Loyalty & Betrayal

The texts in this thematic collection organized around the idea of Loyalty & Betrayal range from Dennis Lehane's Mystic River to Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat. But each book explores the idea in its own way, revealing the intricate ways we may maintain loyalty at all costs — or test the bonds of family and friend relationships through deep betrayal.

Kingdom of Ash

by Sarah J. Maas

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Perseverance, Hope, Love, Race, Coming of Age, Plants, Place, Teamwork, Social Class, War, Good & Evil, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure

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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 of the Wind

by Marguerite Henry

Publication year 1948

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Gratitude, Hope, Love, Disability, Language, Race, Coming of Age, Animals, Friendship, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Beauty, Fate, Loyalty & Betrayal, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger

Tags Children`s Literature, Animals, Classic Fiction

Originally published in 1948, Marguerite Henry’s Newbery Medal-winning King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian is a middle-grade historical novel that blends fact and legend to tell the story of one of the founding sires of modern Thoroughbred horses. Through the journey of Agba, a Moroccan stableboy with a speech disability, and his horse, Sham, Henry creates a tale about how loyalty, perseverance, and fate shaped the history of horse racing.This guide... Read King of the Wind Summary

Lady Audley's Secret

by Mary Elizabeth Braddon

Publication year 1862

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Gender Identity, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Victorian Period, British Literature, Gothic Literature, World History, Historical Fiction, Victorian Era

Lady Audley’s Secret was published in 1862 and caused a stir among Victorian readers with its depiction of murder, madness, extortion, and bigamy. The novel centers on a young woman, Lucy Graham, a governess working in the village of Audley. Everyone in the village is charmed by her, including Sir Michael Audley, who was instantly smitten with her youth, beauty, and sweet demeanor. Sir Michael is a wealthy, 56-year-old widower who did not want Lucy to... Read Lady Audley's Secret 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

Lamb To The Slaughter

by Roald Dahl

Publication year 1953

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Post-War Era, Gender & Feminism, Education, Education, Classic Fiction

First published in Harper’s Magazine in 1953, “Lamb to the Slaughter” is Roald Dahl’s best-known short story for adults. Dahl (1916-1990) was a British novelist, screenwriter, short story author and, arguably, one of the greatest children’s storytellers of the 20th century. Many of his popular children’s books have been adapted for stage and screen, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Witches, James and the Giant Peach, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.Dahl published four collections... Read Lamb To The Slaughter Summary

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

by Malinda Lo

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Self Discovery, Sexual Identity, Race, Gender Identity, Femininity, Masculinity, Love, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Equality, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal, Family, Friendship

Tags Historical Fiction, LGBTQ+, Romance, Coming of Age, Love & Sexuality, Women`s Studies, Modern Classic Fiction, World History

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Lavinia

by Ursula K. Le Guin

Publication year 2008

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Forgiveness, Grief, Hate & Anger, Love, Memory, Regret, Shame & Pride, Femininity, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Place, Daughters & Sons, Family, Fathers, Marriage, Mothers, Siblings, Self Discovery, Community, War, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt

Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Military & War, Italian Literature, World History, Classic Fiction

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Leaf Storm

by Gabriel García Márquez

Publication year 1955

Genre Novella, Fiction

Themes Family, Conflict, Fear, Hope, Love, Memory, Femininity, Language, Masculinity, Mental Health, Aging, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Midlife, Death, Future, The Past, Animals, Appearance & Reality, Objects & Materials, Place, Daughters & Sons, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Colonialism, Community, Beauty, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Religion & Spirituality, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Grief & Death

Leaf Storm and Other Stories is a collection of fiction by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The collection includes the title novella, Leaf Storm (La Hojarasca), first published in its original Spanish-language text in 1955. When Gregory Rabassa produced the first English translation of the novella, it was published (originally in 1972) alongside six short stories representing García Márquez’s work between 1951 and 1968.The collection offers an early glimpse into the magical realism and rural... Read Leaf Storm Summary

Le Cid

by Pierre Corneille

Publication year 1636

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Justice

Tags Tragedy, Comedy & Satire, Arts & Culture, French Literature

Le Cid is a five-act tragicomic play by Pierre Corneille, first performed in 1636 at the Théâtre du Marais in Paris. The plot is based on the Spanish play Las mocedadas del Cid by Guillén de Castro, which itself is based on the legend of Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (1043-1099), a Castilian knight and Spanish national hero whose title “El Cid” is derived from the Arabic word for lord, sayyid. Corneille (1606-1684) is considered one... Read Le Cid Summary

Legend

by Marie Lu

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Politics & Government, Family, Revenge, Truth & Lies, Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Action & Adventure, Trauma & Abuse

Legend is the first book in the titular book trilogy by Chinese-American author Marie Lu. Originally published in 2011, Legend is a dystopian novel that explores topics of love, family, fascism, civil disobedience, inequality, propaganda, poverty, and hope in the face of an oppressive government. Lu was inspired by the classic Victor Hugo story Les Misérables and wanted to explore a similar cat-and-mouse dynamic in a futuristic setting. Just like the law-abiding policeman Javert pursued... Read Legend Summary