Fate

We can call it destiny; we can call it providence; we can even call it the will of the gods. Whatever words we use, the idea that the events in our lives are beyond our control is powerful — which explains why so many authors, past and present, have used the ever-relevant idea of fate to communicate rich lessons about humanity.

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Friendship, Fate, Coming of Age, Loneliness

Tags Romance, Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Modern Classic Fiction

Jerry Spinelli’s beloved free-spirited character from his eponymously titled 2000 young adult novel, Stargirl, returns in this companion work Love, Stargirl (2007). Writing the “World’s Longest Letter” to her ex-boyfriend, Leo, 16-year-old Stargirl chronicles her new life in Pennsylvania. Lonely and emotionally wounded by Leo’s rejection, Stargirl struggles to regain her confidence. Over the course of a year, Stargirl forms lasting friendships, falls for charismatic bad boy, Perry, and learns important lessons about self-worth and... Read Love, Stargirl Summary

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Revenge, Femininity, Gender Identity, Death, Animals, Plants, Daughters & Sons, Family, Mothers, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Education, Fate, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Alice Hoffman's novel is set in 17th-century England and colonial America, tracing the origins of the Owens family of witches across decades of love, betrayal, and persecution.In 1664, in Essex County, England, an old woman named Hannah Owens discovers an abandoned baby girl in a snowy field, wrapped in a blue blanket stitched with the name Maria. A crow settles on the basket and never leaves, becoming the child's familiar, a creature bonded to a... Read Magic Lessons Summary

Publication year 1731

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Appearance & Reality

Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature

Manon Lescaut, written by Abbé Antoine Francois Prévost and published in 1731, is perhaps best described as a novella. Originally just a small piece of Prévost’s seven-volume work, Memoirs and Adventures of a Man of Quality, it quickly became very popular and is now Prévost’s most well-known work. Memoirs is a fictional autobiography of Monsieur de Renoncour, who introduces Manon Lescaut, which is in turn narrated by the protagonist of the story, the Chevalier Des... Read Manon Lescaut Summary

Publication year 1909

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Social Class, Fate, Loneliness, Education, Self Discovery, Community

Tags Historical Fiction, Life-Inspired Fiction, American Literature, Coming of Age, Arts & Culture, Social Class, Depression & Suicide, Education, Finance, Philosophy, Politics & Government, Poverty, Relationships, US History, World History, Classical Period, Action & Adventure, Classic Fiction

Martin Eden is a 1909 novel by American author Jack London. Known for his stories of adventure and use of naturalism and realism, London authored more than 50 books, including Call of the Wild and White Fang, before his untimely death at age 40. London wrote Martin Eden at the height of his literary career, inspired by his own disillusionment with fame and literary critics. Although the protagonist’s individualist principles are at odds with London’s... Read Martin Eden Summary

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Art, Literature, Future, Perseverance, Self Discovery

Tags Science Fiction, Romance, Arts & Culture, Futurism, Fantasy

Matched is a science fiction novel for young adults by best-selling author Ally Condie. Published in 2010, it is the first novel in the Matched trilogy. It was followed by Crossed in 2011 and Reached in 2012. Matched was a critical and commercial success—as were the other two books in the trilogy. It was a New York Times bestseller and named one of the best children’s books of the year by Publisher’s Weekly. The Young... Read Matched Summary

Publication year 1986

Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Nonfiction

Themes Friendship, Family, Fate

Tags World History, World War II, Holocaust, European History, Postmodernism, Military & War, Biography

Maus by Art Spiegelman was the first graphic novel to win the Pulitzer Prize. It originally ran in Spiegelman’s Raw magazine between 1980 and 1991 before receiving mainstream attention as two collected volumes, Maus I in 1986 and Maus II in 1991. This guide is based on the 1996 complete edition. This historic memoir interlaces two narratives, one of Spiegelman’s Jewish father as he survives World War II Poland and the Auschwitz concentration camp, and... Read Maus Summary

Publication year 180

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Fate, Perseverance, Good & Evil

