When I was in my teen and twenties, I often felt as if I was 'in training to be a heroine' like Jane Austen's Catherine Morland. There I was, a girl who reads, trying to spin out the plot to my own story, reaching for the demarcations of a prologue and the sharp ridges of a climax.
Even now - even when I’ve somewhat resolved myself to the truth that there's no real narrative to any life outside of books - there's still a part of me searching for one. Because if I'm not the heroine in my own life then what's the bloody point?
Samantha Ellis’ How To Be A Heroine, is always a good reminder of this. That we are the ones with the agency and that just because we’re not in books doesn’t mean we can’t live up to legacy left by our heroines.
As a text, How To Be A Heroine sits somewhere between literary criticism, memoir, and self-help for the bookish feminist. A ‘read blooded woman,’ she focuses on the women who shape bookish hearts: our Little Mermaids, our Elizabeth Bennetts, and Cathy Earnshaws. In this sense, it’s similar to Lucy Mangan’s Bookworm, reflecting on childhood reading and the characters that influence us. But it doesn’t stop there, as she goes on to explore adult reading and the way we continue to identify with characters even once we’ve left home.
It’s jaunty; a warm-spirited romp through fact and fiction, offering insight into an eclectic range of books and authors, as well as the writer’s own background as part of an Iraqi-Jewish family living in the aftermath of Ba’athist persecution. Yes, it is reflective and centered on a singular experience, but it’s a thoughtful exploration of the role of heroines in our favourite stories and in our lives – and how those choices, like us, change over time.
With this in mind, I thought I’d share a few of my favourite literary heroines before we get on to the pairing… who would you put on your list?
Thursday Next - The Eyre Affair by Jaspar Fforde
Some of you may not know Thursday Next but you really really should. Thursday is a detective, an investigator with the SpecOp's 'Literatec' division. Her cases? To battle against the forging of Keats verses and the stealing of original manuscripts for nefarious purposes of course! Thursday herself is a thirty-something BAMF. She fought in the Crimea, returning as a folk hero for going back into battle to try and rescue missing comrades. But despite her badge, gun and too-cool leather jacket, she's not invincible. Her mother doesn't understand why she's not married, her brother is a sad sad story, her father is a rogue member of the Chronoguard, and her pet dodo won't listen to her. Still she's ambitious, often to the point of reckless; and stubborn, sometimes to the point of vindictive. She tries to overcome her flaws, fails, tries again, and generally struggles with the questions of career, love, and self-love that many of us experience - all whilst saving the world.
Belle - Beauty & the Beast (Beaumont, Disney and Angela Carter)
The first lie story I ever told might well be the one I gave my nursery school when I declared “my name is Belle.” This gave my mum a bit of a scare when she came to collect me, but fact is that all I wanted was to be Belle. She felt trapped by dreams bigger than her life, but she was smart, funny, and not even Beaumont's fairytale version could put me off loving Belle when I was a child. My love for only deepened when I met other versions of ‘Beauty’. For example, in The Tiger's Bride by Angela Carter, where a woman goes from being a possession, 'lost ... at cards' by her father, to a powerful narrator and an even more powerful heroine. What’s not to love about that?
Jane - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
There are a thousand reasons why Jane is infinitely awesome - not least that she's not wuthering and withering like Cathy - you should read Ellis' analysis too - but I’ll leave it at this quote: “Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? and can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless? You think wrong! — I have as much soul as you — and full as much heart!”
Titty – Swallows & Amazons by Arthur Ransome
What's not to love about Arthur Ransome's daydreaming narratorial linchpin? Titty might have a ridiculous name (causing controversy for the BBC), but she's quick as anything, a writer and reader, sailor, plus she's the girl of the hour when she manages to snatch The Amazon in the middle of the night. My dad read this fabulously British series to me when I was about 5 or 6. Ransome's pre-war, pre-health-and-safety world is full of interesting female characters - there's maternal Susan, tenacious Nancy, steadfast Peggy, dreamy Dorothea, plus the stalwart Mothers - but Titty always stood out and she still does today for her vivacious imagination.
Lyra Silvertongue – His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullmap
Lyra is a storyteller. From her name to her talents, she's a creator, a perceptive word-weaver. Like many of the heroines on this list, she's strong and feisty, a little bit rude, and throughout His Dark Materials she grows from a girl who can lie into a woman who understands the truth - “Tell them stories. They need the truth. You must tell them true stories, and everything will be well, just tell them stories.” - I also loved how Lyra meets everyone as an equal, ignoring age, gender, species, magical ability. It’s empathy and curiosity and I think most writers can relate to that.
The Pairing: Kayra Beyaz Kalecik Karasi, Turkey
I think it’s fair that this week we talk about women in wine. A lot has changed in the last couple of decades, with The Spectator’s Jonathan Ray commenting on how much progress has been made to have more women winemakers since the noughties. And where historically we’ve celebrated the ‘Champagne Widows’ (ie. Lily Bollinger, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot and Louise Pommery), the fact is that women are now very much part of the wine-making world. It’s no longer unusual to see women leading at every level of the process - from growing and producing through to the marketing, managing and selling of wines.
This hasn’t always been the case of course. In 2000, it would have been considered quite unusual to talk about the woman behind the bottle. This is why I’ve loved learning more about women in wine - from communities like Women in Wine LDN through to the events put on by places like Nysa and Unwined. There are also some great articles highlighting some of the leading ladies of wine out there, such as this one from Decanter. Great for inspiration for sure.
Today’s wine pairing is perhaps indicative of the work left to be done though. Kayra is one of my favourite rosés - a soft, dry Mediterranean wine from Anatolia, Turkey. It’s made under the guidance of Napa-based winemaker Daniel O'Donnell, and his team includes a female winemaker, which is still rare in Turkey.
O’Donnell apparently said, “Growing grapes in Eastern Turkey is like trying to grow grapes on Mars – it’s great if you want to grow sheep or rocks.” And according to the talk I went to, inclusion is also somewhat still a percolating concept in the area. Still - what I love is that change is still happening despite the odds and this modern vineyard is doing some amazing things with its native grapes too.
The Wine: Kayra is 100% Kalecik Karasi - a dark grape often compared to Gamay for its elegance and complexity. I’d say it’s a great alternative for lovers of Provence rosé who want a wine that can stand up to more umami flavours - like stir fry or sushi - as well as bolder Lebanese dishes. It’s super characterful and you’ll quickly see why it’s an award-winning wine.
Tasting Notes: Pale pink and aromatic with a nose that’s all orange, pink grapefruit and strawberries. This is a super fresh wine with a juicy palate and a clean finish. It's definitely what I would consider mouth-watering in terms of acidity but it’s not sharp. Just very drinkable and very good with food.
Where can I find it? I got mine from Unwined at their Women in Wine event but you can also buy Kayra at Novel Wines.
Fun Facts: Just another delightful interview for you. I love a disarmingly honest anyone, but this interview and wine tasting is just brilliant. Read here.