Recommendations if I liked The Red Tent, Circe...

[Redyellowpink]

Ive always read alot but in the past two months I've developed a serious book addiction and have read mostly everything on my shelves. I need some recommendations and am looking for quite specific stuff.

I like books written by women with a female protagonist. I'm currently in the mood for one of the following: mythology, witches, exotic countries, interesting jobs, complicated romantic relationships (homosexual or heterosexual), feminist retelling of historical events.

Books I have recently enjoyed: The Red Tent, Circe, The Silence of the Girls, The Poisenwood Bible, Euphoria

Thanks!

The Secrets of Jin- Shei by Alma Alexander might fit?

Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker would fit the bill.

If you liked Circe, try the Song of Achilles by the same author

A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes. It's a retelling of the Trojan War from the point of view of the women involved. She also wrote another which is a retelling of Oedipus/Antigone from Antigone's perspective. I forget the name.

Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad is Penelope's story during the time Odysseus is away at Troy and on his epic journey home.

Oh I am a walluly. You mentioned that one. Well it was good wasn't it?

State of Wonder by Anne Patchett

The Witchfinder's Sister, I think it's by Beth Underwood. It's a brilliant read set in the times of witchtrials
I'll be back with more.

Yes raininsummer it was great!

Just googled State of Wonder and The Penelopaid, both look good

State of Wonder has exotic location, interesting job, and complicated relationships. ✔️ ✔️ ✔️

I've only read female authors this year. Girl, Woman, Other and The Testaments are both worth a read. Cold Comfort Farm for a bit of light relief.

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry is great - myth, superstition, science, complex female protagonist and interesting side characters.

I haven’t read this yet have it waiting but Signature of All Things might fit the bill.

Agree on State of Wonder - you might also like Brazzaville Beach, male author but great female protagonist all the same and adventurous story/setting. Similar feel to State of Wonder but I enjoyed the story more.

Lolly Willowes covers witchy, female protagonist ahead of her time and out of step with her community, Sylvia Townsend Warner.

I've ordered State of Wonder, looking forward to reading it. Lolly Willowes also looks intriguing. Please keep recommendations coming if anyone has more

I see that Satsuki has already mentioned William Boyd, so I’ll recommend another of his, Restless. It’s got a good plot, and ticks the interesting jobs and complicated relationships boxes.

You might like American Wife, loosely based on Laura Bush, the journey to the White House from the perspective of a First Lady, exploring how she sticks to her principles despite the political pressure exerted on her personal life.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman - inspiration for story is from ancient Israel and tells the story of 4 women who are caught up in events when the Romans lay siege to their city. The story explores the background and relationships of all 4 women.

Bitter Greens - kate Forsyth
Loose retelling of Rapunzel set in the Court of King Louis XIV,

Uprooted - Naomi Novik
A modern fairytale / mythical fantasy - very evocative

Oranges are not the only fruit and the sequel ' Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? ' - Jeanette Winterson
Based on the author's own life. I've read these a few times and they never disappoint

The Siege - Helen Dunmore. A family's struggle to survive during the siege of Leningrad. Harrowing

The Alice Network - Kate Quinn. Another WW2 novel focusing female spies

The Familiars by Stacey Hall is good, about the Lancashire witches.
Wakenhyrst by Michelle Paver, very good.
Just read the Siege by Helen Dunmore (mentioned above) , agree it is brilliant. A good book to read now imo.

Agree re Helen Dunmore. Talking to the Dead and Zennor in Darkness would also for your brief I think.

Also everything Sarah Waters has written. Personally my favourite is Night Watch but all her work is excellent.

Emma Donoghue (she wrote Room) The Sealed Letter.

Wild Swans

The Handmaids Tale

The Beekeepers Promise

Agree to Naomi Novak - Spinning Silver is her other one as well as Uprooted, loved them both although different.
Small Island by Andrea Levy?

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks?
I read it years ago its set in the Derbyshire village of Eyam that shut itself off during the plague, with a female protagonist.maybe too close to home for current times

But I also loved Small Island as mentioned above. Such well crafted characters, I can still see them now, and thought provoking. An absolute must read.

Purple Hibiscus, set in Nigeria, is brilliant and a woman author.

The first labyrinth book by kate mosse. The rest are shite.

Have a look at Gillian Slovo. Ice Road, set in Leningrad in the 1930s/early 1940s, is wonderful.

Also recommend Helen Dunmore - The Siege, The Betrayal, House of Orphans and Exposure would tick many of your boxes but all her novels are worthwhile.

Curtis Sittenfeld - American Wife, also Sisterland.

Sarah Perry’s Melchior - I’ve just started this.

I enjoyed The Girls by Lori Lansing.

Gillian slovo's memoir is excellent too.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Memoirs of a Geisha
Daughters of the Dragon