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 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Teams
Tags Romance
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hope
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Gender, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Food, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Grandparents, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Children's Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction
... Read Bob Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags History: World, Military / War, Children's Literature, WWII / World War II, Science / Nature
Publication year 1954
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty
Tags French Literature, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman
Bonjour Tristesse (1954) is the debut novel of French author Françoise Sagan, who was just 18 years old when she wrote it. The book was a literary success, earning the Prix des Critiques and becoming an international bestseller. Set on the French Riviera, the novel follows a disaffected teenager and explores themes of emotional detachment, moral ambiguity, and the search for meaning in a world stripped of structure. Categorized as a work of literary fiction... Read Bonjour Tristesse Summary
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Drama / Tragedy, Romance, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Breathing Underwater is a 2001 young adult novel by author Alex Flinn that tells the story of Nick Andreas, a wealthy teenage boy who struggles with his abusive father and abuses his girlfriend, Caitlin. When she files a restraining order and he must take a court-ordered family violence class, Nick begins to reevaluate his behavior and troubled past. As Nick is forced to face his emotional damage, he learns that change and growth are possible. Flinn’s... Read Breathing Underwater Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Literature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers, Life/Time: The Past
Tags Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Mental Health, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Society: Class, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Environment, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2014
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Aging, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death
Tags Humor, Grief / Death, Biography
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tale / Folklore
The fairytale “Cinderella” provides the foundation for Marissa Meyer's 2012 novel Cinder, which puts a futuristic and dystopian twist on the classic tale of love and the complexities of social class. Cinder lives her life as a cyborg: she is part human and part machinery. Although part of a social class that takes a place low on the social hierarchy, Cinder uses her personal machine structure to benefit her work as a mechanic. Equipped with... Read Cinder Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Romance, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare (Walker Books, 2009) is the third installment of the young adult urban fantasy Mortal Instruments series and chronicles an epic Shadowhunter battle against an old foe’s return. City of Glass was a finalist for the Teen Choice Book of the Year and for the 2009 Goodreads Choice Awards. Clare was born in Iran to American parents. She spent several years traveling before she settled in the United States, where... Read City of Glass Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Aging, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Fathers, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags African American Literature, Children's Literature, Realistic Fiction, Action / Adventure, Civil Rights / Jim Crow, History: U.S., Black Lives Matter, Grief / Death, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1980
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Identity: Gender, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Society: Colonialism
Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Asian Literature, History: World
Clear Light of Day (1980) is Anita Desai’s sixth and—according to the author—most autobiographical novel. This novel was the first of three of Desai’s books to be nominated for the prestigious Booker Prize. Like other books in her corpus, such as Cry, the Peacock (1963) and Where Shall We Go This Summer? (1975), it deals with gender struggles in a modernizing India. Set against the backdrop of Indian Independence and Partition, it explores the lives... Read Clear Light of Day Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Fathers, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, LGBTQ
Publication year 1986
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Psychology, Mental Illness, Self Help, Psychology, Relationships, Health / Medicine, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2015
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Marriage, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Joy
Tags Gender / Feminism, Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Relationships, Self Help, Love / Sexuality, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Psychology, Psychology