby is a Gothic horror novel by American writer Ira Levin. Published in 1967, it was a bestseller that was adapted into a critically acclaimed 1968 film starring Mia Farrow and directed by her husband, Roman Polanski. The novel is known for its focus on themes like women’s liberation and reproductive freedom, urban paranoia and fears of surveillance, and the relationship between conservative Christianity and the occult in the 20th century. Critics have also... Read Rosemary's Baby Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Sadie is a young adult mystery novel published in 2018 by the Canadian author Courtney Summers. The book chronicles teenager Sadie Hunter’s quest to find the man who killed her sister. In alternating chapters, Sadie’s subsequent disappearance becomes the topic of West McCray’s podcast The Girls. Sadie won the 2018 Edgar Award and was chosen for many Best of 2018 book lists.Plot SummarySadie follows the journey of 19-year-old protagonist Sadie Hunter as she searches for... Read Sadie Summary


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Literary Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Food, Romance


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality, Historical Fiction, Romance

Shadow of Night (2012) is a historical fantasy romance novel by Deborah Harkness, and the second book in the All Souls Trilogy, preceded by A Discovery of Witches (2011) and followed by The Book of Life (2014). A prequel novel, Time’s Convert (2019), follows the origin story of Matthew’s son Marcus, who is a minor character in Shadow of Night.Harkness holds a PhD from the University of California, Davis and teaches early modern European history... Read Shadow of Night Summary


Publication year 1800

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Natural World: Flora/plants, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Literature, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness

Tags Lyric Poem, Romanticism / Romantic Period, Grief / Death, British Literature


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction


Publication year 1849

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Victorian Period, Historical Fiction, Romance, Gender / Feminism, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period

Shirley is a historical novel by Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855). Written in 1849, it is Brontë’s second novel and followed the overwhelming success of Jane Eyre (1847). It was also very popular when it was published. Set in Yorkshire in 1812-1813, a time of financial depression, its setting engages directly with the Luddite uprisings in the North of England, when textile workers protested the unemployment caused by new mechanical equipment in mills and factories. Shirley follows... Read Shirley Summary


Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness

Shout: The True Story of A Survivor Who Refused to be Silenced by Laurie Halse Anderson is a memoir written in verse published in 2019. Anderson wrote it as both a personal narrative and a call to action in the wake of the 2017 #MeToo movement, which supported survivors of sexual assault who came forward to share their stories publicly. Shout received widespread critical acclaim and was named Time’s Best Book of the Year 2019.Laurie... Read Shout Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Immigration

Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature

In the novel Sister of My Heart, the Indian-born American author and poet Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni explores issues of family, womanhood, and diasporic experience, constantly affirming and exploring the redemptive power of storytelling. Divakaruni’s first collection of stories, Arranged Marriage, won an American Book Award, a PEN Josephine Miles Award, and a Bay Area Book Reviewers Award. Her novel The Mistress of Spices was released as a film of the same name in 2005. Sister of My Heart was made into a television series... Read Sister of My Heart Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Disability, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Disability, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Biography


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

Tags Realistic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Race / Racism, Sports, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, LGBTQ, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World


Publication year 2020

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, LGBTQ, Children's Literature


Publication year 1937

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Natural World: Environment

Tags Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Romance, Asian Literature, History: World

Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata was originally published episodically in Japanese literary journals between 1935 and 1937. It was finally published as a complete version in 1948. The novel takes place on the snowy northwestern coast of Japan and tells the story of the ill-fated romance between a geisha named Komako and her wealthy client, Shimamura. In the intimate setting of the onsen, Kawabata explores the Commodification of Female Talent and Affection, Landscapes as Metaphors... Read Snow Country Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags Narrative / Epic Poem, Gender / Feminism, Mythology


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Midlife, Relationships: Family

Tags Mental Illness, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1990

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Society: Education, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Play: Historical, Play: Comedy / Satire, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, American Literature, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Drama / Tragedy, Education, Education

Theresa Rebeck’s provocative feminist two-act drama Spike Heels, first produced in 1990, is a problem play, that is a drama that looks at cultural, social, and economic issues. Problem plays intended to participate in the cultural conversation have a long and significant history in the theater. Playwrights like the Ancient Greek Euripides, 19th century Henrik Ibsen and George Bernard Shaw (whose presence looms large in Spike Heels), and a wide number of contemporary playwrights have... Read Spike Heels Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride

Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World