Fiction/Novels with Female Protagonists That Aren't About Love or Romance

1.
To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird 4.26 avg rating — 6,688,829 ratings
2.
The Help
The Help 4.47 avg rating — 2,962,071 ratings
3.
The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1)
The Handmaid’s Tale (The Handmaid's Tale, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 2,323,079 ratings
4.
Matilda
Matilda 4.33 avg rating — 1,072,767 ratings
5.
The Secret Life of Bees
The Secret Life of Bees 4.10 avg rating — 1,337,501 ratings
6.
A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet, #1)
A Wrinkle in Time (Time Quintet, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 1,263,371 ratings
7.
Coraline
Coraline 4.13 avg rating — 760,541 ratings
8.
The Yellow Wall-Paper
The Yellow Wall-Paper 4.07 avg rating — 338,229 ratings
9.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Island of the Blue Dolphins 3.88 avg rating — 345,761 ratings
10.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 4.30 avg rating — 499,207 ratings
11.
The Thirteenth Tale
The Thirteenth Tale 3.98 avg rating — 323,009 ratings
12.
The Bell Jar
The Bell Jar 4.05 avg rating — 1,153,757 ratings
13.
Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity #1)
Code Name Verity (Code Name Verity #1) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 125,851 ratings
14.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
by: Lisa See
4.09 avg rating — 382,945 ratings
15.
Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1)
Equal Rites (Discworld, #3; Witches, #1) 4.07 avg rating — 194,529 ratings
16.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass 4.06 avg rating — 597,632 ratings
17.
Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1)
Little House in the Big Woods (Little House, #1) 4.21 avg rating — 281,974 ratings
18.
Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Långstrump, #1)
Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Långstrump, #1) 4.15 avg rating — 206,931 ratings
19.
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1)
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, #1) 3.88 avg rating — 136,054 ratings
20.
A Little Princess
A Little Princess 4.23 avg rating — 320,505 ratings
21.
Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1)
Doomsday Book (Oxford Time Travel, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 63,442 ratings
22.
Because of Winn-Dixie
Because of Winn-Dixie 4.10 avg rating — 274,164 ratings
23.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler 4.16 avg rating — 217,106 ratings
24.
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1)
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1) 4.03 avg rating — 1,594,224 ratings
25.
The Summer List
The Summer List 3.94 avg rating — 6,691 ratings
26.
The Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club
by: Amy Tan
3.97 avg rating — 703,405 ratings
27.
Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches, #2)
Wyrd Sisters (Discworld, #6; Witches, #2) 4.16 avg rating — 127,784 ratings
28.
The Girl with Ghost Eyes
The Girl with Ghost Eyes 3.86 avg rating — 4,419 ratings
29.
Life After Life (Todd Family, #1)
Life After Life (Todd Family, #1) 3.78 avg rating — 237,984 ratings
30.
The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1)
The Wee Free Men (Discworld, #30; Tiffany Aching, #1) 4.30 avg rating — 118,206 ratings
31.
The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1)
The Beekeeper's Apprentice (Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes #1) 4.04 avg rating — 86,565 ratings
32.
White Oleander
White Oleander really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 363,342 ratings
33.
Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School, #1)
Etiquette & Espionage (Finishing School, #1) 3.83 avg rating — 51,391 ratings
34.
Kindred
Kindred 4.31 avg rating — 258,312 ratings
35.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle
We Have Always Lived in the Castle 3.92 avg rating — 273,801 ratings
36.
Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1)
Dealing with Dragons (Enchanted Forest Chronicles, #1) 4.16 avg rating — 93,518 ratings
37.
Flight Behavior
Flight Behavior 3.82 avg rating — 100,164 ratings
38.
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion
The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion 4.03 avg rating — 55,871 ratings
39.
Wise Child (Doran, #1)
Wise Child (Doran, #1) 4.22 avg rating — 9,895 ratings
40.
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax, #1)
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (Mrs. Pollifax, #1) 4.16 avg rating — 30,154 ratings
41.
Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1)
Annihilation (Southern Reach, #1) 3.79 avg rating — 281,903 ratings
42.
The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #2)
The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories, #2) 3.96 avg rating — 44,101 ratings
43.
The Hero and the Crown (Damar, #2)
The Hero and the Crown (Damar, #2) 4.21 avg rating — 54,706 ratings
44.
Binti (Binti, #1)
Binti (Binti, #1) 3.85 avg rating — 78,680 ratings
45.
Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1)
Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch, #1) 3.99 avg rating — 115,500 ratings
46.
The Secret Garden
The Secret Garden 4.16 avg rating — 1,263,028 ratings
47.
Julie of the Wolves (Julie of the Wolves, #1)
Julie of the Wolves (Julie of the Wolves, #1) 3.83 avg rating — 60,965 ratings
48.
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe 4.28 avg rating — 321,372 ratings
49.
The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1)
The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, #1) 3.86 avg rating — 165,697 ratings
50.
How to Climb the Eiffel Tower
How to Climb the Eiffel Tower 4.14 avg rating — 112 ratings
51.
This I Know
This I Know 4.25 avg rating — 4,322 ratings
52.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1)
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce, #1) 3.82 avg rating — 176,373 ratings
53.
