Women's Lives and Relationships

From The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction by Joyce G. Saricks. Copyright © 2001 Joyce G. Saricks. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reproduce for nonprofit, educa- tional purposes. Check out the book at the ALA Online Store (www.alastore.ala.org). 16 Women’s Lives and Relationships One of the most popular annotated booklists at my library is one devoted to books about women and their lives, written by women authors. If the popularity of our booklists is any indication of what women read, we know that many women, in my library at least, are requesting books that generally deal with Women’s Lives and Rela- tionships. These are books that do not fall easily into a genre, books that explore concerns faced by women of their age group or by women in general. Sometimes readers seek a lighthearted book in this vein; at other times they look for a title that deals more seriously with an issue; at times a “soap opera” approach satisfies their need to escape the reality of their lives; and at other times they seek something more provocative. Fortunately for librarians and readers alike, this is a mar- ket publishers have recognized and worked to meet, providing books that reflect Women’s Lives and Relationships for readers who want books that deal with the concerns and joys found in women’s lives. A Definition Although some call this genre Women’s Fiction, I do not intend to use that term here. I find it too limiting, as it could suggest to the uninitiated that this is all women read. Or that this is what women 370 371 WOMEN’S LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS should read. Or what we should suggest to any woman who asks for assistance. We know that just as there is no single type of fiction all men read, no comparable Men’s Fiction, there is no one genre all women read. Therefore, this genre, Women’s Lives and Relationships, is short- ened in this chapter to Women’s Lives instead. These are books that explore the reaches of women’s lives; that deal with the dynamics of relationships with family, friends, and lovers; that may or may not end happily (although they do end with issues resolved or the resolution suggested); that examine the issues women confront in their lives (at home and at work) and the distinctive way in which women deal with these concerns. Written almost exclusively by women for a primarily female audience, these are stories that chart the courses of their lives. They deal with real problems and real solutions. They provide their readers a glimpse into the way others have confronted dilemmas similar to those they face themselves, as well as into lifestyles and problems very different from their own. Novels of Women’s Lives and Relationships, then, delineate the stories of women, and they focus on issues, domestic and professional, related to women’s lives. Although questions are raised, solutions are generally found or at least mapped out, and these books usually suggest upbeat, or at least resolved, endings. They overlap with books in other genres, with titles that feature strong women and emphasize the same kinds of relationships and struggles with issues; this crossover and how to use it to help readers find more of the types of books they enjoy are discussed below in the “Expanding Readers’ Horizons” sec- tion of the “Readers’ Advisory Interview.” See Figure 16.1 for characteristics of the genre. Characteristics and the Genre’s Appeal Characterization These are novels written by women, and they explore the lives of female protagonists while they focus on the protagonist’s relationships with family, friends, and lovers. Occasionally male authors write successfully in this genre, as Richard Peck did in his popular London Holiday, 372 WOMEN’S LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS FIGURE 16.1 Characteristics of the Women’s Lives and Relationships Genre 1. The protagonist is female, as is the author. Secondary characters, especially women, are also important. Protagonists may have a support group composed of female family mem- bers and friends. 2. Story lines reflect the issues affecting women’s lives, and they usually focus on a single issue, thus portraying women facing difficult situations. Although there may be elements of Ro- mance or Suspense, that is not the focus of the stories. Story lines reflect universal female themes—family conflicts, family relationships, work versus family, friendships—and how the protagonists react to these issues. Endings are resolved satis- factorily (or solutions are put in place), rather than left open. 3. The setting is usually contemporary. These are books about today’s women and the problems they face. 4. These books adopt a familiar, intimate tone. The writing style may range from elegantly poetic to more prosaic and conver- sational to humorous, and differences in tone, from more soap opera or melodramatic to realistic or provocative, dis- tinguish the story lines of these novels. 5. Pacing runs the gamut from leisurely unfolding to faster- paced. Fans talk of these as compelling reads that pull readers in and involve them with the protagonist’s story. the story of three friends who escape to London, leaving behind rather dreary lives and problems with husbands, families, and work.1 Together these women recover their lives and their friendships. How- ever, it is usually other women who write these stories that touch the hearts and minds of fellow females. These novels may follow a single character and examine the ways in which she relates to others and at- tempts to make sense of her life, or they may explore a group of women, usually friends, and the interrelated issues of their lives and friendships. 373 WOMEN’S LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS These books are character centered, and although the protagonists are the primary focus, secondary female characters are also important. Even though these books may deal with a group of friends, there is generally one woman who stands out as the protagonist or the focus. Although the lives of the secondary characters may also be examined, all plotlines and characters finally converge on the protagonist and her story. Rebecca Wells’s The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sis- terhood stands out as a popular example.2 In addition to revealing the history of a group of friends, their coming of age, and their lives now, this is also more specifically the story of one mother-daughter pair who attempt to resolve their personal relationship, with the help, of course, of the other Ya-Yas. In others, more frequently written by more established authors in the genre, there is clearly a single protagonist who fights her way out of her difficulties and makes her own way, with more or less help from her friends. In novels by Danielle Steel, Fern Michaels, LaVyrle Spencer, and Barbara Delinsky, the protagonist is more frequently on her own, only occasionally finding succor in female friends or relatives. Kristin Hannah, known primarily for her writing in the Romance genre, seems to be moving toward Women’s Lives with her recent titles. In On Mystic Lake Annie Colwater sends her daughter off to college and is ready to start the second half of her life, when she is devastated by her husband’s announcement that he wants a divorce.3 She returns to her hometown of Mystic Lake, where she seeks to rediscover her- self. Romantic elements are important, but more important are her re- alization and the creation of her own future. Story Line Unlike much other genre fiction, part of the appeal of this genre is the currency of the issues. Themes in these books reflect problems women face today. Although some Historical Fiction may also reflect women’s issues, as in Catherine Cookson’s studies of the plight of nineteenth-century women in rural England, these do not have the same impact and feel for fans as contemporary titles. Readers may read and enjoy both, but they look to these contemporary stories of Women’s Lives and Relationships for different reassurances and satisfactions. 374 WOMEN’S LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS On the other hand, some authors successfully employ story lines in past and present to reflect universal themes that affect women’s lives. Hanna’s Daughters, by Swedish author Marianne Fredriksson, tells the stories of Hanna, who was born in the nineteenth century; her daughter Johanna, born at the end of that century; and her granddaughter Anna, the narrator, who has two daughters of her own.4 Anna charts her mother’s and grandmother’s lives, seeking to understand her mother, who is approaching death, and thus she reveals the similari- ties and differences of character as well as of milieu and opportunity. And through this examination of a specific situation, she illuminates universal truths about these relationships. Although these stories may contain elements of Romance, Sus- pense, and Mystery, the basic story deals with problems and issues affecting women’s lives. The additional elements serve only to en- hance, rather than overwhelm, the basic story. Popular themes examine generations of families, family relationships and friendships, issues with health and career, and women triumphing over adversity and re- constructing their lives. Although some verge on the melodramatic, novels in this genre revolve around healing and discovering solutions to problems many women share. (In fact, the prospect of a solution is an important aspect of their appeal. If the story is left open-ended, with a satisfactory resolution not ensured, the story probably belongs with titles in another genre, Literary Fiction, perhaps, rather than here.) Contrast the novels of Spencer and Barbara Kingsolver to understand the range of this genre.

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