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.

Fall on your Knees

by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Publication year 1996

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Shame & Pride, Truth & Lies, Religion & Spirituality, Music, Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Fathers, Childhood & Youth, Sexual Identity, Race, Fear

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, Trauma & Abuse, Love & Sexuality, Music, Religion & Spirituality, Race & Racism, World History, Canadian Literature

Fall on Your Knees (1996), first-time novelist Ann-Marie MacDonald’s ambitious multigenerational family saga set in the early decades of the 20th century, moves from the bleak coastal towns of Canada’s Cape Breton Island to the bustling New York City of the Jazz Era. Recalling both the psychological richness of William Faulkner’s family sagas set in Yoknapatawpha County and the dark passions in the Gothic tales of Flannery O’Connor, Fall on Your Knees follows three very... Read Fall on your Knees Summary

Family Lore

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Femininity, Love, Memory, Mental Health, Race, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Death, Marriage, Mothers

Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Modern Classic Fiction

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Family of Liars

by E. Lockhart

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Perseverance, Loyalty & Betrayal, Siblings, Family

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Romance, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Modern Classic Fiction

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Family of Spies

by Christine Kuehn

Publication year 2025

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, The Past, Family, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags US History, European History, World War II, Memoir & Autobiography, Politics & Government, Espionage

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Fangirl

by Rainbow Rowell

Publication year 2013

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Love, Mental Health, Family, Literature, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Relationships, Romance, New Adult

Fangirl is a 2013 contemporary young adult novel by Rainbow Rowell. Rowell is an award-winning author whose novels depict relatable struggles in the contemporary world. Her most acclaimed contemporary young adult novels, Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, and her most acclaimed adult novel, Landline, are all set in and around her hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.Fangirl follows 18-year-old Cath Avery as she navigates identity, family, and romantic struggles in her first year at college. Her anxiety... Read Fangirl Summary

Farmer Boy

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Publication year 1933

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Perseverance, Family, Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Childhood & Youth, Animals, Community

Tags Classic Fiction, Children`s Literature, Historical Fiction, Agriculture, Animals, US History, Parenting, Religion & Spirituality, Science & Nature, Coming of Age, World History

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Fasting, Feasting

by Anita Desai

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Coming of Age

Tags Coming of Age, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, Asian Literature, Arts & Culture

Fasting, Feasting is divided into two parts: Part I, set in a strict and authoritarian household in India and Part II, set in a cold and isolating home in the Massachusetts suburbs. Both sections of the novel are told in third-person-limited-omniscient point of view, chronicling two members of the same Indian family. In Part I, the narrator, through flashback, explores Uma’s quest to find independence and identity within the repressive and regimented household atmosphere of Mama... Read Fasting, Feasting Summary

Fast Pitch

by Nic Stone

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Race, Coming of Age, Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Sports, Children`s Literature, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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Fated Throne

by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Love, Coming of Age, Family, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Romance

Fated Throne, published in 2020, is the sixth novel in the Zodiac Academy romantasy series by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti. The series, set in the fictional world of Solaria, has a significant following on TikTok and is being adapted for television. The authors are a prolific writing duo known for their interconnected universe of dark romance and fantasy novels, including the spin-off series The Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac and Darkmore Penitentiary, which are... Read Fated Throne Summary

Fate of the Sun King

by Nisha J. Tuli

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Revenge, Plants, Place, Family, Fathers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Social Class, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance

The third installment picks up after Lor has escaped the Sun Palace in Aphelion, the capital of the Sun realm in Ouranos, following the Sun Queen Trials. She hides within the city, joined by Nadir, the Aurora Prince who helped free her; her older siblings Tristan and Willow; and several allies. Their goal is to infiltrate the palace and reach the Mirror, Aphelion's magical Artefact. Lor believes the Mirror holds something connected to her true... Read Fate of the Sun King Summary

Fat Ham

by James Ijames

Publication year 2023

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Family, Fathers, Mothers

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Drama, LGBTQ+, Humor

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Fatherland

by Robert Harris

Publication year 1992

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Race, Midlife, Future, Family, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Equality, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Science Fiction, Military & War, World War II

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Feminist Theory

by bell hooks

Publication year 1984

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Gender Identity, Race, Social Class, Community, Education, Family

Tags Gender & Feminism, Philosophy, Race & Racism, Politics & Government, Social Justice, Women`s Studies, Philosophy

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