Dragonsong (Harper Hall, #1)
Dragonsong (Harper Hall, #1) 4.26 avg rating — 58,215 ratings
54.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The Elegance of the Hedgehog 3.80 avg rating — 195,797 ratings
55.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Oz, #1) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 499,086 ratings
56.
Daughters of Eve
Daughters of Eve 3.62 avg rating — 4,167 ratings
57.
Olive Kitteridge (Olive Kitteridge, #1)
Olive Kitteridge (Olive Kitteridge, #1) 3.86 avg rating — 259,606 ratings
57.
Running Out of Time (Out of Time #1)
Running Out of Time (Out of Time #1) 3.99 avg rating — 28,230 ratings
59.
Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1)
Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1) 3.93 avg rating — 40,600 ratings
60.
Smilla's Sense of Snow
Smilla's Sense of Snow 3.73 avg rating — 51,270 ratings
61.
The Girl with All the Gifts (The Girl With All the Gifts, #1)
The Girl with All the Gifts (The Girl With All the Gifts, #1) 3.95 avg rating — 240,819 ratings
62.
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1)
Beloved (Beloved Trilogy, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 476,943 ratings
63.
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray, #1)
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman (Cordelia Gray, #1) 3.82 avg rating — 20,012 ratings
64.
The Haunting of Hill House
The Haunting of Hill House 3.81 avg rating — 365,305 ratings
65.
Kamikaze Girls
Kamikaze Girls 4.22 avg rating — 1,738 ratings
66.
Fay
Fay 3.99 avg rating — 3,106 ratings
67.
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1)
The Clan of the Cave Bear (Earth's Children, #1) 4.10 avg rating — 278,692 ratings
68.
Track of the Cat (Anna Pigeon, #1)
Track of the Cat (Anna Pigeon, #1) 3.84 avg rating — 22,113 ratings
69.
The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2)
The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2) 4.07 avg rating — 130,987 ratings
70.
The Uncommon Reader
The Uncommon Reader 3.73 avg rating — 58,255 ratings
71.
Winter's Bone
Winter's Bone 3.86 avg rating — 38,156 ratings
71.
Valley of the Dolls
Valley of the Dolls 3.86 avg rating — 75,301 ratings
73.
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer 4.16 avg rating — 92,364 ratings
74.
Kristy and the Snobs (The Baby-Sitters Club, #11)
Kristy and the Snobs (The Baby-Sitters Club, #11) 3.78 avg rating — 4,785 ratings
75.
Sophie’s World
Sophie’s World 3.97 avg rating — 275,120 ratings
76.
The Awakening
The Awakening 3.69 avg rating — 222,557 ratings
76.
The Red Tent
The Red Tent 4.20 avg rating — 623,977 ratings
78.
Speak
Speak 4.05 avg rating — 622,686 ratings
78.
The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1)
The Bear and the Nightingale (Winternight Trilogy, #1) 4.09 avg rating — 224,643 ratings
80.
Artemisia
Artemisia 3.93 avg rating — 5,658 ratings
81.
Little Women (Little Women, #1)
Little Women (Little Women, #1) 4.17 avg rating — 2,393,020 ratings
82.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) 4.27 avg rating — 224,929 ratings
83.
Number the Stars
Number the Stars 4.19 avg rating — 608,415 ratings
84.
Amelia Bedelia (Amelia Bedelia, #1)
Amelia Bedelia (Amelia Bedelia, #1) 4.19 avg rating — 91,768 ratings
85.
Take Me to Your Nerdy Leader (Bowden Anime Club #1)
Take Me to Your Nerdy Leader (Bowden Anime Club #1) 3.98 avg rating — 137 ratings
86.
Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals, #1)
Mary, Bloody Mary (Young Royals, #1) 3.81 avg rating — 8,018 ratings
87.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping 3.81 avg rating — 57,347 ratings
88.
National Velvet
National Velvet 4.10 avg rating — 25,903 ratings
89.
Amy Falls Down (Amy Gallup, #2)
Amy Falls Down (Amy Gallup, #2) 3.69 avg rating — 2,494 ratings
90.
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit 3.73 avg rating — 89,518 ratings
91.
The Queen's Gambit
The Queen's Gambit 4.18 avg rating — 133,025 ratings
92.
The Emperor's Soul
The Emperor's Soul 4.38 avg rating — 122,450 ratings
93.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie 3.70 avg rating — 59,330 ratings
94.
Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence, #1)
Three Parts Dead (Craft Sequence, #1) 3.97 avg rating — 15,296 ratings
94.
Antigone (The Theban Plays, #3)
Antigone (The Theban Plays, #3)
by: Sophocles
3.68 avg rating — 170,462 ratings
96.
The Girl on the Train
The Girl on the Train 3.96 avg rating — 3,202,469 ratings
97.
The Forgotten Garden
The Forgotten Garden 4.15 avg rating — 234,163 ratings
98.
Maisie Dobbs
Maisie Dobbs 3.93 avg rating — 120,555 ratings
99.
Ancillary Sword (Imperial Radch, #2)
Ancillary Sword (Imperial Radch, #2) 4.08 avg rating — 59,027 ratings
100.
Mary Anne Saves the Day (The Baby-Sitters Club, #4)
Mary Anne Saves the Day (The Baby-Sitters Club, #4) 3.85 avg rating — 9,041 ratings
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