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.
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, Sports, New Adult
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Realistic Fiction, African American Literature, Grief / Death, Depression / Suicide, Relationships, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Written in 1994 by Sharon M. Draper, Tears of a Tiger incorporates various modes of writing, including personal essays, newspaper articles (formal writing), journal entries, and conversations to convey the story of a teenage boy’s descent into grief, guilt, and suicidal ideation following a car crash in which he, as the driver, causes the death of a good friend. The novel explores the importance of mental health in high school students, the effects of drunk... Read Tears of a Tiger Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Society: Education, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, LGBTQ
Publication year 1936
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Relationships, Class, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1988
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Action / Adventure, Latin American Literature, Inspirational, Fantasy, Philosophy, Philosophy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality
The Alchemist, first published in 1988, is a novel by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho and translated by Alan R. Clarke. It tells the story of Santiago, a shepherd from Andalusia who dreams of a treasure buried beside the pyramids in Egypt. Heavy with allegory and including many magical elements, the novel has been described as adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and philosophical fiction as it encourages the characters (and the reader) to fulfill their Personal Legends.The... Read The Alchemist Summary
Publication year 1610
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Class, Society: Community, Relationships: Teams
Tags British Literature, Play: Historical, Play: Comedy / Satire, Satire, Class, Finance / Money / Wealth, Renaissance, Education, Education, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gothic Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism, Fantasy
The Angel's Game is a 2008 supernatural mystery novel by the Spanish author Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Set in Barcelona in the 1920s and 1930s, the book chronicles a young crime novelist's efforts to unravel an occult conspiracy amid the political turmoil of pre-Francoist Spain. It is the second entry in Zafón's Cemetery of Forgotten Books series and a prequel to 2001's Shadow of the Wind, but The Angel's Game is designed to be read as... Read The Angel's Game Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Environment
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Children's Literature, Animals
Publication year 1959
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Sports, Relationships, Psychological Fiction
Published in 2011, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach is a work of literary fiction depicting the interwoven journeys of characters at Westish, a fictional small liberal arts college in Wisconsin. Henry Skrimshander is a talented baseball shortstop whose future is jeopardized by an errant throw. His development intersects with that of his teammate Schwartz; his roommate, Owen; college president Guert; and Pella, Guert’s daughter and a newly enrolled student of Westish. The novel... Read The Art of Fielding Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Teams, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Music, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Religion / Spirituality, Arts / Culture
The Beautiful Mystery, published in 2012, is the eighth book in former Canadian journalist Louise Penny’s Chief Inspector Gamache series. The Gamache series is known for its recurring cast of characters, psychological depth, and long-term story arcs. Gamache is a longtime member of Québec’s provincial police force, most often known by its French name, the Sûreté du Québec. Gamache’s struggles with police corruption form the main plot of several books, including A Fatal Grace and... Read The Beautiful Mystery Summary
Publication year 1994
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: War
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction
The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (1994) is a historical mystery novel by American author Laurie R. King and the first installment in the best-selling Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series. King, who won an Edgar Award for her debut novel, A Grave Talent, creates a literary pastiche that re-engages with Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes canon. Set against the backdrop of World War I, the novel introduces Mary Russell, a brilliant and independent 15-year-old orphan who becomes... Read The Beekeeper's Apprentice Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Midlife, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Irish Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Disability, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Bullying, Disability, Education, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Relationships, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
The Beginning of Everything is a young adult coming-of-age novel by the accomplished American author Robyn Schneider. First published in 2013, it is Schneider’s debut novel and has been nominated for numerous YA book awards. It is published in multiple countries, in the UK under the title Severed Heads, Broken Hearts.Schneider, who lives in Los Angeles, is the author of several other bestselling YA books: Extraordinary Means; Invisible Ghosts; You Don’t Live Here. Her newest... Read The Beginning of Everything Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Class, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Globalization, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Canadian Literature, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychology, Mental Illness, Biography
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Contemporary Literature