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.

The Drowning Woman

by Robyn Harding

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hope, Shame & Pride, Mental Health, Sexual Identity, Friendship, Marriage, Mothers, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Fate, Good & Evil, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

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The Ersatz Elevator

by Lemony Snicket

Publication year 2001

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Good & Evil, Justice, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Science & Technology, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Order & Chaos, Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Love, Childhood & Youth, Appearance & Reality, Friendship, Family, Teamwork

Tags Fantasy, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Humor, Children`s Literature

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The Exiles

by Christina Baker Kline

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Friendship, Gender Identity, Femininity, Race, Social Class, Colonialism, Loyalty & Betrayal, Equality

Tags Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, British Literature, World History

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The Eyes of the Dragon

by Stephen King

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Loyalty & Betrayal, Justice, Siblings, Nature Versus Nurture

Tags Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Action & Adventure

The Eyes of the Dragon was originally self-published by Stephen King in 1984 with Philtrum Press. The first edition, illustrated by Kenneth R. Linkhauser, had a limited run, and the books were mostly given as gifts by the author. Three years later, Viking published a mass-market version with new illustrations by David Palladini. The novel was a departure for King, who had earned a reputation as a master of horror novels by the 1980s. Instead... Read The Eyes of the Dragon Summary

The Firm

by John Grisham

Publication year 1991

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Death, Social Class, Safety & