Women Leads in Literature Trivia Quiz

Answer: Science Fiction

Margaret "Meg" Murry is the main protagonist of "A Wrinkle in Time" written by Madeleine L'Engle and published in 1962. Meg also appears in the other volumes of L'Engle's "Time Quintet": "A Wind in the Door" (1973), "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" (1978), "Many Waters" (1986), and "An Acceptable Time" (1989). Meg starts in the series as a 13-year-old girl who meets alien time travelers and joins them with members of her family on travels through time and other galaxies.

Answer: Science Fiction

Lady Jessica Atriedes first appeared in 1965 in "Dune" by Frank Herbert. Jessica is the mother of Paul Atriedes, future ruler of the planet Arrakis. Jessica is a member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood who are expected to bear only female children, but she rebelled in birthing Paul. Jessica becomes the Reverend Mother leader of the Bene Gesserits and supports Paul in becoming ruler and, in effect, messiah.

Answer: Science Fiction

Nigerian-American writer Nnedi Okorafor's first published work was "Binti" in 2015. The namesake protagonist is an earth woman who is accepted to an intergalactic university and meets an at-first hostile alien race on her way to that school. "Binti" won the 2015 Nebula Award given for the best U.S. science fiction or fantasy work and the 2016 Hugo Award given by the World Science Fiction Society, as well as other awards.

Answer: Dystopian Future

Known only by the patronymic indicating her assignment to her master, Fred, Offred is from "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood (1985). Offred is a concubine in the dystopian society of Gilead that emerged in North America following a cataclysmic world war. Men rule Gilead and most women are infertile, so fertile women like Offred are expected to birth children and little else.

Answer: Dystopian Future

Onyesonwu is a sorceress in a post-apocalyptic African village in "Who Fears Death" by Nnedi Okorafor, published in 2010. In this world, light-skinned members of the Nuru oppress the dark-skinned Okeke people than includes Onyesonwu. The book won the 2011 World Fantasy Award and was nominated for the 2011 Nebula Award.

Answer: Dystopian Future

"When She Woke" by Hillary Jordan (2011) is a modern retelling of "The Scarlet Letter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne (1850). Hannah Payne (sounds like "Hester Prynne", no?) lives in a future America that is ruled by religious leaders. Criminals in this world have their skins dyed to indicate their crime, and Hannah is red indicating murder for having an abortion.

Answer: Crime

"Twentymile" by C. Matthew Smith (2021) has an unusual setting for a crime novel - Great Smoky Mountains National Park - and an unusual protagonist in Cherokee native Tsula Walker, a National Park Service investigator. Tsula investigates the apparent suicide of a wildlife biologist and discovers a band of criminals trying to reclaim what they consider land misappropriated by the park.

Answer: Crime

"Everybody Knows" by Jordan Harper (2023) is set in Los Angeles and has many elements of a classic noir crime story. Mae Pruett is a "crisis publicist" for famous clients that get into trouble and need to manage the message. When her boss is murdered, she dives into the LA underworld to solve the crime.

Answer: Crime

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2005) is the first book of the "Millenium Trilogy" that was published posthumously after author Stieg Larsson's death in 2004. Lisbeth Salander appears in all three volumes, as well as in other books written by other authors following Larson's death. Lisbeth is a complex character, both strong and vulnerable, antisocial and a social warrior to protect the abused.

Answer: Crime

Precious has the title "Mma" (pronounced "ma") which is a term of respect used in her native country of Botswana. In "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" written by Alexander McCall Smith (1998), Mma Ramotswe uses an inheritance to start a private detective service help locals with both civil and criminal cases.

This first book tells the story of Precious Ramotswe's life up until when she starts the agency; later books tell the story of her many detective adventures.