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 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Mothers, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fantasy, Romance, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality

City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

Tags Religion / Spirituality, Philosophy, Post Modernism

E. L. Doctorow’s 2000 novel City of God is a postmodern, metafictional novel of religious questioning that attempts to reconcile the history of the 20th century, particularly the Holocaust, with modern conceptions of morality and God. The novel is structured as a fragmented writer’s notebook written by a character loosely based on Doctorow himself. The plot, which concerns a stolen cross and an Episcopalian priest’s doubts about his faith, is rendered through the mediated lens... Read City of God Summary


Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Teams, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Relationships: Friendship, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos

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


Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Religion / Spirituality, Romance, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse

Clockwork Angel is the first book in Cassandra Clare’s historical fantasy trilogy The Infernal Devices, a prequel to the internationally bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. Clockwork Angel was first published in 2010, followed by Clockwork Prince in 2011 and Clockwork Princess in 2013. The trilogy follows Theresa (Tessa) Gray, an American girl in Victorian London, who discovers she is a member of the Shadow World, the hidden world of supernatural creatures, angels, and demons. Clockwork... Read Clockwork Angel Summary


Publication year 2005

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

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

Code Orange is a young adult novel published in 2005 by the best-selling author Caroline B. Cooney. The main character is Mitty Blake, a lackluster high school student living in Manhattan. When he is assigned to write a research project on an infectious disease for biology class, he does as little as possible for his assignment, as always. But in the process of learning about smallpox, the disease he finally chooses, he discovers two smallpox... Read Code Orange Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Identity: Sexuality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

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


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Education, Education, History: World, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure

Copper Sun is a historical fiction novel about fifteen-year-old Amari, a young woman from Ziavi, Ghana. Amari loves her community (the Ewe people), her family, and her soon-to-be husband, Besa. One day, unannounced, a group of pale-faced strangers arrive, led there by a neighbouring tribe, the Ashanti. Amari’s people prepare a celebration to welcome the guests, not knowing the grave danger they will soon face. After a meal, gift exchange, storytelling, and dancing, the white... Read Copper Sun Summary


Publication year 1788

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality

Tags History: World, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government, Philosophy, German Literature


Publication year 1949

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Relationships: Siblings, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction

Crooked House is a crime fiction novel by mystery writer Agatha Christie, and its title was inspired by the house in the nursery rhyme, “There Was a Crooked Man.” The novel was first published in the US in 1949 by Dodd, Mead, and Company, and in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in the same year. Crooked House is one of Christie’s favorites among her own work. The novel takes place in post-World War... Read Crooked House Summary


Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, LGBTQ, Romance


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Military / War, Action / Adventure


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

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

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure, Fairy Tale / Folklore


Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

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

Darkly Dreaming Dexter (2004) is a crime thriller by South Florida author Jeff Lindsay. It is the first installment in an eight-novel series that follows the exploits of serial killer Dexter Morgan. The books were turned into an award-winning television series that aired on Showtime from 2006 to 2013. The show’s first season follows the same narrative beats as Darkly Dreaming Dexter. The plot follows Dexter through several of his own kills as well as... Read Darkly Dreaming Dexter Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 1962

Genre Anthology/Varied Collection, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Identity: Language, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Children's Literature


Publication year 1960

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War

Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Military / War, Relationships, Jewish Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction


Publication year 1941

Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Politics / Government