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.

Career of Evil

by Robert Galbraith

Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Hate & Anger, Disability, Femininity, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Childhood & Youth, Death, The Past, Place, Friendship, Mothers, Equality, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense

Career of Evil (2015) is the third novel in the Cormoran Strike detective series by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling’s pseudonym). The story begins when Strike’s assistant, Robin Ellacott, receives a package containing a woman’s severed leg. The gruesome delivery sparks the investigative duo’s pursuit of a sadistic killer of women. As Strike and Robin investigate suspects from Strike’s troubled past, the story delves into themes of trauma, misogyny, and the lasting effects of violence. A... Read Career of Evil Summary

Catch-22

by Joseph Heller

Publication year 1961

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Mental Health, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger, Order & Chaos, Good & Evil, Memory, Fear, Conflict

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Military & War, Trauma & Abuse, American Literature, World History, Humor

Catch-22 is a 1961 satirical novel by Joseph Heller, whose experiences in the US Air Force during World War II inspired the narrative. The novel is set during World War II and portrays the absurd experiences of a group of Army pilots stationed in Italy. In addition to being hailed as one of the most seminal novels of the 20th century, Catch-22 has become an idiomatic expression for a certain kind of conundrum, a paradoxical... Read Catch-22 Summary

Chain of Gold

by Cassandra Clare

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Community

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Gender & Feminism, Coming of Age, World History, Religion & Spirituality

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Charles

by Shirley Jackson

Publication year 1948

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Truth & Lies, Appearance & Reality, Family

Tags Classic Fiction, American Literature, Humor, Post-War Era, Parenting, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction

American author Shirley Jackson’s short story “Charles” (1948) was first published in Mademoiselle, then in Jackson’s 1949 collection as well as in her 1953 novel Life Among the Savages. Though “Charles” is not in the horror genre, Jackson is a renowned horror writer and has influenced modern writers like Neil Gaiman and Stephen King. The story does, however, have an element of mystery—another genre for which the author is famous. This study guide cites the... Read Charles Summary

Charlotte Temple: A Tale of Truth

by Susanna Rowson

Publication year 1791

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Forgiveness, Femininity, Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, American Literature

Charlotte Temple: A Tale of Truth, written by Susanna Rowson (1762-1824) and published in 1791, is a cautionary Sentimentalist novel about Charlotte Temple, an upper-middle-class 15-year-old girl living in England. She leaves her family and home to follow a soldier, who promises to marry her, to the United States. However, Charlotte is betrayed by her companions, which leads to her untimely death. Although the novel did not perform well when originally published in England, the... Read Charlotte Temple: A Tale of Truth Summary

Christine

by Stephen King

Publication year 1983

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Safety & Danger, Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Nostalgia, Femininity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction

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City of Ashes

by Cassandra Clare

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Coming of Age, Family, Good & Evil, Power & Greed

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality

City of Ashes (2008) by Cassandra Clare is the second novel in the six-part Mortal Instruments series. The book follows 16-year-old Clary Fray, who has recently discovered that she is not an ordinary mortal, but a Shadowhunter, part of a group who saves the world from demons. In City of Bones (2007) the first book of the series, Clary also learned that she is the daughter of rogue Shadowhunter Valentine Morgenstern and that her romantic... Read City of Ashes Summary

City of God

by E. L. Doctorow

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Literature, Order & Chaos

Tags Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Postmodernism

E. L. Doctorow’s 2000 novel City of God is a postmodern, metafictional novel of religious questioning that attempts to reconcile the history of the 20th century, particularly the Holocaust, with modern conceptions of morality and God. The novel is structured as a fragmented writer’s notebook written by a character loosely based on Doctorow himself. The plot, which concerns a stolen cross and an Episcopalian priest’s doubts about his faith, is rendered through the mediated lens... Read City of God Summary

City Spies

by James Ponti

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Joy, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Justice, Art, Good & Evil, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Science & Technology, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Teamwork, Family, Climate, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Self Discovery, Community, Wins & Losses, Friendship, Place, Order & Chaos

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

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Clockwork Angel

by Cassandra Clare

Publication year 2010

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Gender Identity, Good & Evil

Tags Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality, Romance, Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Addiction & Substance Abuse

Clockwork Angel is the first book in Cassandra Clare’s historical fantasy trilogy The Infernal Devices, a prequel to the internationally bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. Clockwork Angel was first published in 2010, followed by Clockwork Prince in 2011 and Clockwork Princess in 2013. The trilogy follows Theresa (Tessa) Gray, an American girl in Victorian London, who discovers she is a member of the Shadow World, the hidden world of supernatural creatures, angels, and demons. Clockwork... Read Clockwork Angel Summary

Clown in a Cornfield

by Adam Cesare

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Nostalgia, Revenge, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, LGBTQ+

... Read Clown in a Cornfield Summary