Good & Evil

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 2014

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Latin American Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

2666 (2004) is a novel by Chilean author Roberto Bolaño, published one year after Bolaño's death. Centering around a reclusive German author and his role in investigating the ongoing unsolved murders in the fictional city of Santa Teresa, Mexico, 2666 jumps in location, narrative style, location, and characters over its five sections. The novel is widely acclaimed and was adapted into stage plays three times. The New York Times Book Review ranked 2666 as the... Read 2666 Summary


Publication year 1999

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 1950

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Tags Lyric Poem, Modernism, Post-War Era, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Grief / Death, History: European, WWII / World War II, Holocaust


Publication year 1891

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction

“A Case of Identity,” published in September 1891, is the fifth episode in the series of four novels and 56 short stories in the Sherlock Holmes canon, written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It follows the first two novel-length Holmes tales, A Study in Scarlet (1887) and The Sign of Four (1890), as well as the shorter stories “A Scandal in Bohemia” and “The Red-Headed League,” both of which appeared earlier that same year in... Read A Case Of Identity Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Relationships, Realistic Fiction

Acceleration (2003) is a young adult novel by Graham McNamee, who is also known for the fantasy-horror novel Bonechiller (2008). Narrated in the first person, Acceleration tells the story of 17-year-old Duncan as he learns of a potential serial killer in his city and his attempt to stop him. It examines themes of guilt, forgiveness, mental health, poverty, and more.Plot SummaryThe story opens with 17-year-old Duncan working a two-month stint at a lost and found... Read Acceleration Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Relationships, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Published in 2015, V. E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic is a young adult fantasy novel and the first installment of the Shades of Magic series. Kell Maresh, one of the last Antari magicians, possesses the rare ability to travel between parallel worlds. When a dangerous artifact from a forbidden realm falls into Kell’s possession, he and a thief named Lila Bard become entangled in a perilous adventure. The novel—which received a Goodreads Choice... Read A Darker Shade of Magic Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, Religion / Spirituality, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Class


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Disability, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Gender, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Grief / Death, Children's Literature


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, LGBTQ, Addiction / Substance Abuse


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags History: U.S., Crime / Legal, Race / Racism, Social Justice, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Politics / Government


Publication year 1979

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, American Literature, Education, Education, Grief / Death, Realistic Fiction

After the First Death (1979) by Robert Cormier is a juvenile suspense/horror that examines the fragility of life through a terrorist hijacking of a bus full of children. The book in conjunction with Cormier’s two most famous teen titles, The Chocolate War (1974) and I Am the Cheese (1977), won him the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the Young Adult Services Division of the American Library Association in 1991. Cormier was born in 1925 and... Read After The First Death Summary


Publication year 1981

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: Community, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Philosophy, Post Modernism, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture, History: World, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government

An influential work of moral philosophy, After Virtue (1981) by the Scottish-born philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre takes a bleak view of the state of modern moral dialogue, viewing it as suffering from a lack of rational thought and an inability to resolve disagreements. By looking at older forms of moral discourse, such as Aristotle’s moral framework, and comparing them to the modern version, he generally finds the modern moral framework to be lacking and suggests fixes... Read After Virtue 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 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Colonialism, Society: Education, Relationships: Family

Tags Historical Fiction, Social Justice, Class, Education, History: World, History: Asian, History: European, Incarceration, Politics / Government, Children's Literature, Indian Literature, Arts / Culture


Publication year 1945

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Philosophy, Religion / Spirituality, Politics / Government, History: European


Publication year 1898

Genre Short Story, Fiction

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

Tags Historical Fiction, American Civil War, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Military / War, American Literature, Western, Classic Fiction