The novel follows the life of Jane Eyre, an orphan who is mistreated by her relatives and sent to a charity school. As she grows up, Jane becomes a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she falls in love with the brooding and mysterious Mr. Rochester. However, she soon learns of a dark secret in his past that threatens their future together. The story is a profound exploration of a woman's self-discovery and her struggle for independence and love in a rigid Victorian society.

This classic novel follows the lives of the four March sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - as they navigate the challenges and joys of adolescence and adulthood in 19th century New England. As they grow, they grapple with issues of poverty, gender roles, love, and personal identity, each in her own unique way. The story is a testament to the power of family, sisterhood, and female resilience in a time of societal constraints.

The novel follows the story of a young woman who wins a guest editorship at a magazine in New York City and, after a series of personal and professional disappointments, suffers a mental breakdown and returns to her family, where she continues to struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. The protagonist's experiences in psychiatric institutions and her attempts to reclaim her life are depicted with brutal honesty, making it a poignant exploration of mental illness and the societal pressures faced by women in the mid-20th century.

The novel explores the spiritual isolation of misfits and outcasts in a small town of the U.S. South. Its protagonist is a deaf-mute who becomes the confidant for various troubled souls including a black physician, a bitter labor activist, a lonely young girl, and a struggling café owner. Each pours their heart out to him, but he remains unable to respond, reflecting the deep human need for connection and understanding.

"The Awakening" is a novel set in the late 19th century New Orleans, which explores the life of a young woman trapped in societal and marital expectations. She embarks on a journey of self-discovery and independence, defying the norms of her time. The protagonist challenges the traditional roles of women as she seeks personal fulfillment, experiences sexual awakening, and struggles with her desires and responsibilities. The book is a critique of the repressive social norms, particularly regarding women and marriage, of the Victorian era.

This novel is a poignant tale of fraternal twins, a boy and a girl, who navigate through their childhood in Kerala, India, amidst a backdrop of political unrest and societal norms. The story, set in 1969, explores the complexities of their family's history and the tragic events that shape their lives. Their mother's transgression of caste and societal norms by having an affair with an untouchable leads to disastrous consequences, revealing the oppressive nature of the caste system and the destructive power of forbidden love. The novel also delves into themes of postcolonial identity, gender roles, and the lingering effects of trauma.

This novel explores the complex relationships between four Chinese-American mothers and their American-born daughters. The narrative switches between the perspectives of the eight women, revealing their pasts, their struggles with cultural identity, and the misunderstandings that have grown between the generations. The mothers, who all experienced hardship in their native China, want their daughters to have better lives and thus push them to excel in America. The daughters, in turn, struggle to reconcile their American surroundings with their Chinese heritage.

This novel centers around a 17-year-old girl living with her playboy father in the French Riviera. The pair lead a carefree, hedonistic lifestyle until the father decides to remarry, causing the protagonist to hatch a plan to prevent the marriage and return to their old way of life. The story explores themes of youth, love, and the struggle between desire and morality.

"Love Medicine" is a novel that explores the lives of several generations of a Native American family living on a reservation in North Dakota. The narrative is presented through a series of interconnected stories, each told from the perspective of different family members, and spans over 60 years, from 1934 to 1999. The book explores themes of love, family, identity, and the struggle between tradition and modernity. It provides a deep and poignant look into the complexities of Native American life and culture, and the challenges faced by the community.

The novel is a poignant tale of two African American girls, Nel and Sula, growing up in the racially segregated town of Medallion, Ohio. The narrative explores their friendship, personal struggles, and the societal expectations imposed on them. Sula, the more rebellious of the two, leaves town to live a life of freedom and independence, while Nel chooses to conform to societal norms, marrying and raising a family. When Sula returns, their friendship is tested due to a betrayal, and the town labels Sula as evil. The book delves into themes of friendship, betrayal, individuality, and the societal roles of women.

This graphic novel is a memoir that provides a personal account of the author's childhood and young adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution. The story portrays the impact of war, political upheaval, and religious extremism on ordinary people, while also exploring themes of identity, resilience, and the power of storytelling. Despite the harsh realities the protagonist faces, the narrative also includes moments of humor and warmth, providing a nuanced view of life in Iran during this tumultuous period.

"Nervous Conditions" is a semi-autobiographical novel set in colonial Rhodesia in the 1960s. The story follows a young girl from a poor family who gets the opportunity to receive an education after her brother's death. Despite the struggles she faces - including culture shock, racism, and the inherent sexism in both her native and adopted cultures - she perseveres and manages to succeed. The novel explores themes of race, colonialism, and gender through the lens of a young African woman's coming-of-age story.

The novel follows the journey of a young woman from rural Kentucky who, on her drive west to avoid an unwanted pregnancy, is unexpectedly entrusted with a three-year-old Native American girl. The protagonist settles in Tucson, Arizona, where she builds a non-traditional family with a group of resilient and unconventional women. The narrative explores themes of love, friendship, and the power of the human spirit while tackling issues of social injustice and immigration.

