14 Books Featuring Complex Female Characters

It's true we love books that provide a reprieve from everyday worries, but we love reading about complex female characters even more. We know society loves when it can box women in, but doing so denies us our humanity. Whether we're mothers, switching careers, or learning who we want to be in relationships, it often helps to look to see our intricate natures in literature.

Judging from the books we've been reading lately, we're confident we've found the best complicated characters we think deserves a spotlight in adaptations.

Add these to your bookshelf so you can say you read them when Reese Witherspoon decides to adapt them!

$\u200b\u200bBeautyland \u200bby Marie-Helene Bertino$

Amazon

Beautylandby Marie-Helene Bertino

Adina Giorno was born special — even she knows that. Her intuition is off the charts and her intelligence seems to know no bounds. It's why she doesn't flinch when she starts communicating with family members who don't live on earth. Their reasoning? They want to know what humans are like.

So, Adina happily obliges as she lives undetected for the most part. The only person who knows there's more to her is her best friend and they feel it's time for the special woman to make her presence known to more aliens who may living among them.

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$\u200b\u200bThe God of the Woods\u200b by Liz Moore$

Amazon

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The morning that counselor Louise discovers Barbara Van Laar isn't in her bunkbed is when she starts panicking. She knows that Barbara's brother "Bear" disappeared years before and it caused such a huge scandal that the Van Laars put everything they could into locating him.

Seeing history repeat itself feels like one bad dream that will threaten the future of others unless someone can discover what really happened to the Van Laar children.

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$\u200b\u200bThe Vanishing Half\u200b by Brit Bennett$

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The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Vignes sisters may be twins, but their adult lives don't mirror each other. While one twin lives in their childhood town with her daughter, the other escaped as soon as she could and uses her white-passing features to her advantage. Not even the latter's husband is aware of who she is or where she comes from. Though the sisters aren't as close they used to be, their daughters lives will intertwine in a way neither of them can ignore.

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Blue Sistersby Coco Mellors

Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky Blue have always been extraordinary in their own right. However, the death of their sister Nicky left them scarred in different ways. Avery's left her former addiction in the past, Bonnie's still nursing her bruised ego, and Lucky can't seem to shake the party life. The only thing that stops the sisters in their tracks is the realization their childhood apartment will finally be sold. Before this happens, each sister will have to confront parts of themselves they haven't wanted to.

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$\u200b\u200bAna Turns\u200b by Lisa Gornick$

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Ana Turns by Lisa Gornick

Ana Koehl is a mess and she knows it. She hasn't been sexually close to her husband in almost ten years and has been having an affair with a journalist in between that time. It's true she loves her job as a book doula, but can't seem to catch a break. She also has to contend with her complicated family and conflicting thoughts.

Told from various people's viewpoints, Ana Turns is a delicious look at a complex woman who may or may not become your favorite character by the telling of her story.

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$\u200b\u200bColored Television\u200b by Danzy Senna$

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Colored Television by Danzy Senna

Jane and her family finally find themselves resting in the lap of luxury after they're tasked with maintaining a home near Los Angeles. It's great because she's been taking some time to rest and find energy to finish a moving novel her husband Lenny knows is taking a toll on her.

When things go haywire, Jane scores a meeting with producer Hampton Ford that brings her ideas closer to fruition. But what starts off as perfect timing turns into the worst situation of Jane's life.

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$\u200bWhen Women Were Dragons\u200b by Kelly Barnhill \u200b$

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When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Young Alex Green witnessed the transformation of women who turned into dragons in 1955 and it was a such a large event that people forbade others to talk about it. However, she's always wanted to know why her Aunt Marla turned and her mother didn't. She's not supposed to talk about what happened, but it hasn't made her life easier.

Now she'll have to choose to remain silent while her cousin Bea shows an interest in the forbidden or allow herself to search for the truth too.

