Fun discussion today re:…

Fun discussion today re: Hiromi Goto's Half World, esp. re: the ugly female protagonist. It is incredibly difficult trying to brainstorm female heroines who start unattractive and are allowed to stay unattractive throughout (no makeover, etc.). Goto's protagonist isn't even particularly smart, and she's whiny and reluctant and 'unlikeable' and utterly human and normal. I am trying to think of any other woman in fantasy who is allowed to be that way. The closest we got in class was Fiona in Shrek, and Sophie in Howl's Moving Castle.