The novel follows the lives of three young women in New York City from 1945 to 1965 as they navigate the ruthless world of show business and the cost of fame. Each woman becomes dependent on "dolls," a slang term for pills, as they deal with the pressures of their careers, personal lives, and societal expectations. The narrative explores themes of ambition, addiction, and the destructive side of fame, providing a gritty, unflinching look at the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry.

The novel follows the life of Daisy Goodwill Flett, a seemingly ordinary woman, from her birth in Canada in 1905 to her death. It explores her experiences as a mother, wife, and widow, as well as her work as a gardener and her later years as a columnist. The book is unique in that it is written in a variety of styles including letters, diary entries, and third-person narrative, and it explores themes of identity, love, and the often overlooked lives of women.

This novel tells the story of two friends, Elena and Lila, growing up in a poor neighborhood in Naples, Italy in the 1950s. Their intense, complicated friendship is marked by competition, mutual respect, and deep affection. As they navigate the challenges of adolescence, including family drama, academic struggles, and romantic entanglements, their bond is tested and transformed. The narrative explores themes of female friendship, social class, education, and the struggle for personal autonomy in a patriarchal society.

"Clear Light of Day" is a novel set in Old Delhi, which explores the dynamics of the Das family. The story shifts back and forth in time, reflecting on the lives of siblings Bim, Raja, Baba, and Tara, and their relationships with each other and their aunts. The narrative delves into themes of memory, time, and decay, as well as the political upheaval of the Partition of India. The novel is a poignant study of family relationships, personal change, and loss.

This book is a biomythography, blending history, biography, and myth, of a young, black, lesbian woman growing up in 1950s Harlem. The narrative explores her early life, including her relationship with her immigrant parents, her sexual awakening, and her struggle to define her identity in a time of intense racial and homophobic prejudice. The protagonist's journey is marked by a series of women who shape her consciousness and her understanding of herself, leading her towards activism and writing.

"Second-Class Citizen" is a poignant narrative about a young Nigerian woman, Adah, who dreams of getting an education and moving to the United Kingdom. Despite cultural and societal obstacles, Adah manages to achieve her dream but is met with more hardship as she faces racial discrimination, an abusive marriage, and the struggle of raising five children in a foreign land. Through her resilience, she continues to strive for a better life, depicting the struggles of immigrants and the strength of women.

Set in a small New England town, the novel explores the lives and scandalous interactions of its residents. The story delves into themes of hypocrisy, social inequities, and moral bankruptcy, all hidden behind the façade of respectability. It follows the lives of three women in particular, each of whom grapples with issues like illicit love affairs, domestic violence, and sexual abuse. The book, with its explicit descriptions and controversial themes, became a sensation upon its release.

"Girl With Green Eyes" is a novel about a young, naive country girl who moves to Dublin and falls in love with a sophisticated older man who is married and a writer. The book explores themes of love, passion, innocence, and societal expectations. The protagonist's journey is marked by her struggle to reconcile her feelings for the man she loves with the moral and social implications of their relationship.

"Coming of Age in Samoa" is a groundbreaking anthropological study that explores adolescence, sexuality, and social norms in Samoan society. The author lived among the Samoans in the 1920s, observing and recording their way of life, particularly focusing on the experiences of teenage girls. The book challenges Western views on sexual morality and the nature versus nurture debate, suggesting that culture plays a significant role in adolescent development and behavior. The author's observations indicate that Samoan teenagers face less stress and confusion than their American counterparts, largely due to their society's relaxed attitudes towards sex and clear societal roles.

"Quicksand" is a semi-autobiographical novel about a mixed-race woman named Helga Crane who, feeling out of place in both African-American and white societies, embarks on a journey of self-discovery. From the Southern United States to Denmark and back, she struggles with racial identity, sexual repression, and societal expectations, eventually marrying a reverend and becoming disillusioned with her life as a preacher's wife in the rural South. The novel explores themes of racial identity, class, and gender in the early 20th century.

In the Time of the Butterflies is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of the Mirabal sisters who were activists against the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. The narrative is a blend of fact and fiction, presenting the personal lives and political involvement of the sisters, three of whom were assassinated for their roles in the resistance movement. The book explores themes of courage, sacrifice, love, and the power of women in the face of oppressive regimes.

"Pilgrimage" is a sequence of semi-autobiographical novels that follow the life of the protagonist, Miriam Henderson, through her journey of self-discovery in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The narrative explores Miriam's experiences, thoughts, and feelings, as she navigates through her life, dealing with issues of feminism, love, and social expectations. The book is notable for its stream of consciousness writing style, which allows readers to experience Miriam's inner world in a profound and intimate way.