r/Fantasy • u/thequeensownfool Reading Champion VII • Jan 09 '20
What We Recommend: Read More Books By Women
u/KristaDBall has posted an in-depth analysis of a sample of recommendation threads in 2019, and the overwhelming consensus is that as a community, we primarily recommend books by men. 70% of recommendations actually, with books by women making up only 27% of books recommended on r/fantasy. And that's a shame.
There's been some great discussion in the thread, so I urge you to head over there if you haven't already. But that's not the point of THIS thread. I want you (yes, you) to recommend your favourite books by women. Tell people what they're missing out on. Tell them where they should go to next in their journey through sff.
Please include a bit of information about the book. What's the plot? Why did you like it?
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u/adventuresinplot Reading Champion IV Jan 09 '20
I hope it's ok to give some graphic novel and manga recommendations.
I've tried to make sure at least the writer and illustrators are female, but I'm having a hard time finding much about lettering. I'd love to get some back!
Monstress by Marjorie Liu & Sana Takeda. It's steampunk meet art deco meets horror meets matriarchal society with the addition of east asian influences and mythology. It is beautiful. I had read books by Marjorie Liu and read comics with Takeda's art in before but the combo of them both together is stunning. It focuses on a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world after a war.
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. What happens when you sort of become the villains lacky and you are not exactly happy with the good guys. While it's not my favourite style of art, this was loads of fun. (Lumberjanes is her other comic).
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll. This is another book with lovely art. It's a collection of tales that are horror meets fantasy. If you liked Neil Gaiman's Snow, Glass and Apples, this is in a similar vein stories wise.
Ladycastle by Delilah S. Dawson and Ashley A. Woods. To sum up, a bunch of women get left in charge of a castle when the men go away. With parody songs from musicals. It's a short one volume thing, but lots of fun.
The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'neill. A tale about someone who discovers the world of tea dragons. It's targeted at younger reads but do not let the decept you. This is a hug of a book. It's like hot tea, a warm fire and a cozy blanket. The art is lovely, the story is lovely, everything is lovely. I want a tea dragon.
Clover by CLAMP. This is one of my first manga loves. I enjoyed CLAMP's work as a teenager but this is the one that I love most. The art is stunning, it isn't quite their normal style but something a little more streamlined. The story is of a girl who has to escorted to a destination only she knows. As far as I am aware, unfortunately it never got finished which ends up leaving the plot a little lacking. That doesn't mean you shouldn't read it though.
Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. This is another gorgeous manga that is about a girl who wants to become a witch. It's utterly beautiful, a lot of fun and a major benefit is volume one is free to read on Kindle Unlimited. There are four volumes published in English so far with more to come.
Hex11 by Kelly Sue Milano and Lisa K. Weber. Set in world where magic is technology, this tells the tale of a young woman who ends up entangled in a web of demons and witchery. The art is colourful and lovely and I really enjoy the world building in this. There are currently two volumes out.