Beloved author Marian Keyes reveals why ‘chick lit’ exposes the “hollowness” of post-feminism

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As a huge book fan, I’ve always been amazed by Marian Keyes – she’s sold millions of copies worldwide and is critically acclaimed! But it’s funny, she still seems to feel like she needs to prove herself. I read an interview where they talked about her being asked to appear on the BBC’s Imagine program, and her first reaction was to insist they’d called the wrong person, that they actually wanted Roddy Doyle! It’s just so endearing, even for someone with her success.

Even though two of her books have been turned into the six-episode series The Walsh Sisters – a funny and heartbreaking story about five sisters living their lives to the fullest in Dublin – she still feels she hasn’t earned the success.

It’s been thirty years since my first book came out, and I’ve heard lots of ideas over the years, but nothing has ever actually happened with them. Honestly, that disappointment is what’s hardest, so I stopped hoping anything would come of it, because I didn’t see the point.

Keyes is a successful novelist who isn’t afraid to include references to Shakespeare and the King James Bible in her work. However, her books are often published with pink covers, which led to criticism. She recalls facing sexism, with people readily dismissing her work simply because of its cover color. She has consistently defended her choices and stood her ground against this bias.

Her eyes grew wider as she explained how societal power structures often maintain control by ridiculing things women enjoy. She gave the example of a woman enjoying a book, only to be met with dismissive comments like, ‘You’re not reading that silly fluff, are you?’ – instantly making her feel ashamed of her interests.

Marian Keyes has a warm and engaging personality, but beneath that lies a strong sense of frustration. Her debut novel, Watermelon, tackled important issues for women – like the challenges of being a single parent, unequal pay, and body image struggles. However, when it came out in 1995, it was marketed as “chick lit” – a new genre characterized by bright pink covers and images of fashionable accessories. Keyes feels this was dismissive and demeaning. She explains it effectively neutralized the feminist message of her work, stripping it of its power.

I remember being told things were equal, that the second wave of feminism had done its job and we could achieve anything. But honestly, that never felt true. We all knew women still faced huge barriers – unequal pay, slower promotions, being penalized for having children, and facing judgment for our sex lives in ways men simply didn’t. That’s what all those ‘chick lit’ books were really about – the emptiness of this idea that feminism had already solved everything. Labeling it ‘chick lit’ just dismissed it, like it wasn’t serious or important.

It definitely weakened the impact of her work. What work? Writing about women struggling in a male-dominated world. But it wasn’t recognized, dismissed because it was categorized as light, ‘chick lit.’ Did the superficial, girly appearance of the books cause her to change what she wrote about? Absolutely not.

I focus my writing on women, and as I’ve gotten older – I’m 62 now – the age of my characters has shifted too. I still wish young women all the best, but I find it harder to connect with their experiences. What I really appreciate now is the freedom that comes with being in your late 50s – like being too tired to worry about things like waxing, or realizing it’s okay to let your hair color grow out. It’s a wonderful feeling, actually.

She clarified that she wasn’t involved in adapting Stefanie Preissner’s script for The Walsh Sisters. She said Stefanie hadn’t asked her to help, and she wasn’t interested, as she prefers writing novels. She admitted it might sound ungrateful, but she felt the books remained her original work, regardless of how the series turned out. She also knew and respected Stefanie, believing her capable of handling the adaptation. Finally, she understood the producers had purchased the rights and were free to create the series as they saw fit – that was simply the agreement.

So, everything worked out okay? It was definitely a gamble, but you have to take risks sometimes. I recently sold my house, and ultimately, what the new owner does with it is their decision. They paid me, and now it’s their property.

As someone who really appreciates honest storytelling, I’m struck by Keyes’ resilience. She openly calls herself an ‘ordinary alcoholic’ and you can just feel her strength. She doesn’t put up with nonsense, especially when it comes to how the media portrays things, and I admire that straightforwardness.

Now selling millions of copies, Marian Keyes’ books have undoubtedly made her very successful. But that wasn’t her original expectation. “My first novel was only released in Ireland, and it focused on Irish stories and characters. I truly didn’t think anyone outside of Ireland would care for it. I’m still amazed by how fortunate I’ve been.”

Authors

Rosie Millard

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2026-02-16 21:16