Brothers & Sisters

Whether marked by protective tenderness or tense rivalry, sibling bonds are like none other. This thematic collection offers insights into the unique dynamics of brothers and sisters.

Publication year 1949

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, British Literature, Education, Education, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

George Orwell’s dystopian novel1984 (also written as Nineteen Eighty-Four: A Novel) was originally published in 1949 and is regarded as a literary classic. Orwell was known for social and political criticism in his writing. He supported democratic socialism and opposed totalitarianism—political stances that come through in the themes of his most well-known works.Edition note: This novel is available in the public domain in many countries, and this summary is based on the electronically published version... Read 1984 Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Disability, Animals, Children's Literature


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1983

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Japanese Literature, Grief / Death, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: Asian, Education, Education, British Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction

Kazuo Ishiguro is an English and Japanese author who is most well-known for prizewinning novels such as The Remains of the Day (1989) and Never Let Me Go (2005), the latter of which was adapted into a film in 2010. “A Family Supper” is a 1983 short story that was originally published in a volume of Ishiguro’s works, titled Firebird 2: Writing Today.The short story begins when an unnamed narrator returns to his homeland of... Read A Family Supper Summary


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Community

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Japanese Literature, Surrealism

After Dark was published in 2004 by acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. The novel follows protagonist Mari Asai through one night in Tokyo. Mari has run-ins with organized crime, people on the run, and others who do not fit into Tokyo’s often conservative society. After Dark was met with lackluster critical reception, partially due to Murakami’s characteristic ambiguity and apparent lack of an ending; however, others argue that this ambiguity allows readers to interpret events... Read After Dark Summary


Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Society: War, Society: Economics, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Birth, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Class, Politics / Government, Religion / Spirituality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death

A Game of Thrones is a 1996 epic fantasy novel by George R. R. Martin and is the first in his long-running A Song of Ice and Fire series. The novel introduces the audience to the fictional world of Westeros, where characters become embroiled in a complicated web of plots, conspiracies, and betrayals as they pursue power. A Game of Thrones won numerous awards on publication and was adapted for television in 2011. This guide... Read A Game of Thrones Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Relationships, Religion / Spirituality

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay (2015) is a horror novel published by William Morrow. It is the fifth of Tremblay’s 10 novels, and was optioned in 2016 by Focus Features for screen adaptation. His seventh novel, The Cabin at the End of the World (2018), winner of the Bram Stoker and Locus Awards, was also adapted for the screen; it was released in 2023 as the M. Night Shyamalan film Knock at... Read A Head Full of Ghosts Summary


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Disability, Realistic Fiction, History: World

Al Capone Shines My Shoes (2009) is the second book in Gennifer Choldenko’s Tales from Alcatraz series. The novel is set on the prison island of Alcatraz during the height of the Great Depression. The protagonist and narrator is 12-year-old Matthew “Moose” Flanagan, whose father works as a guard and electrician at the notorious prison. When Moose receives a note from Al Capone, a famous gangster and prisoner of Alcatraz, he finds himself caught up... Read Al Capone Shines My Shoes Summary


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

Alif the Unseen is the debut novel of G. Willow Wilson, an American-born writer of comics and prose who lived in Egypt for a time and converted to Islam in 2003. Published in 2012, the book won the 2013 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel and was nominated for the 2013 Locus Award for Best First Novel. Blending fantasy, dystopian, and cyberpunk themes, it follows a young man’s journey through the seen world of humans... Read Alif the Unseen Summary


Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Music

Tags Grief / Death, Canadian Literature

All My Puny Sorrows, originally published in Canada in 2014, is a work of fiction by Canadian author Miriam Toews. Since its publication, the novel has won the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and been shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, the Folio Prize for Literature, and the Wellcome Book Prize. In 2021, Michael McGowan directed and produced the novel’s film adaptation. All My Puny Sorrows is in large part inspired by autobiographical events from... Read All My Puny Sorrows Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty

Tags History: World, Arts / Culture, Biography


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Siblings

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Poverty, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Bullying, American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality

All The Lovely Bad Ones is a 2008 middle-grade fiction book written by Mary Downing Hahn, a prolific children’s author who has authored several award-winning novels. The book’s title is taken from the poem “Little Orphant Annie” by James Whitcomb Riley, which the author inscribed to all children—including “all the lovely bad ones.” All The Lovely Bad Ones won an Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for Children and the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award.All The Lovely... Read All The Lovely Bad Ones Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings

Tags Historical Fiction, Existentialism, Race / Racism, History: World, Classic Fiction

Published in 2008, A Mercy is Toni Morrison’s ninth novel. Morrison, both a prolific scholar and author, centers the question of slavery and a pre-racial America in this historical fiction novel. A Mercy was chosen as one of the best books in the year of its release by the New York Times. Morrison is also known for the award-winning novels The Bluest Eye (1970), Tar Baby (1981), and Beloved (1987), among many others.Plot SummaryA Mercy... Read A Mercy Summary


Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Class

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2012

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings

Tags History: U.S., War On Terrorism / Iraq War, Military / War, History: World, Biography

American Sniper is the autobiography of Chris Kyle, the single deadliest sniper in the history of the United States military. The narrative, co-written by Chris Kyle, Jim deFelice, Scott McEwen, and Chris’s wife Taya, opens with events that took place in 2003 in Iraq. At the time, Chris was providing protective fire for a group of Marines; a female insurgent attempted to attack the Marines with a grenade, but Chris shot her, registering his first... Read American Sniper Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Humor

Anansi Boys is a fantasy novel by British author Neil Gaiman, written in 2005. It is set within the same world as his earlier novel American Gods and shares the title character of Anansi. In 2006, the novel won both the Locus Award and the British Fantasy Society Award. Anansi Boys deals with themes of family, duality, and storytelling, drawing from West African mythology and archetypes to create a story rooted in the here and... Read Anansi Boys Summary


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope

Tags Relationships, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Anything Is Possible is a 2017 novel by Elizabeth Strout in which each chapter features a character who is separate from but interconnects with the book’s other characters. Each chapter thus serves as both an autonomous short story and a piece of a larger, cohesive narrative and echoes or parallels other chapters.Strout, whose 2008 novel Olive Kitteridge won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, received the prestigious Story Prize for Anything Is Possible. The novel follows... Read Anything Is Possible Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Children's Literature, Military / War, History: World