The ‘Sad Girl Novel’ has officially reached market saturation. Privileged young female protagonists  are portrayed as unfulfilled by sex and their careers; they are deeply entrenched in their complicated thoughts and feelings, filled with self-loathing and self-absorbed.  

It’s as if they have stumbled upon some great insight that the rest of us fail to see, except perhaps the millions of us who buy these books. 

This All About Women panel, with authors and critics Jessie Tu, Madeleine Gray, Neha Kale and moderator Bridie Jabour, delved into the themes of ‘Sad Girl Novels’ and discussed why they resonated with audiences. 

This event was recorded at the All About Women Festival at the Sydney Opera House on March 10, 2024. 

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