Grief

"The art of losing isn't hard to master," wrote poet Elizabeth Bishop. Perhaps she meant that we will all face loss at some point in our lives. In this collection, we have brought together texts that take up the universal experience of grief.

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

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


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Race, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Politics & Government, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear

Tags Magical Realism, Race / Racism, Internet Culture / Social Media, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger

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


Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

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

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta was published in 2011 and chronicles the lives of the residents of a small northeastern US town in the aftermath of a rapture-like event. Following the random disappearances of millions of people across the globe, the characters of The Leftovers seek various modes of coping with the grief of sudden death as well as the notion of being left behind in others’ absence. The Leftovers was adapted for television by... Read The Leftovers Summary


Publication year 1978

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance

Tags Lyric Poem


Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation

Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction

The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Aging, Natural World: Environment, Self Discovery

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, History: World


Publication year 2012

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate

Tags Historical Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Romance

The Light Between Oceans is Australian writer M.L. Stedman’s debut novel, published in 2012 by Random House Australia. Categorized as historical fiction, the novel won various accolades, such as the Indie Book Awards Book of the Year in 2013. A film adaptation of The Light Between Oceans was released four years after the novel’s publication in 2016. All citations in this guide are based on the 2012 Scribner edition, accessed via Scribd.com.Plot SummaryIn 1918, after... Read The Light Between Oceans Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Natural World: Climate, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Grief

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy, Climate Change, Modern Classic Fiction


Publication year 2002

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Southern Gothic

The Little Friend (2002) is a Southern Gothic novel by Donna Tartt. Twelve-year-old protagonist Harriet Dufresnes, who lives in the small town of Alexandria, Mississippi, becomes obsessed with her brother Robin’s unsolved murder and her family’s mythical lost fortune and happiness. This coming-of-age novel traces Harriet’s attempts to discover and murder Robin’s killer, all while grappling with loss, revisionist history, secrets, and social tensions based on race, class, and gender.Donna Tartt became a success when... Read The Little Friend Summary


Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Literature, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Romance, Psychological Fiction, German Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature, Travel Literature

Nina George’s romance novel The Little Paris Bookshop was originally published in German in 2013 and was translated to English by Simon Pare in 2015. The story follows Jean Perdu, a bookseller, as he travels from Paris to Avignon on his floating bookstore, the Literary Apothecary. Perdu leaves Paris on a whim after receiving heartbreaking news about the death of his former lover. Perdu is joined in his travels by Max Jordan, a bestselling author... Read The Little Paris Bookshop Summary


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance


Publication year 1976

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Flora/plants

Tags Realistic Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction

Irene Hunt’s 1976 middle grade novel The Lottery Rose focuses on a young boy named Georgie who hides the evidence of his abuse and neglect at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend, Steve. After Georgie wins a rosebush at his local grocery store, he becomes attached to the shrub and passionately cares for it. Georgie’s life changes when the court system places him in an all-boys Catholic school, where he meets adults who... Read The Lottery Rose Summary


Publication year 1997

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family

Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ

Written by acclaimed American author Ann Patchett, The Magician’s Assistant is a piece of contemporary literature that explores life after grief, the nature of love, and the power of family dynamics. Told in two parts, one set in Los Angeles and the other in small-town Nebraska, the novel emphasizes the importance of setting and environment in the development of identity.The author of nine novels and the recipient of numerous awards, Ann Patchett is an outspoken... Read The Magician's Assistant Summary


Publication year 1977

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature


Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age

Tags Action / Adventure, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Immigration / Refugee, Gender / Feminism, Military / War, American Literature, Middle Eastern Literature

Zeyn Joukhadar is a transgender Syrian American writer (also published under the name Jennifer Zeynab Joukhadar). His first novel, The Map of Salt and Stars (2018), won the 2018 Middle East Book Award in Youth Literature and became a 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Historical Fiction. Comprising two interwoven narratives, the novel follows Nour, the present-day protagonist whose flight from a war-torn Syria parallels the journey of her imaginary heroine—Rawiya, a medieval mapmaker’s apprentice... Read The Map of Salt and Stars Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Birth

Tags Gender / Feminism, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline is a science fiction novel set in a post-apocalyptic Canada where climate devastation ravages the world and the Canadian government’s Recruiters hunt Natives for the dreams that are woven into their bone marrow. Millions have died in the wake of global warming, and those who remain have experienced such extensive trauma that they have lost the ability to dream. Dimaline describes a world plagued by natural disasters, with vivid descriptions... Read The Marrow Thieves Summary


Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction

Published by Scholastic in 2008, Rick Riordan’s The Maze of Bones is the first novel in an interactive middle grade mystery-adventure series called The 39 Clues that follows the hidden exploits and conflicts of the Cahills, the most influential family in history. Riordan is a former teacher and prolific author best known for publishing the Percy Jackson series. The 39 Clues franchise proved to be another success, with books from the series landing on the... Read The Maze of Bones Summary


Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

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