Stephen King, Really?

Yes, really.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Stephen King may not be the first author that pops into our heads when it comes to feminist literature, but he should definitely be up there on the list.

Here’s why: although he’s been frequently criticized since the beginning of his career for his female characters, his representations of women are consistently evolving and becoming more rounded; he’s not afraid to represent gendered violence against women exactly how it is (he doesn’t skip on any details just because they might make the reader “uncomfortable”); and his novels are totally readable—perhaps some of the most readable worldwide, in fact—which means that they offer a great jumping-off point for individuals who are new to feminism (like myself).

What follows is my list of the top five Stephen King novels for the new feminist; novels that will make you say “wow, women really are badass, aren’t they?” 

Also, SPOILER ALERT! 

1. Carrie 

I briefly discussed Carrie in my last blog post, “‘Menstruation’ (Are You Uncomfortable Now?),” but I’ll reiterate my observations here. 

In Carrie, protagonist Carrie White—a social pariah at her high school—discovers that she has telekinetic powers. Interestingly enough, Carrie’s powers only become evident to her soon after she starts menstruation.  

Coincidence? I think not.

In addition to this direct relationship that is drawn out between womanhood and telekinesis, the novel also does an excellent job at accurately depicting the struggles of growing up alongside unrealistic beauty standards as a woman. One of the main reasons Carrie is outcasted —and forced to resort to violence and destruction—is because she does not measure up to the same beauty standard as her female peers; she is considered abnormal.  

2. The Dark Tower Series

Now, I’m kind of cheating with this one because The Dark Tower Series is not a novel but a series of novels (as the name suggests).

There are seven novels plus a novella in the series, and they are all read-worthy primarily because we are introduced to one of King’s most complex characters to date: Susannah Dean. I can’t possibly explore all of the complexities here, but I will say that she actually begins the series as two separate women. And just what exactly do I mean by two separate women? 

Well, you’ll just have to read the series to find out, won’t you?

Susannah Dean is perhaps King’s most noteworthy female character because she offers us an intersectional perspective that is absent in some of his other works: she is a coloured woman who lost both of her legs in a horrific subway accident. Through Susannah, we see incredibly disturbing acts of sexism, racism, and outright discrimination; we experience instances of physical and sexual assault; and we’re exposed to the difficulties and heartbreak that often accompany motherhood.

If you’re going to take one suggestion from my list, it should be The Dark Tower Series.

Highly recommended.

3. Gerald’s Game    

Ahh Gerald’s Game. 

This novel—along with the next novel I’m going to discuss—holds a special place in my little feminist heart because I spent two years analyzing it in grad school.

There’s so much to be said about this novel, but I’ll be brief because time is of the essence.

In Gerald’s Game, protagonist Jessie Burlingame is sexually assaulted by her father as a child while a solar eclipse takes place in the sky above. As if this is not already horrific enough, she is then forced to relive this childhood trauma as an adult when her husband, Gerald, handcuffs her to their bed with no means of escape. The no means of escape part is further amplified by the fact that Jessie kicks Gerald in the gut—to avoid being raped by him—and accidentally gives him a heart attack. 

King sets up the novel in such a way that when Jessie finally manages to free herself from the chains shackling her to the bed, we get the sense that she is not only liberating herself from the chains but from the sexual assault she experienced as a child, as well.

Basically, the novel is a journey of spiritual and bodily reclamation for Jessie.

4. Dolores Claiborne

Dolores Claiborne and Gerald’s Game are a set (the eclipse during which Jessie is assaulted in Gerald’s Game is also seen in Dolores Claiborne), so if you’re going to read one, then you have to read the other.

It’s the rule, okay?

In Dolores Claiborne, protagonist Dolores Claiborne actually uses the eclipse as an opportunity to murder her husband, Joe. She decides to do so after finding out that he has been sexually abusing their teenage daughter, Selena. 

We can see the common threads of sexual abuse and reclaiming agency laced throughout both Gerald’s Game and Dolores Claiborne. However, while Gerald’s Game is more-so focused on Jessie’s personal experiences, Dolores Claiborne shows us the common, every day, perhaps even mundane hardships that women are expected to endure in a society that was historically built to benefit men.

In fact, this is why Dolores resorts to violence: she is forced to take matters into her own hands after she is consistently ignored and rejected by several social institutions due to her gender. 

5. Mr. Mercedes

I read Mr. Mercedes quite recently, and I have to say that Holly Gibney is one of the most refreshing female characters I’ve encountered in some time. Holly is not necessarily the protagonist of the novel (I guess we’ll assign that role to Bill Hodges), but the novel would be completely incomplete without her. 

I think I enjoy Holly so much as a character because she reminds me a bit of myself in the sense that she’s a bit quieter and reserved, so we don’t expect her to be as strong and defiant as she ends up being.

I won’t insert any spoilers here—maybe I should, though, since I’ve spoiled the rest of the novels?—but Holly plays a major role in catching the bad guy, Mr. Mercedes himself, which is pretty badass, if you ask me.

I’ve also been told by my dad—the Stephen King superfan—that Holly shows up in a few other King novels including Finders Keepers, End of Watch, The Outsider, and If It Bleeds.

I’ll be keeping those high up on my reading list.

What about you?