The feminine rage, these days popular as ‘fem rage’ genre is hardly new. These are books or films that feature themes of older women expressing their anger or frustration. From Kill Bill (2003) to The First Wives Club (1961) and of course Gone Girl, we’ve seen this genre across literature and cinema.
However, in today’s world, as expression is ever-important and accepted, fem rage has become one bestselling category of books we can’t get enough of. Discover empowering and thought-provoking female rage books that redefine strength and resilience. Explore our top recommendations below.
Female Rage Books: The Theme
Born out of the unaddressed rage mutually shared by the female of the species, this genre gives voice to unspoken frustrations developed by the counter-normalization of society’s behaviour towards women as a collective unit. Our picks for female rage books are in and around various genres of fiction of this theme.
Genres have often blended in various subcategories delivering perfect delicacies after delicacies. In delicacies, I also mean complex and contradicting characters which knowingly, unknowingly we all have once swooned for. Then how about characters who, unlike their counterpart, carry their anger like tote bags while having the most bizarre way of execution?
To add to that, an unquenchable thirst for power, authority, freedom, or something we never saw coming. Introducing to you, five morally crimson book recommendations on feminine rage/ unhinged protagonists whom we can’t unsee anymore. Ranging from peculiar food palettes to questionable decisions, our characters would never back out when it comes down to dropping jaws and some hysterical laughs on the way.
Our Top Recommendations for Female Rage Books
Nightbitch
By Rachel Yoder
When loneliness and exhaustion from being a full-time mother taking care of her two years old seeps in. An artist navigating the troughs of motherhood hits first into frustration while struggling with her passion. But one night, things alter, canines, new patches of hair, her body alters itself for the better or the worse. New appetites develop themselves into full entities and she ventures out for a hunt.
Ranging from a commentary on structures of power and struggles of a modern woman comes hilarious contemporary fiction. With an impact that kicks in when least expected.
Read this because
The book explores the horrors of motherhood rather than glorifying the role. Motherhood can be scary, uncharted territory at first because each experience is unique.
The book walks a step further to step into the genre of horror and magical realism to confront the idealization and generalization of the idea that every woman wishes to be a mother. Or specifically, that every woman is mentally prepared to. If you wish for your horror cup of tea to have a deep message in the undertones, do consider this book. It is dark, funny, and immensely immersive.
The Poppy War
By R.F. Kuang
Inspired by the Second Sino-Japanese War, comes a historical military fantasy, the first in its trilogy surrounding ambitions, hierarchies, and power. Rin, a peasant girl from the south sets her eyes on attending the most prestigious military academy in Nikan in an attempt to dodge an arranged marriage. She aims for the Empire-wide examination and aces it clean off the slate.
At Sinegard, Rin develops strong ties with her newfound friends and bitter rivalries, brewing in the background is a third Poppy war while the scars done by the first two have barely been healed. Rin finds herself headfirst into an active battleground, with choices that can go farther apart and a clock that ticks faster than the self-realization of who she is. Will she catch up or will she fall prey to those in power? A gripping adventure within the realm of female rage books.
Read this because
It’s a coming-of-age, grimdark fantasy book that was a debut for author R.F. Kuang; and is set to go down in history as one of the best in the genre of female rage books. Exploring its Asian roots, the book also includes the dynamics of an empire, drugs, gods, and shamanism.
While holding at its core, a fearless, driven protagonist who will do anything to obtain what she deserves. Rin, from the south aces the empire’s most anticipated test, and realizes power in its true substance when obstacles are thrown to hinder her sprint. Forging friendships and rivalries with the ever-developing skill set, Rin’s life takes a hard turn towards the unexpected.
Charting courses through the maps of a compactly built empire and the vivid lives of the inhabitants, the book does to a reader that many with the same plot idea couldn’t master. Definitely contributing to the powerful genre of female rage books that challenge societal norms. Trigger Warnings- rape, self-harm, drug abuse, genital mutilation, and others.
