Family

Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.

Then She Was Gone

by Lisa Jewell

Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Daughters & Sons

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

Lisa Jewell’s mystery novel Then She Was Gone follows Laurel Mack in her search for answers regarding her daughter Ellie’s disappearance. Through a series of flashbacks and differing points of view, Jewell gradually unfolds the details of the past and looks inside the mind of the psychopath who kidnapped Ellie, all while chronicling the steps Laurel must take to heal from the sorrow that has consumed her.This novel was originally published in 2017, but this... Read Then She Was Gone Summary

The Obsession

by Nora Roberts

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Mental Health, The Past, Family, Safety & Danger

Tags Romance, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Trauma & Abuse

... Read The Obsession Summary

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

by Neil Gaiman

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Safety & Danger, Good & Evil, Memory

Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror & Suspense, Religion & Spirituality

In The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013), a dark fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman, a young boy accidentally brings an evil entity from another reality into his world, and he needs the help of three mysterious women to try to get rid of the threat. A number-one New York Times bestseller, the novel won several honors, including the British Book Awards Book of the Year and the Locus Award for best fantasy... Read The Ocean at the End of the Lane Summary

Theodore Boone

by John Grisham

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Justice, Family, Education, Immigration, Guilt

Tags Crime & Law, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Realistic Fiction

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is a 2010 middle-grade novel written by John Grisham, and it is the first installment in the Theodore Boone series. Grisham is an experienced layer and writer of over 30 novels, with most of his writing in the legal thriller genre. Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer is Grisham’s first foray into writing for a younger audience, which the author called a challenge in shifting the way he thought about his writing approach... Read Theodore Boone Summary

The Odyssey

by Homer, Transl. Emily Wilson

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Fate

Tags Classic Fiction, Narrative Poem, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Education, Education, Fantasy, Action & Adventure

Book DetailsThe Odyssey is a classic ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer. Often referred to as the beginning of Western literature, The Odyssey draws on conceits and concepts from Near Eastern epics, most notably the Homecoming Husband. The narrative revolves around the restoration of a family after a prolonged separation, exploring themes of The Importance of Home and Family, Reciprocity as Virtue and Obligation, and the Intersection of Fate, the Gods, and Human Choices... Read The Odyssey Summary

The Old Willis Place

by Mary Downing Hahn

Publication year 2004

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Death, Friendship, Siblings, Loyalty & Betrayal, Childhood & Youth, Forgiveness, Loneliness, Family, Guilt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Grief & Death, Science Fiction, Children`s Literature, Religion & Spirituality

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The Only Plane in the Sky

by Garrett M. Graff

Publication year 2019

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Race, Death, Family, Teamwork, Globalization, Nation, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags US History, Crime & Law, 9/11, World History, Biography, Politics & Government

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The Only Road

by Alexandra Diaz

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Action & Adventure, Arts & Culture

The Only Road (2016) is Alexandra Diaz’s second novel. Diaz is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and this book focuses on the experience of migration. The novel, written primarily for young adults, follows cousins Jaime and Ángela, who are forced to flee their small Guatemalan village after the local gang kills Ángela’s brother. Faced with either joining the gang responsible for his death or taking the uncertain 4,000-kilometer journey north, Jaime and Ángela reluctantly leave... Read The Only Road Summary

Theo of Golden

by Allen Levi

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Community, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Race, Aging, Death, The Past, Family, Fathers, Art, Beauty, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Literary Fiction, Christian, Contemporary Literature

... Read Theo of Golden Summary