I guess memoirs would not make sense to fit into the weird girl lit category? Such as perhaps, say, a true memoir about a woman whose life has fallen off kilter because of a mental illness such as schizoaffective disorder, for example?
I guess the very first book here (Book of Marjory Kemp) is a kind of memoir? But I personally didn't feel comfortable including outright memoirs in this list...
There’s a performance aspect to it, I’m thinking out loud…and of course the non linear, fragmented somewhat recursive structure, and then she plays with disgust from a very particular vantage point that feels like Kang’s The Vegetarian or anything Moshfegh—raw, embodied, brutal…honest. Will present my thesis at our next meeting. ;)
I don't know what that book focuses on, but, after such a description for it (even though brief), I feel even more compelled I must at least look it up! And see what it is all about!
Love everything about this, especially the initial analysis. My jaw dropped seeing "The Book of Margery Kempe" included because... yes. Need to revisit that with a new perspective! Thanks x
You know I had it in there and then I removed it and now I don't know why but I think I was overthinking how much weird girl lit and horror can truly crossover and where one genre ought to stop bleeding so much into the other?
I was about to suggest The Hearing Trumpet and saw you already had it! When I read it last year I was amazed at how it was such a proto weird girl lit novel
Wow. This post is so beautiful. Good job designing it. I've saved it for future me to refer back to when I need books to read.
Thank you so much Arial! And thank you especially for noticing the design 💙
I guess memoirs would not make sense to fit into the weird girl lit category? Such as perhaps, say, a true memoir about a woman whose life has fallen off kilter because of a mental illness such as schizoaffective disorder, for example?
I guess the very first book here (Book of Marjory Kemp) is a kind of memoir? But I personally didn't feel comfortable including outright memoirs in this list...
I think they could make the list. They’re def adjacent. I could make a pretty convincing argument here for Lidia Yuknavitch’s Chronology of Water
Ah I thought of that one but all that goes on in that book is so fucking harrowing and real and told as such that...I just couldn't
There’s a performance aspect to it, I’m thinking out loud…and of course the non linear, fragmented somewhat recursive structure, and then she plays with disgust from a very particular vantage point that feels like Kang’s The Vegetarian or anything Moshfegh—raw, embodied, brutal…honest. Will present my thesis at our next meeting. ;)
I don't know what that book focuses on, but, after such a description for it (even though brief), I feel even more compelled I must at least look it up! And see what it is all about!
LOVE. Thank you!
Thank you so much Lily!
My local Kinokuniya now has a "weird girl" section
That's awesome Jim!
This is a wonderful resource, and beautifully written and organized. Thank you
The Girl in The Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender (1998) would make an amazing addition to the Short Story part of this list!
I love so many of these and may I also recommend The Ha-Ha (1961)!
I love this!!
Thanks Ari! 💙
Love everything about this, especially the initial analysis. My jaw dropped seeing "The Book of Margery Kempe" included because... yes. Need to revisit that with a new perspective! Thanks x
That book blew my mind when I first encountered it during undergrad. So so brilliant
A possible short story collection addition: Things We Lost In The Fire by Mariana Enriquez
Love this list!!
You know I had it in there and then I removed it and now I don't know why but I think I was overthinking how much weird girl lit and horror can truly crossover and where one genre ought to stop bleeding so much into the other?
That's so fair! There are some weird girls in those short stories but as a whole it does feel more horror
Ditto. Thanks. Great list.
Thank you Nina!
Thanks for the lists of weird girl lit!
Thank you David
Thanks for the Lynn Xu turn on!
You're welcome Frank!
I was about to suggest The Hearing Trumpet and saw you already had it! When I read it last year I was amazed at how it was such a proto weird girl lit novel
Thank you Julianne! That book is outta this world
sooo good. one of my favorite reads of last year! great list!
This guide is sooo definitive, saving immediately
Thank you Sharon! 💙
I love Shit Cassandra Saw! So glad it’s on this list.
Yess so weird haha