Les femmes dans l’espace rebelle (2013), this article proposes an analogy of the historical novel and the youth novel, followed by a reflection on the representation of female marginality in literature aimed at a young readership. Beyond a common aim, namely to instruct and entertain, many narrative and receptive aspects unite these two novelistic sub-genres and can explain the treatment reserved for the imaginary of marginality, more specifically of the marginality of women and girls.