For those of you who are unaware, Chick Lit is a genre that, as described by GoodReads as, “ a genre fiction that addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. Although it sometimes includes romantic elements, chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because the heroine’s relationship with her family or friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships.” Sounds great, right? So why does Chick Lit get such a bad rep? And what can you do about it?
The genre is defined by its categorization of a female heroine. When I asked my female friends if they wanted to read a chick Lit book I liked, they were all for it. Yet when I recommended it to my guy friends, they all shirked at the idea. You probably know why. The common responses are “I don’t read Chick Lit.”, “That just doesn’t interest me.”, or more simply put, “No.” This is something that not only exists within this genre though. Ask your guy friends vs. your girlfriends. How many have finished Percy Jackson or Harry potter? How many have finished Hunger Games or Nancy Drew? When my friends always ask me to recommend books, I throw list upon list at them. I always seemingly get the same response. “I couldn’t get past the first book.” The one common denominator: they all had female protagonists. Now, I’ve read dozens of books with male protagonists, and I like them, but it’s hard to relate. We don’t have the same struggles. However, whenever I find a book that has a well written female protagonist (aka NOT Bella Swan), I find myself immersed in the novel. And it’s the same with other identities, like race. As John Green Said, literature is about connecting, and I find myself within these characters.
So why should you read Chick Lit? Well, if you’re female, you will find something to relate to, regardless of the plot. It’s in a world of books written for different people, it’s a genre just for you. You will be able to relate to the characters strongly and understand the plight they face. Also, they are pretty light reads. Sometimes, all you want is to not think. A nice Chick Lit book will give you a few hours of bliss.
More importantly, though, I think men should read Chick Lit. So much of the world is connected through literature. We empathize because of it. Yet, in a ~shocking~ twist of events, men seem to avoid Chick Lit like the plague. It’s seen as embarrassing to read, despite having a really meaningful storyline. With their hesitancy to read these books, they put forth the idea that men’s issues are important. Women? It’s embarrassing to talk about theirs. So, break the norm and read some books. You may find yourself understanding people in a way you couldn’t before
While most books in this group do have romance, they cover so much more. I encourage everyone, regardless of gender to pick up a book with a female protagonist. Even if it’s not true Chick Lit, it will still leave an impression on you as a person.
My Personal Recommendations
Fiction: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L Konisburg
Fantasy: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Historical Fiction: Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Mystery: One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
Autobiography: Becoming by Michelle Obama
Adraja,
I love this idea of introducing both women AND men to the Chick Lit genre because it’s honestly so underrated. When it comes to the concept of a female heroine/protagonist, the unfortunate truth is that it always faces some sort of backlash which stems from blatant misogyny. I’ve been reading a lot of feminist theory and I’ve noticed that recommending Chick Lit is a great way to get people into more serious works that illustrate the reality of living as a woman in a patriarchal society. Thank you for giving us some great recommendations, I’ve read a few of them already but I’m definitely going to try out the other ones as well!
Hey Asha! I didn’t realize how divided the reading genre was until you pointed out the differences. I’ve also met a lot of people who adore Harry Potter and Percy Jackson (as do I), but I definitely love books like Nancy Drew and Hunger Games more than them. The female protagonist should be more praised and it can help people look into these connections we can make with the female characters! Romance doesn’t really define these books, you’re right. A lot of people see Hunger Games as a love triangle story when it has a much deeper meaning of rebellion and change. I’ve actually read Throne of Glass, but somehow couldn’t get into it (although I’ve heard the series gets much more intriguing, so perhaps I will pick it up again)!