Colonialism & Postcolonialism

With best-selling novels like Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible and influential academic texts such as Edward Said's Orientalism, this collection gathers books from across genres to explore the complex dynamics and lasting legacies of colonialism.

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born

by Ayi Kwei Armah

Publication year 1969

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism, Power & Greed, Politics & Government

Tags Heinemann African Writers, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Satirical Literature, Poverty, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, African American Literature, World History

The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, published in 1968, is a debut novel by Ayi Kwei Armah, one of the most noteworthy writers of postcolonial Ghana. Armah was born in Takoradi, Ghana, in 1939. He was educated at schools in Ghana and private institutions in America, including Harvard University. He has also worked as a translator, scriptwriter, and a university lecturer.The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born focuses on life in post-independence Ghana and... Read The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born Summary

The Bewitching

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Indigenous Identity, Death, Animals, Place, Family, Grandparents, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Fantasy

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The Blood of Olympus

by Rick Riordan

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Colonialism, Self Discovery, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Coming of Age, Death, Place, Hope

Tags Fantasy, Mythology, Action & Adventure, Leadership, Coming of Age, Animals, European History, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Children`s Literature

Originally published in 2014, The Blood of Olympus is the fifth and final book in Rick Riordan’s young adult fantasy series The Heroes of Olympus, inspired by Greek and Roman mythologies. The series follows seven demigods—children of one divine and one mortal parent—as they try to stop the earth goddess, Gaea, from rising to power. The novel won several awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Middle Grade and Children’s Book of 2014. The... Read The Blood of Olympus Summary

The Blue Sword

by Robin McKinley

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Femininity, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, War

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

The Blue Sword (1982) is a young adult fantasy novel by American author Robin McKinley. Set in the mythical kingdom of Damar, the story follows Angharad “Harry” Crewe, a young orphaned woman from a colonizing nation known as the Homeland. After being sent to live in a remote desert outpost, Harry is unexpectedly kidnapped by Corlath, the king of the native Hillfolk, who senses ancient magic in her. As Harry is drawn deeper into the... Read The Blue Sword Summary

The Bone People

by Keri Hulme

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Gender Identity, Colonialism

Tags Magical Realism, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Historical Fiction, Fantasy

The Bone People (1984) by Keri Hulme was the first New Zealand novel to receive the Booker Prize. It also earned a number of other awards, including the 1984 New Zealand Book Award and the Pegasus Award for Maori Literature. A native of Christchurch, Hulme grew up on the South Island. She comes from a large, diverse, multicultural family of English, Scottish, and Maori descent. After finishing high school, the writer began working as a... Read The Bone People Summary

The Book of Sand

by Jorge Luis Borges

Publication year 1975

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Appearance & Reality, Colonialism

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

“The Book of Sand” by Jorge Luis Borges is a short story dealing with humankind’s inability to grasp the infinite, whether in spirituality or in physical reality. Borges is one of the most well-known Latin American authors, as well as one of the most notable postmodernists of the 20th century. Like much of Borges’s work, “The Book of Sand” contains themes and motifs of the infinite, the nature of literature, spirituality, and postcolonial thought. “The... Read The Book of Sand Summary

The Break

by Katherena Vermette

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Indigenous Identity, Community, Colonialism, Self Discovery

Tags Gender & Feminism, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction, Canadian Literature

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The Burning God

by R. F. Kuang

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Nostalgia, Revenge, Place, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Fantasy, World History

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The Butcher's Masquerade

by Matt Dinniman

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Friendship, Teamwork, Colonialism, Economics, Fame, Justice, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy

Originally self-published in 2022, Matt Dinniman’s The Butcher’s Masquerade is the fifth novel in the best-selling Dungeon Crawler Carl series, a prime example of the literary role-playing game (LitRPG) subgenre. The series began as a popular web serial on the platform Royal Road before its success led to a traditional print publishing deal with Ace Books. The story continues the journey of Carl and his talking cat, Princess Donut, as they descend through a deadly... Read The Butcher's Masquerade Summary

The Cliffs

by J. Courtney Sullivan

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Guilt, Joy, Memory, Femininity, Indigenous Identity, Mental Health, Midlife, The Past, Place, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Colonialism, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Equality, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Literary Fiction, Gothic Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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The Color Purple

by Alice Walker

Publication year 1982

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Religion & Spirituality, Colonialism

Tags Gender & Feminism, American Literature, African American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, World History, LGBTQ+

The Color Purple is an epistolary novel—a novel told in letter form—in which Alice Walker traces the gradual liberation of Celie, a poor, Black woman who must overcome abuse and separation from her beloved sister Nettie. Set in the South and an unnamed African country during the 1930 to 1940s, the novel is a study in the ways in which Black women use their faith, relationships, and creativity to survive racial and sexual oppression. Several... Read The Color Purple Summary