Florence Given
Women Don’t Owe You Pretty Book Cover
Florence Given
Florence Given is an illustrator, writer and active feminist. Her efforts range from auto-biographical works (Women Don’t Owe You Pretty) to her new Sunday Times Bestseller (Girl Crush.) Given’s work ethic is progressive and offers a fresh new spin on feminism and what it means to be a woman today. Her audience is very diverse, giving a voice to minority groups as she is a person of privilege, using her social platform to let these individuals be heard. An insight into the contents of Women Don’t Owe You Pretty focus on subheadings from “you are the love of your own life” to “women do not exist to satisfy the male gaze”.
I believe that this book is eye -opening and offers new ideas in a modern, tangible society. Given’s book will guide and steer you away from the tired narratives that are fed to young girls by the wider media and even people around them, allowing yourself to take control of your own life and challenge and re-evaluate what it means to be a feminist. After all, ‘You are the love of your own life!’
Sally Rooney
Sally Rooney
Normal People Book Cover
Sally Rooney is an Irish author and screenwriter, who over the past years has published three best-selling novels. Her debut book, ‘Conversations with Friends’ (2017), ‘Normal People’ (2018) and ‘A Beautiful World Where Are You’ (2021.) The book I think that is most influential for young people is ‘Normal People.’ Rooney has a unique ability to capture the uncomfortableness and awkwardness of growing up and experiencing personal relationships for the first time.
The novel follows two young characters (Marianne Sheridan) and (Connell Waldron) as their friendship blossoms into an ever-changing relationship.
They drift apart and meet again at different moments of their intellectual lives. The portrayal of mental health and the culture of Ireland is clearly depicted through the character of Connell Waldron. Rooney was particularly clever in using a male protagonist as a vulnerable character, tackling unhelpful stereotypes about men and mental health. I believe this book is useful to read as it offers a new perspective of young people growing up, whilst offering a humble ground in which to justify your own encounters. This is the ultimate novel that captivates normal life issues into a beautiful love intimacy.
Jane Austen
Austen was one of the most popular female writers in 19th century literature. Her most successful works include, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion and Emma. Austen had a writer’s ingenuity to explore the dependence of women on marriage and wanted to veer away from this narrative by writing about socio – economic problems and critiquing mundane ways of living. Her key novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ accompanies the tempestuous relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a middle-class gentleman, and Mr. Darcy, who is an entitled aristocratic landowner. They must overcome their overarching pride about themselves and look at what is most important in life. I believe this book is one to read, as Austen presents a complex female character that dares to challenge conventions of class and gender. The central conflict of the narrative is society and is useful in examining the freedoms and restraints of women today and back in the Regency Era itself.
