Gender Theory (novel)
Gender Theory is the debut novel by Scottish author Madeline Docherty. Published in the United Kingdom by John Murray on 6 June 2024, the 208-page English-language book is set in Scotland—Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and the countryside—and follows a young woman’s health and relationships through short, vivid scenes. The narrative is told largely in the second person singular, a choice Docherty says adds immediacy and physical presence; she was inspired by Carmen Maria Machado’s memoir In the Dream House for this perspective. Docherty has said she based aspects of the health experiences on her own struggle with endometriosis.
The first draft began in a creative writing workshop, and John Murray acquired the rights to Gender Theory in 2023 before publication. The novel has received praise for its sharp, consuming voice and its potential educational value regarding endometriosis (Nb magazine).
A German-language review by Michaela Minder praised Docherty’s writing and the close feel created by the second-person perspective, but noted a critique about value judgments in comparing two long-term partners.
In May 2025, Gender Theory was shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize, an award for debut novels by authors under 35 run by the Society of Authors.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 00:41 (CET).