Just to prove that Framlingham Bookshop is a proper family affair, we now have recent graduate Hannah Grogan behind the desk. Assisting Chris and Suzie, she is also going to write for the blog. Here is her first, fascinating post about how women are written in film and literature.

When settling down for the evening and choosing a film, my mum and I often find ourselves craving something similar; “something with some good female characters in it”, or as my mum would say, “a bit of female psychology”. While many films have an abundance of female characters, even as the protagonists, it so often feels like something is missing and finding a film that ticks this box is always harder than it sounds. So, what is missing? Why aren’t these characters hitting the spot?
 
It is only recently that I have come across the Bechdel Test. While first imagined as something of a joke or social commentary in Alison Bechdel’s 1980s comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, it has gained serious traction through the 2000s and found its way into mainstream film criticism. The beauty of this test, in my opinion, is its simplicity. It requires us to ask three questions: 
 
Are there two named female characters? 
Do they talk to each other?
Do they discuss something other than a man?
 
Easy peasy. Or so you’d think. I certainly did. However, upon reflecting upon some of my all-time favourites, I was surprised at how many did not reach these simple requirements.
 
Now it’s in my head, the pattern is hard to ignore. The issue isn’t the lack of female representation in itself, but how they are represented. These characters appear as wives, mothers, daughters, objects of desire, support systems, moral compasses, an ‘avenge her death’ plot line or a reward to be won after saving the world. They propel all sorts of complex storylines, yet their narrative function is perpetually shaped in relation to the men they orbit.  
 
Working in a bookshop, I suppose its natural that I’ve started to think about the Bechdel Test in literature too. It surprised me how often that same slightly unsatisfied feeling came down to this simple, usually unnoticed absence. Just as with films, many novels offer plenty of female characters, and more frequently named than in films, yet something is missing. Asking the questions of -  are they talking to each other, and what are they given narrative space to talk about? - has begun to run in my head alongside the act of reading. A lens through which to read, notice and respond. 
 
Personally, I don’t think the Bechdel Test is asking if the author is a feminist or intending to make an accusation. Indeed, I believe that nearly all the books and films that fail the test are doing so completely subconsciously and that’s exactly the point. Failing to meet these requirements isn’t deliberate, but instinctive. A reminder of how often women are imagined, by default, in relation to men.
 
This isn’t to say the test is perfect; it certainly has its limitations. Texts that pass can still reduce and objectify their female characters or exacerbate sexist ideas. If we see two named women conversing about the weather, it will technically pass despite a lack of character depth or agency. Similarly, some pieces of work may possess a complex and developed female character without meeting the requirements, especially in literature. Novels, particularly those written in the first person, can grant a deep and nuanced female perspective through internal monologue or interactive engagement with the reader while denying the characters meaningful exchanges with one another. Would we say this lacks representation? Where do we draw the line?
 
In my opinion, passing the test does not make a work necessarily progressive nor does failing it label it sexist. Rather than delivering a verdict on a single book or film, for me, it offers a way of paying attention - a lens through which to watch and read. It’s real value, I think, lies in the conversations it opens up, prompting us to notice who is given narrative visibility, and how this quietly shapes our perceptions and expectations.
 
We'd love to hear some of your favourite examples of books that pass or fail the Bechdel  Test. Some great books that do pass the test currently stocked in the bookshop are:
 
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood   
White Teeth by Zadie Smith 
Union Street by Pat Barker
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 
 
Happy reading!
Hannah Grogan January 2026

It was 'one of those days' in the bookshop yesterday. Tuesday is one of two market days here in Framlingham and local shops always hope that, in the summer, a few more visitors will come through the doors. And yesterday they did - and went out without buying anything.

So I took to Substack to ask some questions about what we sell, what might we sell and how to turn those who say 'lovely shop!' and 'I'm so pleased we still have physical bookshops' into customers who buy even one paperback.

So if you have a moment, do check out the post below and tell us your thoughts. Local shops here are surprised at how quiet it is in Framlingham for June. World events? Maybe.