Matron literature (also known as hen lit) is a

literary genre A literary genre is a category of literature. Genres may be determined by literary technique, tone, content, or length (especially for fiction). They generally move from more abstract, encompassing classes, which are then further sub-divided i ...

which focuses on older female characters as

protagonists A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

. The genre has increased in popularity as the

baby boomers Baby boomers, often shortened to boomers, are the Western demographic cohort following the Silent Generation and preceding Generation X. The generation is often defined as people born from 1946 to 1964, during the mid-20th century baby boom. Th ...

have aged and female readers have sought characters to identify with. Subjects are often romantic in nature, and heroines are usually between the ages of 45 and 65. Matron lit characters were often married at one point, but are no longer with their spouses or living with their children. There are usually feminist themes in matron literature, though some works are more overtly feminist than others. Matron literature has only recently become prominent. It can be regarded as a sub-category of boomer lit, although it originated as an offshoot of

chick lit Chick lit is a term used to describe a type of popular fiction targeted at younger women. Widely used in the 1990s and 2000s, the term has fallen out of fashion with publishers while writers and critics have rejected its inherent sexism. Novels id ...

, which became quite popular in the late 1990s. The idea of matron literature being chick lit for older women contributed to the alternative term hen lit for the movement. Since matron lit first began, it increased in scope; there are now industry publishing houses devoted solely to matron literature. Authors of matron literature tend to themselves be women of similar age to their heroines, but are not exclusively so. Works by authors such as

Larry McMurtry Larry Jeff McMurtry (June 3, 1936March 25, 2021) was an American novelist, essayist, bookseller and screenwriter whose work was predominantly set in either the Old West or contemporary Texas.

also are part of the genre.Gardner, Marilyn. "In this new genre..." Many matron lit authors have developed popular series of books revolving around the same characters, like

Joan Medlicott Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine *Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multiple ...

's ''Ladies of Covington''. Other book titles play on themes of women in middle age, including

menopause Menopause, also known as the climacteric, is the time in women's lives when menstrual periods stop permanently, and they are no longer able to bear children. Menopause usually occurs between the age of 47 and 54. Medical professionals often d ...

with ''The Hot Flash Club'', ''The Crone Club'' and ''The Red Hat Club'', which plays on the

Red Hat Society The Red Hat Society (RHS) is an international social organization that was founded in 1998 in the United States for women age 50 and beyond, but now open to women of all ages. History In the fall of 1997, Sue Ellen Cooper, an artist from ...

for women over 50.

References

{{reflist Women's fiction