Tags Philosophy, Ancient Rome, Philosophy, World History, Psychology, Psychology, Biography, Self-Improvement, Classic Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

Meditations is a collection of prose philosophical reflections and exercises composed in Koine Greek by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who lived from 121-180 and ruled from 161-180. Though the precise dating of his compositions is unknown and they are not believed to be presented in chronological order, at least some of the books were written while he was on military campaign in the north of Europe during his reign. Scholars are generally in consensus that... Read Meditations Summary

Publication year 1641

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Fate, Order & Chaos, Truth & Lies, Good & Evil, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Philosophy, Age of Enlightenment, Religion & Spirituality, Education, Education, French Literature, World History, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

Meditations on First Philosophy is a philosophical treatise by René Descartes. Originally published in Latin in 1641, the text would go on to influence European and global philosophical traditions. In this work, Descartes argues for the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. Two of its major contributions to philosophy are mind/body dualism and the famous phrase “I think, therefore, I am.” The book comprises six meditations wherein Descartes seeks to doubt all... Read Meditations on First Philosophy Summary

Publication year 1951

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Grief, Loneliness, Memory, Nostalgia, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Aging, Death, The Past, Colonialism, Nation, Politics & Government, Art, Beauty, Fate, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality

Tags French Literature, World History, Philosophy, Classic Fiction

The Memoirs of Hadrian is a fictional autobiography first published in French by Marguerite Yourcenar in 1951. Composed as the reflections of the real Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled in 117-138 CE, the book was well-received by critics and readers and is considered Yourcenar’s best work as well as one of the best 20th century French novels. The English version of the Memoirs was translated by Grace Frick, in collaboration with the author, and published... Read Memoirs of Hadrian Summary

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Grief, Fate, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Loneliness, Memory, Regret, Fathers, Friendship, Marriage, Self Discovery, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies

Tags Romance, Southern Literature

Message in a Bottle (1998) is the second novel by Nicholas Sparks, the follow-up to his incredibly popular romance, The Notebook. It was inspired by Sparks’s father’s experience after the sudden and unexpected death of Sparks’s mother. They’d been married for 27 years when an accident on a horse led her to develop a cerebral hemorrhage. It was a fluke, a random accident, just like the one that claims Catherine’s life and that of her... Read Message In A Bottle Summary

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Love, Revenge, Mental Health, Coming of Age, Family, Self Discovery, Fame, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Music, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

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

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel/Book in Verse, Fiction

Themes Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Loneliness, Memory, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Animals, Environment, Siblings, Teamwork, Community, Fate, Safety & Danger, Self Discovery

Tags Realistic Fiction, Animals, Children`s Literature

Publication year 1989

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Love, Fate, Hope, Memory, Disability, Mental Health, Appearance & Reality, Self Discovery

Tags Finance, African American Literature

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Forgiveness, Memory, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Love, Revenge, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Fate, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Technology, Social Class

Publication year 1998

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mothers, Fate

Tags Race & Racism, Education, Education, African American Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

In writing Mother to Mother, Sindiwe Magona drew inspiration from a real event: the murder of a white American named Amy Biehl by young black men in 1990s South Africa. The crime caused shockwaves around the world, not least because Biehl herself had come to South Africa to combat apartheid—the system of segregation and discrimination that relegated black South Africans, as well as other people of color, to second-class citizenship.On the face of it, then... Read Mother to Mother Summary

Publication year 1935

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Death, Politics & Government, Fate, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Drama, Historical Drama, Poetry: Dramatic Poem, Religion & Spirituality, Christian, World History, Dramatic Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction

Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T.S. Eliot that portrays the final days of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was assassinated and martyred in 1170. Written in 1935 for the Canterbury Festival, the play explores themes of faith, power, martyrdom, and the conflict between church and state. Many stage performances of the play have been produced, and Murder in the Cathedral has also been adapted for television, film, and opera... Read Murder in the Cathedral Summary

Publication year 2025

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Memory, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Environment, Place, Family, Social Class, Community, Education, Nation, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags True Crime, Biography