The best fantasy books with a prominent feminist theme

The Priory of the Orange Tree is a wonderful epic fantasy story, filled with memorable characters and interesting settings. I found myself drawn to the strong feminist elements, from the diverse range of characters to the different issues explored (from sexuality to cultural differences, child loss to patriarchal violence). An incredibly powerful story, where the female characters take front and centre-stage in a refreshing show of female power and strength. 

One of the first books I read as a young girl which made me realise that I could be a fantasy hero, we follow Alanna—the eleven-year-old protagonist who longs to be a knight and so disguises herself as a boy in order to train. At the time of its release in 1983, other fantasy books were filled with male heroes and mentors, wizards, and knights. This book broke that mould. Alanna must fight against the established patriarchy to learn the ways of a knight, and along the way she begins to question what it is to be female. An essential read for any fans of fantasy, in my opinion—and the rest of the series, too! 

Another book I read as a child, and one which has remained a firm favourite ever since. Lyra Belacqua and her daemon, Pantalaimon, find themselves thrown into an epic fight against the the Magisterium in the hopes of saving her own world (and multiple others) against the repression of the Authority. Lyra is a female protagonist who is not particularly strong or powerful (she is a child, after all), but she is able to overcome some incredibly challenging situations using her intelligence and wit which was endlessly inspiring to me as a child, and remains so this day. I highly recommend this series. 

The Liveship Traders books explore the roles of women in arguably more depth than previous and subsequent books within Hobb’s massive Realm of the Elderlings series. In Ship of Magic, we are introduced to multiple characters including female protagonists Althea and Malta, two members of the Vestrit family who, throughout this series, try to establish their place in a society that very firmly places women within restricted roles. Hobb is a master at character work, and following the stories of these two young women is a journey in itself. We see them evolve, grow, and, ultimately, overcome the oppressions placed upon them by those around them. In the trilogy as a whole, Hobb explores these issues alongside historic abuse and trauma, mental health, and equality. An excellent exploration of feminist issues.  

A grimdark fantasy in the tone of Abercrombie, Moss’s The Worthy is a brilliant debut that explores a fractious sibling relationship between brother and sister Prince Barsten and Princess Ailith, both of whom are battling to become heir to the kingdom of Crell. Ailith herself is hiding her lover, Lady Avalon, at the same time as trying to protect the kingdom when it quite literally begins to tear itself apart due to a mysterious magical entity. The book explores issues of patriarchal oppression, historic abuse and trauma, sexuality and homophobia. Despite the grim world and morally grey characters, I found myself drawn into this story because of the important themes it considered.