Kirstyn looks at the appeal of conflicted but compelling female characters
A good female protagonist doesn’t always have to be a good person. In the books I’d like to recommend this month, there are three very different women who drew me into their lives in different ways.
You might find them relatable, hard to understand, or absolutely infuriating. I certainly did but it’s interesting that, although they produced such conflicting emotions in me, I was rooting for their happiness. Characters who remind you to allow yourself a bit of grace are some of my favourites, and I hope you’re charmed by these three.
In “Lucky Day” by Beth Morrey (HarperCollins, HB, £16.99), Clover Hendry has a bad start to her morning, the kind that leads her to abandon her responsibilities for the day and do exactly what she wants. As she is normally such a mild-mannered rule-follower, this sudden change causes chaos wherever she goes.
I think there’s a little bit of Clover in every woman. She takes on emotional labour at work and home, and finds herself passed over for opportunities by bigger personalities.
As she allows herself to stop worrying about what people think of her, she discovers there’s more to her than she realised. You’ll rush through this empowering book and perhaps be inspired to follow in Clover’s footsteps.
The protagonist in “Plaything” by Bea Setton (Transworld, HB, £18.99) couldn’t be further from Clover. Anna is uptight, aware of how she presents in society and proud of her intelligence, but is taken in by physiotherapist Caden during her time as a PhD student at Cambridge University. When the pandemic forces them into close proximity, their relationship ebbs and flows, and Anna can’t tell whethe
