Guilt

In Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, a character remarks, "If he has a conscience he will suffer for his mistake; that will be punishment—as well as the prison." In other words, guilt is its own form of imprisonment, from which someone may never be released. In this collection explore titles that probe the questions and implications raised by the idea of guilt.

July's People

by Nadine Gordimer

Publication year 1981

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Equality, Conflict, Fear, Guilt, Memory, Regret, Race, Family, Marriage, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Historical Fiction, Race & Racism, Military & War, African Literature

July’s People, a 1981 dystopian novel by South African author Nadine Gordimer, imagines the aftermath of a bloody uprising that topples South Africa’s notorious, white-ruled apartheid regime. Her novel, which follows a white family’s desperate flight from Johannesburg, traces the complex interdependencies of white and Black South Africans, revealing the insidiousness of the regime’s racial disparities and mindsets, even among liberal, well-meaning white people. Through the lens of this hypothetical future, Gordimer’s novel explores racial... Read July's People Summary

Junie

by Erin Crosby Eckstine

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Grief, Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Guilt, Race, Coming of Age, Siblings, Self Discovery, Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Coming of Age, American Civil War

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Key Player

by Kelly Yang

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Shame & Pride, Gender Identity, Language, Race, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Place, Family, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Justice

Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Sports

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Killing Mr. Griffin

by Lois Duncan

Publication year 1978

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Apathy, Conflict, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Coming of Age, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Community, Education, Family, Good & Evil, Fate, Justice, Power & Greed, Literature, Trust & Doubt, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Dramatic Literature, Trauma & Abuse, Education, Education

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King of Scars

by Leigh Bardugo

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Conflict, Religion & Spirituality, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Politics & Government

Tags Fantasy, Gender & Feminism, Romance, LGBTQ+, Action & Adventure

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King Sorrow

by Joe Hill

Publication year 2025

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Forgiveness, Guilt, Regret, Revenge, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Teamwork, Social Class, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed

Tags Horror & Suspense, Fantasy

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Kiss the Girls

by James Patterson

Publication year 1995

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Teamwork, Social Class, Community, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Justice, Safety & Danger

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

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Kokoro

by Natsume Sōseki

Publication year 1914

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loneliness, Guilt, Friendship, Apathy

Tags Classic Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, World History

Kokoro is a 1914 novel by Japanese author Natsume Sōseki. Set during the end of the Meiji Restoration, the novel explores how changing Japanese society profoundly effects an older and a younger man as they strike up an unlikely friendship. The novel was initially serialized in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper over the course of five months. The serialized novel was titled Kokoro: Sensei no Isho, though this was shortened for the print run of the... Read Kokoro Summary

Kristin Lavransdatter

by Sigrid Undset

Publication year 1920

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Guilt, Hope, Love, Nostalgia, Regret, Gender Identity, Coming of Age, Death, Family, Marriage, Community, Religion & Spirituality

Tags Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction, Scandinavian Literature

Kristin Lavransdatter is a trilogy of historical novels by Norwegian author and Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Published between 1920 and 1922, the trilogy consists of The Wreath (see the comprehensive SuperSummary guide to The Wreath here), The Wife, and The Cross. The novels chronicle Scandinavian life during the Middle Ages. They follow the eponymous protagonist, Kristin Lavransdatter, a woman living in 1300s Norway. The trilogy is generally considered Undset’s magnum opus. This guide is... Read Kristin Lavransdatter Summary

Lake Effect

by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Forgiveness, Guilt, Love, Family, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance

Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s 2025 novel, Lake Effect, is a family saga that explores the long-lasting repercussions of a single, life-altering choice. Set primarily in a suburb of Rochester, New York, the narrative begins in 1977 when Nina Larkin, a talented cook in a passionless marriage, and Finn Finnegan, an ambitious grocer from across the street, engage in an affair, leave their spouses, and elope. The novel spans three decades, tracing the deep and often painful... Read Lake Effect Summary

Land of Milk and Honey

by C Pam Zhang

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Guilt, Hope, Love, Memory, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Gender Identity, Language, Race, Sexual Identity, Future, Animals, Climate, Environment, Food, Place, Social Class, Power & Greed, Science & Technology

Tags Science Fiction, Food, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ+

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Layla

by Colleen Hoover

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Love, Mental Health, Trust & Doubt, Guilt

Tags Romance, Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Religion & Spirituality

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Let Me Hear a Rhyme

by Tiffany D. Jackson

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Music, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Joy, Hope, Guilt, Memory, Nostalgia, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Equality, Justice, Safety & Danger, Loyalty & Betrayal, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies, Power & Greed, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Daughters & Sons, Family, Friendship, Siblings, Mothers, Race, Language, Community

Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Grief & Death, Modern Classic Fiction, World History, Music

... Read Let Me Hear a Rhyme Summary