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: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Mothers, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1999
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Lyric Poem, Villanelle
Publication year 2011
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Society: Immigration
Tags Vietnam War, Military / War, Immigration / Refugee, History: World, Biography
Publication year 1990
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: New Age, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action / Adventure
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, African American Literature
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Military / War, Historical Fiction, Survival Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Realistic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 1880
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature, History: World, Romance
Washington Square is a novel by American author Henry James published in 1880. It is a novel of manners, which turns on individual choices amidst social constraints and expectations, a style typical of James. The novel focuses on the romance between Catherine Sloper, a wealthy young woman in line to inherit even more from her father, and Morris Townsend, a handsome, charming suitor who lacks money and a profession. Catherine’s relationship with her father, Dr... Read Washington Square Summary
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Life/Time: Aging, Identity: Disability, Natural World: Animals, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Great Depression, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Water for Elephants, a New York Times bestseller and author Sara Gruen’s third novel, was published in 2006 by Algonquin. The novel was adapted into a full-length film in 2011 starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattison.Gruen often features animals in her novels, and Water for Elephants is no exception, as she follows two lovers in a forbidden relationship set against the backdrop of a circus and its eclectic mix of characters and exotic animals. The... Read Water for Elephants Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1850
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Victorian Period, Grief / Death
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Colonialism, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Society: Politics & Government
Tags History: African , Journalism, Military / War, Politics / Government, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: World, Biography
We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda (1998) describes the Hutu majority’s slaughter of at least 800,000 Tutsis in 100 days in 1994—with author and journalist Philip Gourevitch documenting the meticulous planning behind the genocide. Gourevitch chastises the international community, especially the United States and France, for failing to stop the genocide in accordance with obligations under the Genocide Convention. Visiting Rwanda one year after... Read We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 1975
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Free verse, History: European, Irish Literature
Publication year 1941
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Class
Tags Classic Fiction, Satire, Philosophy, American Literature, Great Depression, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Philosophy, Self Help
Publication year 1673
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Society: Nation
Tags Lyric Poem, Disability, Metaphysical, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Historical Fiction, Military / War, Gender / Feminism, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, Historical Fiction