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Reader-in-Residence Theodore Forcer recommends “weird girl lit”.
If you’re anything like me, your social media feed is full of book people sharing “weird girl lit” recommendations. But what isweird girl lit? Where did it come from? In trying to answer those questions, I’ve ended up completely falling in love with the genre. Keep reading as I dig into it a bit more and share some recommendations of books I’ve personally enjoyed, all of which you can find at Hartlepool libraries.
Weird girl lit tends to centre strong female protagonists who are often morally grey, or who deal with the pressures of society in… unconventional ways. I’ve also noticed that many of these stories share a common thread of women pushing back against different forms of oppression. It’s easy to see why that resonates with so many people, especially since the roots of the genre stretch back quite far – some even point to Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1892 short story ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’ as an early example.
That said, the term “weird girl” isn’t without its critics. Some argue that calling it “girl lit” can feel infantilising, especially when these are stories written by and about women. Others feel that labelling these narratives as “weird” risks downplaying the very real struggles they explore. Even so, the genre is full of books that lean into the “women behaving badly” trope, and it offers a fascinating space to explore protagonists who are unreliable, immoral, or simply not perfect. The protagonists of these books respond to patriarchy and other forms of oppression primally, allowing their animal instincts to take over – sometimes literally.
I’m sure you can see why I enjoy the genre so much. If you are interested in joining me for a “weird girl” summer, I’ve put some recommendations below!
Our Wives Under The Sea by Julia Armfield (Rated 3.7 stars on Goodreads):
Do you want a book that reminds you just how deep and mysterious the sea can be? Then look no further. The story follows Miri and Leah, just as Leah returns home from a deep-sea mission that ended in catastrophe. Whatever it was that Leah saw down there, she has brought some of it home, and Miri can feel her slipping through her grasp. A beautiful exploration of love and loss, this book made me fall back in love with reading again, which I personally rated as 5 stars.
The Lamb by Lucy Rose (Rated 3.75 stars on Goodreads):
Margot lives with her Mama at the edge of the forest, where they wait for lost or injured travellers to stumble upon their cottage. Strays, as Mama calls them. Only, these strays never seem to make it back home. But when a very special stray named Eden shows up at the door, Margot must navigate the changing dynamics of her small family. This coming-of-age novel explores the difficult relationship between mother and daughter and explores how women swallow their hunger and animal instincts. I personally rated this book as 5 stars, made even better by the fact that the author, originally hailing from Cumbria, now resides in the North East. This book definitely leans more towards the horror end of weird girl lit, however, so don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel (Rated 4 stars on Goodreads):
Whilst Station Eleven isn’t usually classed as a “weird girl” book, I couldn’t resist adding it to this list, if only as an excuse to get more people to read it! I think I can make a convincing argument that it belongs here, nonetheless. Station Eleven follows the intertwining stories of Kirsten Raymonde and a band of characters, as civilization comes to an end due to a deadly pandemic. Written before the Covid-19 pandemic, it is an eerie look into a life that could have been, as well as a truly brilliant and haunting science fiction tale. Once again, I rated this one 5 stars!
Death of a Bookseller by Alice Slater (Rated 3.4 stars on Goodreads):
Roach, a true-crime-obsessed bookseller, has worked in her local branch of Spines for all of her adult life. When Laura, a pretty and charismatic children’s bookseller, arrives to help rejuvenate the struggling bookstore branch, Roach recognizes in her an unexpected kindred spirit. Despite their common interest in true crime, Laura seems to have taken a dislike to Roach. Undeterred, Roach sets out to discover Laura’s traumatic family history. Realizing that she may have stumbled upon a real true crime case, Roach’s interest quickly becomes an obsession, sending them both down a very dangerous path. Slater does an excellent job at making Roach so thoroughly unlikeable, but at the same time making it a book that you won’t want to put down!
No One is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood (Rated 3.5 stars on Goodreads):
The unnamed narrator’s life is defined by the endless scroll of the internet – that is, until a family crisis pulls her abruptly into the physical world. Known for her viral online presence, the narrator navigates a fragmented reality of memes, absurdity, and digital noise, only to confront profound love and loss offline. Blending humour with heartbreak, Lockwood explores how language, attention, and connection are reshaped in the age of social media, ultimately asking what it means to be present, human, and alive in a world both virtual and real. For fans of Sally Rooney, this genre-bending and fragmented book is both a love letter to the internet and a heartbreaking observation on love, loss and human connection.
