How to Kill Your Family

The label “feminist thriller” is a relatively new one, and it’s applied to realistic novels with female protagonists who refuse to comply with patriarchal values, producing psychological suspense and even horror. These protagonists critique the world in which they live and the ways in which it runs counter to their welfare. The feminist thriller “is a taut and suspenseful read which is […] dotted with social commentary about issues women are facing. It might criticize systems that so often work against [women], and the characters may resort to vigilante justice in the face of such systems” (Murphy, Nora. “A List of Feminist Thrillers.” CrimeReads, 31 May 2022). The female protagonists of feminist thrillers “also exhibit a narcissistic lack of empathy and aversion to remorse, as the authors use their exaggerated features as a way of pillorying all those who get away with more than they should, namely men” (Odintz, Molly. “The Age of the ‘Feminist American Psycho’ Thriller Has Arrived.” Literary Hub, 20 Jul 2023). Grace Bernard, the protagonist-narrator of How to Kill Your Family, embodies these qualities.

Grace is very conscious of the disadvantages women face, and she condemns society for them.