How do we uphold goodness in a world where it can seem impossible? What are the consequences to the human heart when we fail to live up to the ideals of goodness? These are some of the questions posed by the texts in this collection which explores the theme of Good & Evil.
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
In The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013), a dark fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman, a young boy accidentally brings an evil entity from another reality into his world, and he needs the help of three mysterious women to try to get rid of the threat. A number-one New York Times bestseller, the novel won several honors, including the British Book Awards Book of the Year and the Locus Award for best fantasy... Read The Ocean at the End of the Lane Summary
Publication year 1901
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Economics, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Naturalism, Technology, Business / Economics, American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 1840
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Society: Economics
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief / Death, Victorian Period, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
Publication year 1852
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Gothic Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1958
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore
The Once and Future King (1958) by T. H. White is considered a classic of epic fantasy and (alongside Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, from which it draws inspiration) the definitive retelling of the legend of King Arthur. White’s tale spans the entire life of the legendary king, from his orphaned youth to his apprenticeship under Merlyn to the establishment of Camelot. The story is comprised of four separate novels, each of which focuses on... Read The Once and Future King Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2019
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Globalization, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, September 11 Attacks, History: World, Biography, Politics / Government
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, French Literature
Queen Elizabeth I enacted laws that persecuted Catholics in England; in response, some daring inventors created secret hiding places within Catholic homes to hide the priests from raids. In the 2013 novel, The Paris Architect, Charles Belfour transposes this real historical event into a new context: hiding Jewish people from German forces in Occupied France. The story centers on an architect in Paris who undertakes the dangerous work of designing invisible hiding places, makes new... Read The Paris Architect Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
The Passage is a 2010 novel by Justin Cronin. It is the first novel in a post-apocalyptic horror series that includes The Twelve and City of Mirrors. The Passage is Cronin’s take on the vampire genre. He uses world-building to examine themes of Passages and Transitions, Vampirism as a Metaphor, and The Value of Life. The Passage was well-received and was adapted into a television series for the Fox Network, which aired its final episode... Read The Passage Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1947
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Historical Fiction, Education, Education
The Pearl is a 1947 historical fiction novella by John Steinbeck. It is an expansion of his earlier short story, “The Pearl of the World,” published in the Woman’s Home Companion in 1945. Steinbeck also co-wrote the screenplay for a 1947 film adaption of the novella titled La perla, directed by Emilio Fernández. Citations in this guide correspond to the 1994 Penguin Books edition. The story, which is presented as a parable, follows a poor... Read The Pearl Summary
Publication year 1985
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Equality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Fate, Identity: Race, Identity: Language, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Teams
Tags Fairy Tale / Folklore, Allegory / Fable / Parable, History: U.S., African American Literature, Race / Racism
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Life/Time: The Past, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Sports, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction
The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin was published in 2005. Her 17th book, it won The Foreword Book of the Year Gold Medal for Young Adult Fiction and the VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Award. It was also a Bank Street College Teen Selection in 2006. In it, high school basketball player Brian Hammet works on a history project about the trial of Leo Frank. This historical event mirrors the current trial of Michael Daine... Read The Perfect Shot Summary
Publication year 1910
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude
Tags Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux is a Gothic mystery novel first published serially in 1910. The novel follows a “ghost” who haunts the Paris Opera and the mysterious incidents attributed to this figure. The characters and the narrator himself try to uncover the secret of this ghost, who is really a masked man infatuated opera singer, Christine Daaé. The novel has been adapted into several formats, most notably a 1925 silent film... Read The Phantom of the Opera Summary
Publication year 1890
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Art
Tags Classic Fiction, British Literature, Victorian Period, Irish Literature, Arts / Culture, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, History: World, Fantasy, LGBTQ
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a work of Gothic horror by fin-de-siècle Irish writer Oscar Wilde. Originally released as a novella in 1890, it was published in its complete form in 1891 and sparked public outcry for its perceived amorality. The work chronicles the life of Dorian Gray, a fictional 19th-century British aristocrat, in his pursuit of beauty and pleasure—a pursuit he shared with Wilde, who was a leading figure in the aesthetic literary... Read The Picture of Dorian Gray Summary
Publication year 1933
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Christian literature, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2010
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism
Tags Post Modernism, Poverty