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A place to discuss books with the theme "Monsters as heroes" for our 2021 reading challenge.

I read Echo North for this category

I'm thinking that The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker would fit. Golems are not usually the heroes.

Katy wrote: "I'm thinking that The Hidden Palace by Helene Wecker would fit. Golems are not usually the heroes."

I think so!

I've read Women and Other Monsters: Building a New Mythology by Jess Zimmerman and Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia for this category. I'm aiming for three per category so I still need one more.

Welp, I'm struggling with this topic. I tried (once again) to read Grendel, but it was no go. Have sampled some of the other popular titles, and they all feel like work to me.

What I'm going to try next is to read short stories on a theme: a short story by Richard Garnett called The Poison Maid, based on Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (which I'll reread). (And maybe a Poison Ivy comic, LOL!)

I have already read The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, which features Beatrice Rappaccini.

Susan wrote: "I have already read The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, which features Beatrice Rappaccini."

Could you read the second book in that series? I read the first one too and quite enjoyed it, but never continued with the series.

Margaret wrote: "Susan wrote: "I have already read The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter, which features Beatrice Rappaccini."

Could you read the second book in that series? I read the first one too and qui..."

I might could do that, though I wasn't enchanted by Book 1 and now have forgotten most of it.

I read The Jumbie God's Revenge for this. It follows 2 other Jumbie books.

It happened again! I read a book not intending it for the challenge but it turns out being a perfect choice.
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. The lead character is considered to be a monster by everyone but she's a hero!

Jalilah wrote: "It happened again! I read a book not intending it for the challenge but it turns out being a perfect choice.
Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor. The lead character is ..."

Yay! I was going to add it to my challenge list but then I realized I read it last year! It's hard to keep track of when I read things.

I just sort of accidentally read a contemporary--not sure whether to call it fantasy or magic realism--novel that sort of qualifies as a Monster main character: All's Well.

Now I'm making slow progress through European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman, which gives me a whole batch of loveable monsters. I only wish that it moved along a little more quickly.

Susan wrote: "I just sort of accidentally read a contemporary--not sure whether to call it fantasy or magic realism--novel that sort of qualifies as a Monster main character: All's Well.

Now I'..."

The publisher pitched All's Well as a horror. I haven't read it though!

Margaret wrote: "The publisher pitched All's Well as a horror."

Huh. I picked it up because of a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ review, so I didn't know how it was pitched. I read very little horror, so I don't know the hallmarks of the genre.

And as I read The Fire Rose for a different purpose (reading lots of Gaslamp Fantasy lately), I realized that it fills a couple of challenge categories--Monster as hero is where I'll place it.

Because European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman is not for me. The hooks are brilliant, but not enough to draw me through the slow-moving storytelling; also, the insertions in which the main characters are shown commenting on the ms don't reduce the odd feeling of detachment I feel for most of the Monstrous Gentlewomen--though I wish them HEAs, and the same to the author--who is brilliant but from whom I also feel regrettably detached.

Susan wrote: "And as I read The Fire Rose for a different purpose (reading lots of Gaslamp Fantasy lately), I realized that it fills a couple of challenge categories--Monster as hero is where I'll ..."

That's too bad, but I'm glad you found a different book that fits! I've only read the first in the Monstrous Gentlewomen series, which I did enjoy.

Susan wrote: "I just sort of accidentally read a contemporary--not sure whether to call it fantasy or magic realism--novel that sort of qualifies as a Monster main character: All's Well.

Now I'..."

Oh my! The lead character could be considered a monster?
I recently read Bunny by the same author and really liked the writing style. I finished the challenge but could always add a few more books to make it longer.

Bunny was not Steven King type horror or bodies chopped up with an axe type horror. I don't like traditional horror and was not afraid as I read Bunny. It is more strange, unsettling type literature

Jalilah, I would definitely say that the POV character in All's Well fits the mold of Beast (perhaps more precisely Caliban)--it's not a spoiler to say that she's imprisoned in a state of incapacitating and apparently incurable pain, and it's warping her relationships with friends and at work.

"Strange, unsettling" would perfectly describe my experience with the story.