Scroll to the bottom for books with complex female characters!
Ever noticed a quirky, free-spirited girl in a book, movie, or show who seems like she’s only there to shake up the guy’s life? That’s a Manic Pixie Dream Girl (MPDG)! She’s fun, weird in a cool way, and totally unforgettable—but more of a plot device than a fully realized character.
Take Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby. She’s the center of Gatsby’s obsession, but we never truly get to know her beyond his dream version of her. Or Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska, a wild and mysterious girl who helps the male protagonist grow but doesn’t have her own complete story. In movies, characters like Sam from Garden State and Summer from (500) Days of Summer serve as examples of MPDGs. They bring excitement and change, but their purpose is tied entirely to the male lead’s journey.
The problem with the MPDG trope is that these characters are often one-dimensional. They’re stepping stones for male protagonists but don’t get to be the stars of their own stories.
That’s where tools like the Bechdel Test come in. Created by cartoonist Alison Bechdel in her comic Dykes to Watch Out For, this test asks three simple questions:
Are there at least two female characters?
Do they talk to each other?
Is their conversation about something other than a guy?
While the Bechdel Test may seem simple, you'd be surprised how many stories still fail to meet these basic criteria. Passing the test doesn't mean a story has perfect representation, but it does signal whether female characters are developed beyond mere plot devices.
For example, Little Women features rich, meaningful conversations among the March sisters about writing, personal dreams, and family. Movies like Moana show complex relationships, like Moana’s bond with her grandmother, focusing on identity and courage rather than romance. These stories remind us that women’s lives are filled with depth, agency, and limitless potential.
The Bechdel Test isn’t perfect—it doesn’t measure diversity or character development—but it’s a valuable starting point. It challenges us to ask: Who gets to speak in stories? Whose stories matter?
So next time you’re reading a book or watching a movie, take a moment to reflect. Are female characters portrayed as full, complex people? Or are they reduced to sidekicks and plot devices? By recognizing these patterns, we can demand richer, more nuanced storytelling—stories where all characters, regardless of gender, are given the space to shine.
See below for a sampling of books with complex female characters. Click on the titles for more information.
Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn
Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, by Jennifer DeLeon
Girls With Sharp Sticks, by Suzanne Young
Sky Without Stars, by Jessica Brody
City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare
Speak, by Laurie Halse Anderson (also available as an audiobook and a graphic novel)
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott (also available as an eBook)
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