Comments on: Talking about YA and Women’s Fiction

By: Nancy Werlin

Nancy Werlin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:48:36 +0000

Thanks, Maggie and Emmel. I am happy to report that I am working on final editorial notes to the Impossible sequel right now, and the book has a name: UNTHINKABLE. Look for it next fall!

Nancy

By: emmel

emmel — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 21:44:17 +0000

A sequel to Impossible? Wonderful news–can’t wait to read it. Maggie, I’ll second you on this book. It’s a great read–both I and my teenaged daughter read it last week and adored it. And it’s a great pick for romance readers who are willing to venture into YA.

By: Leigh

Leigh — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:36:44 +0000

LeeB.: I think Sophie Kinsella’s books can be termed chick lit or women’s fiction.But whatever genre, I really enjoy her books.She definitely can make me laugh.

I am not really that fond of her Shopaholic books, but I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Sophie Kinsella's other books. I keep watching for news of a new release by her but haven't seen anything yet.

By: NBLibGirl

NBLibGirl — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:56:27 +0000

Great essay in the New York Times Review of Books, March 30, 2012 by Meg Wolitzer asking this very question (see “On the Rules of Literary Fiction for Men and Women”): if it is about women or told from a woman’s point of view it is “Women’s Fiction” or “Chick Lit” but literary fiction if written/narrated by a man or about a man’s point of view/life. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/books/review/on-the-rules-of-literary-fiction-for-men-and-women.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

By: NBLibGirl

NBLibGirl — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Oh, yeah. In the “women’s fiction” area I really enjoy Madeleine Wickham (aka Sophie Kinsella) (try Sleeping Arrangements), Joanna Trollope (Marrying the Mistress), and seocnd the recommendation for Pamela Morsi (many great books but Suburban Renewal and The Binkini Car Wash are two favorites that you don’t find in the romance section).

By: NBLibGirl

NBLibGirl — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:45:43 +0000

I read a lot of YA material (despite being quite a bit older than the target market) and believe that much of the very best fiction being published today is coming from writers the publishing industry categorizes as “YA” (e.g. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak was published initially in Australia as “fiction” but was quickly pigeonholed by US publishers as YA) because it is such a “hot” market segment. Romance readers interested in branching out might enjoy work by Sarah Dessen
Deb Caletti (“Honey, Baby, Sweetheart” is my favorite)
Alix Flinn
Tamora Pierce

“Graceling” by Kristin Cashore
“The Fault in Our Stars” *and* “Will Grayson, Will Grayson” by John Green
“A Posse of Princesses” by Sherwood Smith
“Son of the Mob” by Gordon Korman
“A Certain Slant of Light” by Laura Whitcomb
“Blood Red Horse” by KM Grant
“Flipped” by Wendy Van Draanen
are all very different types of YA novels, satisfying reads, containing romantic relationships or exploring what love really is.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:29:33 +0000

I don’t hate Bella either! I wasn’t interested enough in the series to go beyond the second movie or the first book, but I don’t get all the Bella-hate, or Edward-hate for that matter. I didn’t see her as being obsessed with having “a man”, but with Edward himself. (And possibly even more so with the idea of gaining powers of her own; bit of a gold-digger is our Bella.) And his lurking around watching her sleep creeped me out less than most of the grabby behaviour adult paranormal heroes indulge in with their “soulmates.”

By: LeeB.

LeeB. — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:13:25 +0000

Carol: Would you guys consider Sophie Kinsella women’s fiction? I love her.

I think Sophie Kinsella's books can be termed chick lit or women's fiction. But whatever genre, I really enjoy her books. She definitely can make me laugh.

By: maggie b.

maggie b. — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 00:13:41 +0000

Marianne McA: I’d read more YA than woman’s fiction. I’ve a bit of a prejudice against woman’s fiction – if I read the back of a book and it’s about an older woman in an unhappy marriage, I just never want to read it. And I think that’s my image of the whole genre – I imagine it’s about women coming to terms with the realities of life – less than happy marriages, children leaving home, illness, bereavement – and I don’t want to read a fictionalised account of the unhappinesses of ordinary life. But maybe, since I don’t read much in the genre, that’s unfair.

This isn't true of the genre anymore. I'm not sure exactly why Sarah Addison Allen is classified women's fiction (more emphasis on heroine maybe?) but her gals are single and wind up in HEA's. I would definitely give her a try. Don't start with Sugar Queen. The mom in that is a witch who should be burned at the stake.

By: maggie b.

maggie b. — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:20:09 +0000

Alex Flinn’s books are story tale retellings. Her book Beastly received a DIK here and so did Kiss in Time.

Jessica Day George has three wonderful Fairy Tale books- Sun, Moon, Ice and Snow which retells the tale “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”. And she is telling the tales of the twelve dancing princesses – the first two are Princess of the Midnight Ball and Priness of Glass. Entwined by Heather Dixon also tells the story of the twelve dancing princesses.

I loved Shannon Hale’s Book of a Thousand Days.