What we read: Beyond chick lit
How do you stay sane during a global pandemic that seems in no hurry to end? Personally, I manage to maintain the last shreds of my sanity by diving nose-first into my TBR pile. I find myself really craving comfort reads. Books that invite me to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine and escape to a happier world for a few hours. Typically, these would have been guilty pleasures or “chick lit” with the promise of a happy ending. However, these are not typical times and frankly, nothing makes me unhappier at the moment than a meet-cute followed by the happy couple sailing off into the sunset. (Which, if you’re not well versed with the genre, is how it tends to go.) It only serves as a stark reminder of my 30-something singledom, which, coupled with isolation, is a perfect recipe for a nervous breakdown. For this reason, I took some steps out of my literary comfort zone and discovered some great reads that give you all the feels and none of the FOMO. Here is a list of books with strong female protagonists who create their own happy endings, often despite difficult circumstances.
This delicious debut by Ephron deals with the breakup of a seemingly happy marriage, exploring heavy themes like coming to terms with adultery and heartbreak while somehow managing to be ferociously funny at the same time. Heartburn is a first-person narrative of the successful cookbook author Rachel Samstat, who discovers that her husband is cheating on her while she is seven months pregnant. It follows her journey through the various stages of grief, anger, and acceptance. Warm and witty, this book is ultimately about survival and finding humor and irony in the toughest of situations.
Freshwater for Flowers (Valerie Perrin)
Originally written in French, this is Perrins’s English Language debut. Though most of the story takes place among the dead this book is a celebration of life. The unconventional protagonist of this novel, Violette Toussaint, is a cemetery caretaker who gathers around her an array of unique and whimsical characters, from gravediggers and groundskeepers to priests and mourners. At the heart of this atmospheric novel is a mystery, and as you begin to peel back the layers you get a deeper understanding of the journey of Violette’s life, and the circumstances that shaped her.
Where’d You Go Bernadette (Maria Semple)
This is a whacky and slightly off-kilter novel that deals with mental illness in an extremely relatable and tender way. It’s the story of Bee and her talented but completely agoraphobic mother, Bernadette, whose anxiety makes dealing with people so hard for her that she hires a virtual assistant to minimize her contact with the outside world. Worn down by living a life she never wanted, and torn by her love for her daughter, Bernadette is on the brink of a breakdown and finally disappears altogether, leaving Bee to figure out where she went. Refreshingly honest, funny, and heartwarming, this novel explores imperfect family relationships and the love that exists despite it.
City of Girls (Elizabeth Gilbert)
This delightfully vivid novel begins in New York in the 1940s and trails Vivian Morris through her life in the big city. As a reader, it feels as though you are right alongside her as she discovers the joys of New York City bohemia, her sexuality, and, most importantly, herself. We watch her come to terms with reality, survive war and form lifelong bonds. At its core, this book is a celebration of womanhood and of female friendships. It is easy to dismiss it as frothy fun but it is actually an extremely feminist book, in the way Vivian never settles for less and is unapologetically herself. Rejecting the norms of the time she believes, “At some point in a woman's life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.”
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows (Balli Kaur Jaswal)
This funny feisty novel follows Nikki, a second-generation immigrant in London as she figures out her identity while trying to balance her heritage and stay true to herself as a spirited modern woman. Through teaching Creative Writing to the ladies of the Sikh community in Southhall she discovers that these women, who are often pigeonholed and dismissed by society as provincial and narrow, have a rich and vivid inner life. Together they challenge the limits imposed on them by conservative elements in their society and take control of their own narratives.
Writers and Lovers (Lily King)
A charming story of Casey Peabody, a down-on-her-luck aspiring writer. She is dealing with the loss of her mother and holding down a day job as a waitress as she struggles to complete her first novel. With everything in her life uncertain and precarious, be it her job, her financial situation, her love life, or her health, there is something inspiring about her quiet determination to continue writing. A heartening novel about choosing to live out your dream even when it appears that the odds are not in your favour.
In an effort to support Bookshop.org, this post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Thank you for the support!