With International Women’s Day approaching, for this month’s Book Club, we are turning to literature from a perspective in which women are not a secondary element of the narrative.
This list brings together novels with female protagonists who make decisions, exercise power, endure adverse circumstances, or redefine their place in the world. They are not idealized heroines; the authors have taken care to create characters marked by complexity, contradiction, and a clear capacity for action.
The selected books move across different genres, periods, and literary traditions, placing women at the center of both the narrative and the conflict. Reading them at this time of year is also a way of recognizing how literature has examined the role of women in society.
Doña Bárbara, Rómulo Gallegos
Novel
Published: 1929
Pages: 448
Author’s nationality: Venezuelan
Doña Bárbara is one of the foundational novels of twentieth-century Latin American literature. Set in the Venezuelan plains, the story by Rómulo Gallegos centers on the confrontation between Doña Bárbara, a powerful landowner who enforces her authority through violence, deception, and absolute control of the land, and Santos Luzardo, a city-educated man who returns with the intention of legally restoring an inheritance shaped by abuse and arbitrariness.
The novel clearly develops Doña Bárbara’s character as a dominant female figure, feared and respected, who has learned how to survive and rule in a hostile environment.
The author exposes the consequences of a system based on fear and the absence of institutions, while suggesting the possibility of change driven by reason.
Who’d like this?
Doña Bárbara will appeal to readers interested in strong, complex female characters shaped by a social and political backdrop.
It is especially recommended for those seeking to understand the foundational debates of Latin America, as well as for readers who value classics that continue to spark discussion because of the lasting relevance of their themes.
Quotes
- “The Plain crazes; and the madness of the man living in the wide lawless land leads him to remain a Plainsman forever.”
- “A night of full moon is favourable to tales of apparitions.”
Readers say
- “This one of the finest Latin American novels I have ever read!”, says an Amazon user.
- “Beautifully written…I got to know so many interesting characters! Including the South American land”, says an Amazon user.
The Time in Between, María Dueñas
Novel, historical fiction
Published: 2009
Pages: 615
Author’s nationality: Spanish
The Time in Between, by María Dueñas, tells the story of Sira Quiroga, a young dressmaker from Madrid whose life changes abruptly after she moves to Morocco in the years leading up to the Spanish Civil War.
As the plot unfolds, Sira gradually evolves until she becomes involved in an espionage network linked to World War II. María Dueñas portrays both the character’s doubts and her ability to adapt within an environment dominated by political interests.
Who’d like this?
It will appeal to readers interested in historical novels with female protagonists, stories of personal transformation, and narratives where individual experience intersects with recognizable historical events.
It is a great choice for those looking for an accessible, well-documented novel centered on a woman who learns to navigate complex settings with autonomy.
Quotes
- “My fear didn’t want to be left behind, so it came with me.”
- “When you undertake a change like that you have to do it with dreams and hopes, with illusions. To go without them is to merely run away…”
Readers say
- “A remarkable historical fiction with the right amount of romance,” says an Amazon user.
- “The book itself is brilliant. I could not puit it down,” says an Amazon user.
Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
Novel
Published: 1868
Pages: 554
Author’s nationality: U.S
Although it is often associated with young adult reading, Little Women presents conflicts that go beyond its time. Louisa May Alcott’s novel addresses themes such as female independence, professional aspirations, marriage, and moral responsibility.
The character of Jo March, in particular, offers a critical view of the roles assigned to women, the desire for autonomy, and artistic vocation. Alcott builds a realistic narrative, grounded in personal experience, that closely examines the social limitations imposed on women and the different ways of confronting them.
Who’d like this?
It is recommended for readers interested in classics with clearly defined female protagonists, stories of personal growth, and novels that explore the tensions between social expectations and individual desires.
Quotes
- “I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
- “Don’t try to make me grow up before my time…”
Readers say
- “This story is timeless,” says an Amazon user.
- “My teenage daughter is into classic literature and asked for this book. It’s such a It’s designed book,” says an Amazon user.