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$\u200bSuch a Fun Age\u200b by Kiley Reid\u200b$

Amazon

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Alix Chamberlain hasn't had to worry about much in her life. She's successful and doesn't mind spreading her knowledge with other women who want a taste of what she has. However, an encounter involving her child's babysitter, Emira Tucker, leaves her shaken and wanting to assure her that nothing like this will ever occur again. But Emira isn't easily placated and doesn't fully trust Alix. Things go from bad to worse when a video of the incident draws the attention of someone Alix hasn't spoken to in a while.

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$\u200bWitchcraft for Wayward Girls\u200b by Grady Hendrix$

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Witchcraft for Wayward Girlsby Grady Hendrix

Teenaged Fern finds herself living at the Wellwood House in St. Augustine, Florida after becoming pregnant. She's supposed to become reformed until she gives birth and then she'll rejoin society while her child is given to a suitable family. Like her, other unmarried girls live at Wellwood under the strict "care" of Miss Wellwood. However, the rules keep changing and the girls often find themselves subject to harsh conditions.

All of this changes when Fern receives a book of spells that she and the girls begin utilizing. Though they seek their revenge, their newfound powers have consequences that sends them over the edge.

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$\u200b\u200bPiglet\u200b by Lottie Hazell$

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Piglet by Lottie Hazell

Piglet doesn't care for her nickname, but other parts of her life are going well. She has a great career as a cookbook editor and is surrounded by love from friends to her amazing fiancé. His family can be a little snooty, but she can tolerate them well enough. However, Kit does the unthinkable and Piglet's hunger is unleashed.

Despite forgiving him, she can't stop the strange behavior she's exhibiting and comes to grips with the fact she may have been masquerading as someone else all along.

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$\u200bThe Grace Year\u200b by Kim Liggett\u200b$

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The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Tierney James lives in Garner County where she and other girls are allowed to use magic when they turn 16. The reason is so they can be made whole and ready for a life of marriage. The problem is that some of them won't make it back home. Beyond that is the understanding that some of them will turn on each other.

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Hungerstone by Katt Dunn

Lenore's been having strange nightmares, but decides they're nothing to be worried about. She's married to the successful Henry so she's ready to focus on their upcoming move to the British moorlands for his latest venture. However, an accident brings a woman named Carmilla into their lives and she awakens a hunger in Lenore that's been dormant for a while.

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$\u200b\u200bAnnie Bot \u200bby Sierra Greer$

Amazon

Annie Botby Sierra Greer

Annie Bot's not like regular women because she's an artificial robot meant to satisfy every need of her owner Doug. She does everything a traditional housewife would, albeit with a few errors. He doesn't let her forget when makes mistakes even if he claims to love how "human" she is. Soon, Annie begins to explore everything that makes women feel "real." The more she does, the more Annie desires to be the perfect being for Doug. She also wonders if Doug even knows what he wants.

All of this makes her capable of complex feelings, disproving the idea that robots are unable to feel.

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$\u200b\u200bMeredith, Alone\u200b by Claire Alexander$

Amazon

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

Meredith's completely fine with being at home with her cat Fred. It's not like she doesn't get to see anyone because her best friend visits her as much as she can. She also has a lot of things to keep her occupied even if memories of her past come flooding back. But the emergence of two two new figures and a call from her sister changes the safety net she's cast around herself, thrusting her in a position that alters her world.

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We're patiently waiting for these adaptations to happen.

14 Books Featuring Complex Female Characters We Need To See Onscreen Immediately

Add these to your bookshelf so you can say you read them when Reese Witherspoon decides to adapt them!

Beautylandby Marie-Helene Bertino

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Blue Sistersby Coco Mellors

Ana Turns by Lisa Gornick

Colored Television by Danzy Senna

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Witchcraft for Wayward Girlsby Grady Hendrix

Piglet by Lottie Hazell

The Grace Year by Kim Liggett

Hungerstone by Katt Dunn

Annie Botby Sierra Greer

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander

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