The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox / novel recommendations

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I have just read The Vanishing Act Of Esme Lennox after Glosswitch recommended it in one of her mail outs. I read it quickly, it gripped me, and I'm glad, I think, overall, that I read it. But mainly I feel pissed off with the plot. Three central female characters, themes of society's expectations of women, poor understanding of mental health issues... it could have been really good but just wasn't.
With Christmas coming up and the possibility of books coming my way, I wondered if anyone could recommend something else please? Ideally novels as I have a lot of the recent nonfiction to get to but equally please feel free just to recommend away in case someone else is looking for suggestions.
I know there is a books section on Mumsnet but I thought here might be a better place to try.

@StillStriving

I hated Normal People. I was so angry when I finished it, I sent various people that I knew had read it enraged texts. Then someone texted back that I was just being typical Marianne and I was apoplectic

I hated Normal People and also did a fair bit of ranting.

This popped into my head A Certain Age by Tama Janowitz. It's an update on Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth

The dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin is a firm favourite of mine. The main character is a man but its really good.

I haven't read Kate Atkinson no. Quite pleased it's not just me that got angry about Normal People. I think if anything I've got more cross about it over time rather than less.
Annoyingly I had a Barbara Kingsolver out the library and ended up taking it back unread.

I love Kate Atkinson. My favourite is Emotionally Weird which is painfully funny for anyone who was at a Scottish University in the 70s.

This is a great thread, thanks op.

Can I add Alice Thomas Ellis - especially the summerhouse trilogy, which is the same story told by three very different female characters.

Also love the bone people, terrible and gripping.

Beloved and paradise (and the rest) by Toni Morrison, and their eyes were watching god by zora Neale hurston. Everything by Alice Walker especially the colour purple.

Marilyn french eg the women's room or bleeding heart if you feel like some second wave us feminism - ballsy stuff

Margaret Atwood obviously

I also really like Dorothy sayers on women, especially strong poison, have his carcass, murder must advertise and gaudy night. Easy reading too.

Fay Weldon? Weird and funny books. She had one out recently about the Uk being taken over by sociologists and made to eat mass produced tank-grown meat. V funny

I'll keep thinking...

I nearly put the Wimsey books in - even when Wimsey is the focus, the female characters are always well written and not predictable, but those with Harriet in are the obvious starters (although Murder must Advertise is my personal favourite)

Have we added Angela Carter to the list yet? Nights at the Circus is fab - Feavers is an awesome character: it's magic realist/bit crackers but fun.

Great idea for a thread, OP: I'm making notes...

The Bass Rock - Evie Wyld is an intense howl of rage against male violence and misogyny through the centuries, through 3 women's stories intercut with anonymous victims of male violence. Gothic, visceral and memorable.

For a less literary read, Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno Garcia is a kind of feminist hammer house of horror.

I second Margaret Forster. I've just re-read Diary of an Ordinary Woman. A strong female central character and her perspective as she lives through the twentieth century. Lots of feminist stuff woven in. It made me want to read more. Off to look up Have The Men Had Enough?
I also love Kate Atkinson. Life after Life, again very female centred, would be one of my desert island books.

My favourite Angela Carter's are The Bloody Chamber and Heroes and Villains

I'm almost at the end of The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. It's a sort of a family soap opera about 4 daughters.

And speaking of family soap operas I really enjoyed Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet novels.

It's ancient but if you haven't read Carrie It’s extremely well written (both King and J K Rowling could do with reining in the verbiage)

@Butterer

I would like to revisit Carson McCullers (I think?)

I bulk read Carson McCullers decades ago. I don't think I ever want to revisit it!

This might be too niche but Catriona MacPherson's Dandy Gilver series are great fun with some interesting social history.

catrionamcpherson.com/dandygilver

And speaking of family soap operas I really enjoyed Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet novels.

It thrills me that someone else likes this series as much as I do! It's such a wonderful period family saga, with terrific characters all round.

Another Kate Atkinson fan here

I recently read 'The Female Man' by Joanna Russ and couldn't decide whether it was drivel or utterly brilliant. There were a lot of horribly accurate snippets that captured female rage perfectly. It was written in the 1970s so the fact that it's still on point is slightly sad.....

For crime novels, Gillian Linscott’s Nell Bray series features a crime-solving suffragette. It’s an older series, but still in print and well-worth looking for.

Also, Laurie King’s detective novels. My favourites are the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes books. Mary Russell is a wonderful character.

Laurie King’s non-detective book Folly is an all-time favourite of mine, about a woman who builds a house on a remote island. So satisfying on many levels.

Larchfield by Polly Clark
Eleanor Oliphant by Gail Honeyman
Behind the Scenes at the Museum- Kate Atkinson.

So I know it's written by a man but the woman who walked into doors by Roddy Doyle, which is written from a woman's perspective and (to me) nails it.

Also really love After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell. First read it as a teen and It definitely takes some artistic licence with respect to certain situations however it still gets me emotional after so many years.

Also really love After You'd Gone by Maggie O'Farrell. First read it as a teen and It definitely takes some artistic licence with respect to certain situations however it still gets me emotional after so many years

How funny this is exactly my view - love this book and was very affected by it when I read it as a teen. Every so often I read it again for a good blub

I forgot to mention in my previous post The Red Tent by Anita Diamant. LOVE that book. Incredible story of the life of a girl growing up in Biblical times. Everyone knows Jacob had 12 sons, the most famous being Joseph. No one talks about his daughter, except this book. It's brilliant. There a lot of menstruating though (clue in the title )

Yes to the cazalets!

@StillStriving that's good to know it's not just me. Yes it's great if you feel a good cry will sort you out, gets the job done!

So I know it's written by a man but the woman who walked into doors by Roddy Doyle, which is written from a woman's perspective and (to me) nails it

I don't think the OP said it had to be books written by women. Why would anyone want to limit reading choices in that way?

Eleanor Oliphant by Gail Honeyman I hated that book. It was one where I did a full on text rant about how awful it was !

No OP didn't @DidoLamenting, you're right. Well written women was the criteria. Probably presumptuous on my part but if female writers can struggle to create well written female characters I was keen to stress don't let the fact it's written by a man from a woman's perspective put you off.

Love:
Agree with Girl, Women, Other, Hamnet, Bass Rock, Circe, Larchfield, Kate Atkinson generally
I like Maggie O’Farrell but it’s years since I read Esme Lennox, it might not have aged well
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Kindred by Octavia Butler - sci-fi about time travel, racism, domestic abuse - absolutely clear-eyed about male abusive behaviours but paced like a thriller and a fantastic concept.
My favourite David Mitchell is The Bone Clocks.
The Changeling by Victor LaValle - written by a man but amazing and very creepy - the most imaginative and unusual retelling of a fairytale ever.
I do still like Margaret Atwood too.

Hated:
Normal People
Crawdads (so badly written! And unrealistic!)

Just well written women and decent plots.
I really rate Women Who Walked Into Doors and Roddy Doyle. Well, his earlier stuff anyway - think he's lost his touch a bit lately.
Really appreciating al the suggestions thank you.
I'd forgotten about Fay Weldon. I read Life And Loves...decades ago and remember being a bit bemused by it. Was probably too young.