Kirkus Reviews has published its “100 Best Fiction Books of 2014.” Kirkus’s editors have created both a list of the top 100 books and several categories of “10 Best” books. Some titles fall into more than one category. Here are the 36 books by women writers that fall, however loosely, into my concept of the Literary Fiction category. (I did not include genre fiction like Mystery/Thrillers and Romance.)

You can see the complete Top 100 list and category lists here.

 

Megan Abbott – The Fever

Lauren Beukes — Broken Monsters

Jessie Burton – The Miniaturist

Elizabeth Crook – Monday Monday

Elena Ferrante – Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay

Judith Frank – All I Love and Know

Rivka Galchen – American Innovations: Stories

Jane Gardam — Stories

Roxane Gay — An Untamed State

Alena Graedon – The Word Exchange

Siri Hustvedt – The Blazing World (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

Mira Jacob – The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing

Tove Jansson – The Woman Who Borrowed Memories: Selected Stories

Porochista Khakpour – The Last Illusion

Lily King – Euphoria (Kirkus Fiction Prize winner)

Laila Lalami – The Moor’s Account

Emily St. John Mandel – Station Eleven

Vanessa Manko – The Invention of Exile

Hilary Mantel – The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher

Francesca Marciano – The Other Language

Eimar McBride – A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing

Elizabeth McCracken – Thunderstruck & Other Stories

Randy Susan Meyers – Accidents of Marriage

Lydia Millet – Mermaids in Paradise

Liane Moriarty – Big Little Lies

Alice Munro – Family Furnishings: Stories 1995-2014

Christina Nichol – Waiting for the Electricity

Helen Oyeyemi – Boy Snow Bird

Kathy Page – Alphabet

Francine Prose – Lovers at the Chameleon Club

Marilynne Robinson — Lila

Ali Smith – How to be Both

Miriam Toews – All My Puny Sorrows

Linn Ullmann – The Cold Song

Lee Upton – The Tao of Humiliation

Sarah Waters – The Paying Guests (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

 

Literary Fiction

Roxane Gay — An Untamed State

Siri Hustvedt – The Blazing World (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

Lily King – Euphoria (Kirkus Fiction Prize winner)

Eimar McBride – A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing

Sarah Waters – The Paying Guests (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

Historical Fiction

Jessie Burton – The Miniaturist

Lily King – Euphoria (Kirkus Fiction Prize winner)

Laila Lalami – The Moor’s Account

Francine Prose – Lovers at the Chameleon Club

Sarah Waters – The Paying Guests (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

Debut Fiction

Elizabeth Crook – Monday Monday

Roxane Gay — An Untamed State

Alena Graedon – The Word Exchange

Mira Jacob – The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing

Vanessa Manko – The Invention of Exile

Eimar McBride – A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing

Christina Nichol – Waiting for the Electricity

Short Stories

Rivka Galchen – American Innovations: Stories

Jane Gardam — Stories

Tove Jansson – The Woman Who Borrowed Memories: Selected Stories

Hilary Mantel – The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher: Stories

Alice Munro – Family Furnishings: Selected Stories, 1995-2014

Francesca Marciano – The Other Language: Stories

Lee Upton – The Tao of Humiliation

Popular Fiction

Megan Abbott – The Fever

Lauren Beukes — Broken Monsters

Judith Frank — All I Love and Know

Randy Susan Meyers – Accidents of Marriage

Gender Bender

Judith Frank — All I Love and Know

Porochista Khakpour – The Last Illusion

Lily King – Euphoria (Kirkus Fiction Prize winner)

Laila Lalami – The Moor’s Account

Kathy Page – Alphabet

Fiction with a Touch of Magic

Lauren Beukes — Broken Monsters

Rivka Galchen – American Innovations: Stories

Lydia Millet – Mermaids in Paradise

Ali Smith – How to be Both

Get Your Book Club Talking

Megan Abbott – The Fever

Judith Frank – All I Love and Know

Elizabeth Crook – Monday Monday

Siri Hustvedt – The Blazing World (Kirkus Fiction Prize finalist)

Emily St. John Mandel – Station Eleven

Liane Moriarty – Big Little Lies

Helen Oyeyemi – Boy Snow Bird

Marilynne Robinson — Lila

Miriam Toews – All My Puny Sorrows