Appearance Versus Reality

Can we ever fully trust our senses, or are they too unreliable to perceive the world as it is? In this collection, we gather texts that explore the idea of appearance versus reality, from classics such as Aristotle's On the Soul to contemporary bestsellers like Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror.

Helen

by Euripides

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes War, Fate, Appearance & Reality

Tags Classic Fiction, Mythology, Tragedy, Dramatic Literature, Fantasy

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Hell Bent

by Leigh Bardugo

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Appearance & Reality

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Modern Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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Her Soul for Revenge

by Harley Laroux

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Memory, Revenge, Coming of Age, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Place, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense

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Hide

by Kiersten White

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Loneliness, Regret, Death, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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Home Before Dark

by Riley Sager

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Self Discovery, Guilt, Memory, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Regret, Revenge, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Appearance & Reality

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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Homo Deus

by Yuval Noah Harari

Publication year 2015

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Science & Technology, Environment, Future, Appearance & Reality

Tags Science & Nature, World History, Philosophy, Anthropology, Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Psychology, Philosophy, Politics & Government

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015) is a work of popular science by Israeli writer, professor, and futurist Yuval Noah Harari. Published in multiple languages, it is a continuation of the work of Harari’s previous book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. While Sapiens contextualized the advents of modernity within humans’ evolutionary legacy, Homo Deus speculates about what lies in wait for humanity in the distant future. Harari grounds his discussion in an... Read Homo Deus Summary

Hour of the Bees

by Lindsay Eagar

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Aging, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Place, Daughters & Sons, Fathers, Grandparents, Self Discovery, Community, Fate, Truth & Lies

Tags Magical Realism, Fantasy, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

Published in 2016, Hour of the Bees is a young adult magical realism novel by Lindsay Eagar. Set in contemporary New Mexico, the story follows 12-year-old Carol as she spends the summer on her grandfather’s sheep ranch, helping her family prepare it for sale and helping care for her grandfather, who has dementia. However, her grandfather’s stories of the land’s magic and history cause her to fall in love with it. Hour of the Bees... Read Hour of the Bees Summary

House of Glass

by Sarah Pekkanen

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Memory, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality, Family, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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How Does It Feel?

by Jeneane O'Riley

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Plants, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Horror & Suspense, Fairy Tale & Folklore, Religion & Spirituality

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How To Hang A Witch

by Adriana Mather

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Loneliness, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

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