Good & Evil

How do we uphold goodness in a world where it can seem impossible? What are the consequences to the human heart when we fail to live up to the ideals of goodness? These are some of the questions posed by the texts in this collection which explores the theme of Good & Evil.

The Witch Collector

by Charissa Weaks

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Revenge, Disability, Language, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Place, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy

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The Witch Elm

by Tana French

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Justice, Good & Evil, Self Discovery, Family, Nature Versus Nurture, Disability, Memory, Hate & Anger, Fear

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Irish Literature

The Witch Elm (2018) is a psychological crime thriller by best-selling American Irish author Tana French. The story follows Toby Hennessy, who unearths harmful family secrets while salvaging his identity after a traumatic assault. A standalone novel separate from French’s award-winning Dublin Murder Squad series, The Witch Elm appeared on NPR’s list of best books from 2018 and the New York Times’s notable books of 2018. Other works by this author include The Trespasser (2016)... Read The Witch Elm Summary

The Witching Hour

by Anne Rice

Publication year 1990

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Sexual Identity, The Past, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gothic Literature

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The Witch of Edmonton

by Thomas Dekker, John Ford, William Rowley

Publication year 1621

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Femininity, Community, Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Tragedy, Comedy & Satire, British Literature, Education, Education, World History, Dramatic Literature

The Witch of Edmonton is an English Jacobean play. It was written in 1621 by William Rowley, Thomas Dekker, and John Ford, who were all established playwrights of this period. Other playwrights may have also contributed, including John Webster, who was working closely at the time with the play’s credited writers. The play was first performed by Prince Charles’s Men (a theatrical company patronized by Prince Charles’s estate) at the Cockpit Theater in 1621. It... Read The Witch of Edmonton Summary

The Woman in Suite 11

by Ruth Ware

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Memory, Mental Health, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Horror & Suspense

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The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

by L. Frank Baum

Publication year 1900

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Friendship, Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery

Tags Children`s Literature, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Action & Adventure

Published in 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a beloved children’s classic by L. Frank Baum. It was adapted in 1939 into an iconic film starring Judy Garland. L. Frank Baum went on to write 13 further books set in the Land of Oz. This guide refers to the 2008 Puffin Books edition of The Wizard of Oz.Plot SummaryDorothy is a young girl living with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry on a farm... Read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Summary

The Woods

by Harlan Coben

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Future, The Past, Family, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense

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The Wrong Daughter

by Dandy Smith

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Revenge, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, The Past, Place, Family, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Dramatic Literature

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The Year We Disappeared

by Cylin Busby

Publication year 2008

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Fear, Good & Evil, Justice

Tags Crime & Law, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Biography

Cylin and John Busby’s The Year We Disappeared is a true crime memoir originally published in 2008. An expanded, 10th-anniversary edition was published in 2018. The book falls into both the memoir and true crime genres and is told from the perspective of the victims rather than a third party, such as a reporter. The Busby’s story was also featured on CBS’s newsmagazine, 48 Hours. It originally aired in 2010.Plot SummaryIn the summer of 1979... Read The Year We Disappeared Summary

The Young Elites

by Marie Lu

Publication year 2014

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Place, Good & Evil, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction

The Young Elites (2014) by Marie Lu is a young adult fantasy novel with thriller and romance elements. Protagonist Adelina Amouteru faces a dismal future as a malfetto—a person marked by the blood fever epidemic that occurred when she was a child. Discovering that she has the supernatural capabilities of a Young Elite, a quality marking only a few malfettos, positions her on a path of deadly conflict and desire. Highlighting themes of The Concept... Read The Young Elites Summary

They Went Left

by Monica Hesse

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Family, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Death, Marriage, Siblings, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Military & War, World History

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This Earth of Mankind

by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

Publication year 1980

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Indigenous Identity, Family, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Education, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Self Discovery

Tags Historical Fiction, Colonialism & Postcolonialism, Asian Literature, Social Class, Education, Asian History, Race & Racism

Pramoedya Ananta Toer—a famous Indonesian editor, essayist, and social activist—wrote This Earth of Mankind (1980)—the first book of his series The Buru Quartet—while imprisoned in the Buru Concentration Camp following a military coup that overthrew Sukarno, the first democratically elected president of Indonesia. Incarcerated for 14 years and prevented from having writing material, Toer memorized the books of his series and recited them to his fellow inmates each day until his release in 1979. The... Read This Earth of Mankind Summary

This Is Why We Lied

by Karin Slaughter

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Love, Regret, Revenge, Death, The Past, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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This Republic of Suffering

by Drew Gilpin Faust

Publication year 2008

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Good & Evil

Tags US History, American Civil War, Military & War, Grief & Death, World History

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War is a nonfiction book published in 2008 by Drew Gilpin Faust, an American historian and the first woman to serve as president of Harvard University. A finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, This Republic of Suffering details how mass death affected the lives of survivors during and after the Civil War. Other works by Drew Gilpin Faust include Mothers of... Read This Republic of Suffering Summary