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 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags New Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Chinese Literature, History: World
Publication year 1936
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Values/Ideas: Fate, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Education, Education, History: U.S.
“The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” is a short story by American author Ernest Hemingway that was first published in Cosmopolitan in 1936. It explores themes of power and dominance, courage and cowardice, and the nature of masculinity. The story details a hunting party and love triangle in which a husband, a wife, and their hired huntsman struggle for dominance and power over one another. This guide references the collection The Snows of Kilimanjaro... Read The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber Summary
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Silent Patient (2019) is a contemporary psychological thriller from author Alex Michaelides. It tells the story of Alicia, who killed her husband, Gabriel, six years earlier—and hasn’t spoken since. The bulk of the novel takes place in the present-day, narrated by Theo Faber, a forensic psychoanalyst who recently began working with Alicia at The Grove, the psychiatric hospital where she resides following Gabriel’s murder. The novel uses the epistolary technique, interspersing Theo’s narrative with... Read The Silent Patient Summary
Publication year 2008
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mental Illness, Inspirational, Psychology, Psychology, Music, Biography
Steve Lopez’s 2008 book, The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music, is a work of nonfiction that charts the experience of the musician Nathaniel Ayers. Lopez is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times and encounters Ayers playing a two-string violin on the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Lopez questions why so talented a musician is clearly homeless and reduced to his present circumstances. Lopez strikes up a... Read The Soloist Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1095
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War, Society: Nation, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Narrative / Epic Poem, Military / War, History: European, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, French Literature
Composed at the turn of the 12th century, La Chanson de Roland (translated as The Song of Roland) recounts the events surrounding the Battle of Roncevaux Pass in 778 CE. The Song of Roland is likely the oldest surviving poem in French and was immensely popular across Europe during the Middle Ages. The poem establishes many tropes and themes that have come to characterize medieval chivalric romances, but Roland is also an epic poem in... Read The Song of Roland Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1891
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Lyric Poem, Relationships
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Biography, Religion / Spirituality
The Sound of Gravel is a memoir by Ruth Wariner about her experiences growing up in a polygamist colony in Mexico. Originally published in 2015, the memoir is a rare, detailed examination of the life of children in polygamist colonies, and it examines several themes, including The Consequence of Childhood Neglect, The Flaws and Dangers of Fundamentalism, Courage and Resilience in the Face of Adversity, and The Joys, Pains, and Sacrifices of Familial Love. Ruth... Read The Sound of Gravel Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Relationships, Poverty, Class, Indian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Asian Literature, Arts / Culture
Publication year 2018
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Society: Nation
Tags History: European, Politics / Government, Military / War, History: World, Russian Literature, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Biography
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Animals, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (2008), American author David Wroblewski’s family epic set in 1970s rural Wisconsin, fuses elements of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet with the story of a gifted boy named Edgar who is mute. Initial critical reaction celebrated the reach of its intricate plot, its massive cast of characters, the audacity of its retelling of Hamlet, and its investigation into the dark dynamics of a dysfunctional family, particularly the complex relationship between feuding brothers... Read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle Summary
Publication year 1903
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Place, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose
Tags Mythology, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, History: World, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore
The Story of King Arthur and His Knights, written and illustrated by Howard Pyle, was originally published in 1903. Pyle’s Book 1s part of the Arthurian romance genre, which begins with Geoffrey of Monmouth’s introduction of the Arthur character in The History of the Kings of Britain, written in the twelfth century. The Arthurian, or chivalric, romance genre includes texts from many different eras and in many different languages. Pyle’s novel offers an American perspective... Read The Story of King Arthur and His Knights Summary
Publication year 2017
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Family, Society: Immigration
Tags Lyric Poem, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Mental Illness
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Fame, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Auto/Biographical Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (2009) by Alan Bradley is a murder mystery novel. It is the author’s first book, published when he was 70 years old. The novel won the Dagger, Agatha, Barry, Dilys, Arthur Ellis, Macavity, and Spotted Owl Awards for Best First or Best Debut Novel. It is the first book of The Flavia de Luce Novels.Plot SummaryThe protagonist and narrator of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the... Read The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Identity: Disability, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mythology, Children's Literature
The Sword of Summer (2015) is the first book in Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard modern fantasy series for young readers. The book takes place in the same universe as Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series (2005-2009) and is followed by The Hammer of Thor. The Sword of Summer won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Middle Grade and Children’s (2015) and has appeared on both the New York Times... Read The Sword of Summer Summary
Publication year 1984
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: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Society: War, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure
The Talisman is a 1984 novel co-written by Stephen King and Peter Straub. It is a fantasy novel with horror elements and has connections to the works in King’s Dark Tower series. The Talisman is a road trip book that tells the story of Jack Sawyer and his quest to save his mother. The Talisman examines themes of lost innocence, coming of age, friendship, the corrupting nature of power, and more.The Talisman has a sequel... Read The Talisman Summary