The texts in this thematic collection organized around the idea of Loyalty & Betrayal range from Dennis Lehane's Mystic River to Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat. But each book explores the idea in its own way, revealing the intricate ways we may maintain loyalty at all costs — or test the bonds of family and friend relationships through deep betrayal.
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, British Literature
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Parenting, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2005
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Relationships
Something Borrowed is a work of romantic fiction from author Emily Giffin, published in 2004. It was a critical and commercial success, earning rave reviews and landing a spot on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel was Giffin’s first, and she has published several more books in the same genre. Some of her other books include Love the One You’re With (2008), Heart of the Matter (2010), Where We Belong (2012), and Something... Read Something Borrowed Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature, History: World
Song Yet Sung by James McBride is a 2008 historical fiction novel that takes place in 1850 on the eastern shore of Maryland. The central character, Liz Spocott, is a runaway slave who experiences strange dreams of the future with disturbing images that the reader can recognize as twentieth-century scenes. The novel employs magical realism and weaves historically accurate details with supernatural elements. Themes of race, class, gender, geography, and the consequences of the institution... Read Song Yet Sung Summary
Publication year 1609
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Lyric Poem, British Literature
Publication year 1913
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Classic Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Romance
Sons and Lovers is a 1913 novel by English author D. H. Lawrence. The novel explores the relationship between Gertrude Morel and her son Paul, who live in a small mining town in North England at the turn of the 20th century. Though met with a lukewarm response on release, Sons and Lovers has since been critically reappraised as one of Lawrence’s most important works and has been adapted for film and television. This guide... Read Sons and Lovers Summary
Publication year 1943
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Society: Community, Identity: Disability, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Play: Drama, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, British Literature, Animals, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Class, Relationships, Journalism, Bullying, History: World, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure
Sphere (1987) is a novel by best-selling author Michael Crichton, the sixth novel he released under his own name but his 16th novel overall. The novel follows protagonist Norman Johnson as he travels to the bottom of the ocean with a team of scientists to explore an unknown spacecraft. Inside the craft is a sphere that when entered enhances imagination and allows people to manifest reality from their unconscious mind. Sphere was made into a... Read Sphere Summary
Publication year 1925
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Harlem Renaissance, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), American Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: U.S., Arts / Culture, Black Lives Matter, African American Literature
“Spunk” is a short story by Zora Neale Hurston published in 1925. Set in the rural Southern United States, “Spunk” follows the conflict that ensues when one man pursues another man’s wife. The story’s publication helped establish Hurston as a significant literary voice during the Harlem Renaissance. In 1989, George C. Wolfe adapted the story, along with content from two others by Hurston, into a play by the same name. Citations in this guide correspond... Read Spunk Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Politics & Government, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Humor
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Animals
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Teams, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Aging, Society: Community, Life/Time: The Past, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Class
Tags Romance, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Finance / Money / Wealth, Class, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Place, Society: Class, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2015
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Race / Racism, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy
Sweat is a two-act play written by Lynn Nottage. The play was produced Off-Broadway in 2016 and on Broadway in 2017. Sweat examines the changing lives of factory workers in Reading, Pennsylvania, between the years of 2000 and 2008. Nottage’s characters were based on personal research and interviews she conducted in Reading throughout 2011. It was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the 2017 Obie Award for Playwrighting, and three 2017 Tony Award nominations... Read Sweat Summary