The Woman Destroyed
By Simone de Beauvoir
The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir
Three tales surrounding women and their lives, how their wants and needs are omitted to appear in only the factors of marriage, husbands, children, and absolutely nothing more. Heartbreakingly beautiful accounts on existentialism and what it means to be a woman.
Read this because
Simone De Beauvoir’s writing and way of narrating is no joke. The book itself consists of three stories: The Age of Discretion, The Monologue, and The Woman Destroyed. All of them take a deep dive into an exploration of women’s dependency on falsely depicted structures of life and the inescapable nature of desires.
Extremely personal, moving, and emotional commentary on societal and social pressure inflicted on a woman. Depicting negligence of anger harbored by the woman in the room, this book is more about women in daily lives than forced empowerment tropes. One of the must-read female rage books for people of any genre, a staple for all. Makes one question a bit on everything real and everything philosophical.
The Days of Abandonment
By Elena Ferrante
The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante
A first-person narrative of a woman abandoned by her husband in the rise of responsibilities. Alongside her two children and her dog, Olga begins losing her sense of self and that of reality. Descending into pure loss of identity with echoes of her thoughts bouncing back and forth the walls of what she calls home.
Read this because
It is tough to sum up how this book encapsulates the claustrophobic essence of a woman’s life. Imagine a homemaker stuck thinking about door knobs and hinges because that happens to be the only world she has been boxed into.
The book discusses the descent of an entity as she swirls down the stairs of her psyche. Ultimately, bending the simplistic narrative at first to a thought-provoking story about the disrupted and messed up lives of mothers who don’t have it all.
Clytemnestra
By Costanza Casati
Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati
Clytemnestra, a royal born is betrothed to a tyrant after series of personal losses. With the backdrop of wars and sacrifices lined up for the Queen, Clytemnestra plots to gather power that was never offered to her. For she will have what’s hers by force, if necessary.
A tale forgotten and resurfaced, this book is about a queen who knew, for a queen can never take a king’s place. All because she doesn’t have to. A myth retold about an immovable queen who bowed to no one but herself.
Read this because
The book is a mythological retelling of one of the most known women figures in Greek History, Clytemnestra. She was known for her intellect and her active role during times of crisis. And trust me this one becomes personal and heart-wrenching at points.
From those turns, it grows and obtains the plot of the monarch in power and authority. A must for all the fans of Circe by Madeline Miller and all those who have a knack for strong women and tough decisions. This one’s for you.
Honorable Mentions
- If Nightbitch was more your type, might as well give a shot to Earthlingsand Life Ceremonyby Sayaka Murata, All’s Wellby Mona Awad, and Eileenby Ottessa Moshfegh. The themes revolve around the same insanity as shared in the former and are carried out throughout the book with several trigger warnings for each.
- Want some more of The Poppy War? Explore the whole series. And if you are looking for the same vibe, a different book. I got you, try Babelby the same author as The Poppy War. It adds a bit of Dark Academia to the plot and is again a masterpiece in every sense. Titles like She Who Became the Sunby Shelley Parker-Cha, Iron Widowby Xiran Jay Zhao, The Jasmine Throneby Tasha Suri, and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon deserve their hype as well.
- My Year of Rest and Relaxationby Ottessa Moshfegh, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, Convenience Store Womanby Sayaka Murata, The Virgin Suicidesby Jeffrey Kent Eugenides, Diary of a Voidby Emi Yagi, and All the Lovers in the Nightby Mieko Kawakami.
- If you liked Clytemnestra and it feels like your genre. Circeby Madeline Miller, The Witch’s Heartby Genevieve Gornichec, and The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker might be a good read for a follow-up. All of them are inspired by Greek or Norse Mythology involving a retelling of a female character worth the narration.
Feel free to return to the article to discover various books mentioned in the tiny list above.
Till then, happy reading!
Also, here you ready to take Shilpa’s Fem Rage Expression Style Quiz?
Female Rage Expression Quiz: Do You Express or Suppress?
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Just read 'The Handmaid's Tale' and 'Bad Feminist' and I'm still reeling from the emotions - these books are raw, real, and utterly necessary