Literature Exploring the Dangerous Terrain of Female Friendship
As titillating as YA chick-lit can be, books exploring the infinitely faceted kaleidoscopes of female relationships are so much more sensational. In this terrain, there are no explicit borders: when is intimacy no longer platonic? There are nameless, faceless monsters of the spirit: why are women so ruthless, so merciless to each other? There are hidden treasures, desperately sought, and more desperately hoarded when found: why are we so possessive of each other? Novels that explore these questions tug on a particular set of heartstrings, ones too often neglected in the world of literature.
Atwood’s depiction of girlhood friendships is puritanical in its austere cruelty. Elaine, a cynical middle-aged woman, wanders through the events of her life. The reader has the pleasure of analyzing the gravity her childhood has on her art and character. Like a religion forced upon a young mind, Elaine struggles to escape from her childhood friends’ influence. Despite their constant torment and ostracization, Elaine revered her girlfriends. A sacred and unwavering devotion that ultimately flings her into mental illness. She enters adulthood plagued by depression, fearful of other women, and permanently molded by the crusades of sadistic little girls.
Cline’s debut novel, another narrative from the perspective of a cynical middle-aged woman, is loosely based on the Manson family. Tragically impacted by the friendship of her youth, Evie Boyd recalls the circumstances that drew her to her fate: the irresistible lure of female friendship.
After several chance meetings, Evie is swept up by a cult of teenage girls, trailing after the enchanting Suzanne. The friendship quickly falls into the pattern we all know and love. They are inseparable. Daily rhythms of life readjust to revolve around each other. Nudged by the sixties’ dissolution of cultural norms, the boundaries of their friendship blur. We’re left just as starved as Evie is for answers, was that obsessive need for Suzanne an escape from loneliness or a breach of the platonic best friendship?
There is no way to relate how strange this novel is, and how much stranger the experience of reading it is. Put simply, the novel is a caricature of female friendship. Samantha, a young graduate student at an elite university, scoffs at a nauseating clique of women. The friendship, at a distance and from up close, is so obscene it may as well be a cult. While Evie, the protagonist of The Girls, offers herself up as a sacrificial lamb, Samantha is hunted. Once she glimpses the Bunnies’ inner circle, they take possession of her, all demonic undertones intended. Awad captures the toxic female friend group dynamic with garish detail: the intense desire to belong, and the safety that comes with being in the group, no matter how horrifying the rituals are.
The Childhood Favorites:
These books need no explanation for their place on this list. Each one is a timeless classic. If you’re looking for a novel that’ll leave you with a tender appreciation for female adolescence, and the critical role female friendships play, these are your best bet.
