What Books Are Similar To What Girls Are Made Of?

2026-03-19 23:51:39
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3 Answers

Blake
Blake
Favorite read: The Girl They Replaced
Plot Explainer Electrician
For readers who resonated with 'What Girls Are Made Of', I’d suggest 'We Are the Ants' by Shaun David Hutchinson. While it follows a queer male protagonist, the existential dread and graphic emotional honesty parallel Nina’s story. Hutchinson doesn’t coddle his characters, and the novel’s exploration of self-worth amid chaos is hauntingly similar. Another curveball recommendation: 'The Vegetarian' by Han Kang. It’s surreal and adult-lit, but its dissection of a woman’s rebellion against her body and societal norms feels like a darker cousin to Arnold’s book. The visceral imagery—especially around autonomy and violence—will stick with you.

If you want more feminist fury, 'Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982' by Cho Nam-Joo is a must. It’s a fictionalized account of gendered oppression in Korea, delivered with the same unflinching clarity as 'What Girls Are Made Of'. Jiyoung’s quiet unraveling is less graphic than Nina’s but just as devastating.
2026-03-21 18:50:56
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Honest Reviewer Accountant
I’ve been recommending 'Blood Water Paint' by Joy McCullough to everyone who asks about books like 'What Girls Are Made Of'. It’s a historical verse novel about Artemisia Gentileschi, a 17th-century painter who endured trauma and fought back—much like Nina’s journey. The lyrical brutality of McCullough’s writing aligns with Arnold’s blunt prose, and both protagonists reclaim their bodies and voices in oppressive worlds. Another hidden gem is 'Tess of the Road' by Rachel Hartman. It’s fantasy, but Tess’s gritty, self-destructive path toward healing feels eerily similar to Nina’s. The way Hartman tackles shame and sexuality is uncompromising.

Don’t overlook 'Speak' by Laurie Halse Anderson, either. It’s older but remains a cornerstone of YA lit about trauma and silence. Melinda’s story is quieter than Nina’s, but the anger and eventual catharsis are just as potent. These books all share a thread of girls clawing their way through pain to something like empowerment—if not tidy resolutions.
2026-03-22 07:37:58
18
Novel Fan Editor
If you loved the raw, unfiltered honesty of 'What Girls Are Made Of', you might find 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath equally gripping. Both dive deep into the inner turmoil of young women navigating societal expectations and personal identity. Plath's semi-autobiographical novel, like Elana K. Arnold's work, doesn’t shy away from the messy, painful parts of growing up. Another great pick is 'Girl, Interrupted' by Susanna Kaysen—it’s a memoir, but its fragmented, visceral style mirrors the intensity of 'What Girls Are Made Of'. Both books explore mental health and the pressure to conform, though Kaysen’s perspective is more clinical yet deeply personal.

For something more contemporary, try 'The Poet X' by Elizabeth Acevedo. It’s a verse novel, so the format’s different, but the themes of body autonomy, religion, and self-discovery hit just as hard. Acevedo’s protagonist, Xiomara, battles her conservative upbringing much like Nina in Arnold’s book, but through poetry that feels like a punch to the gut. If you’re after books that refuse to sugarcoat female adolescence, these are perfect companions.
2026-03-22 08:26:44
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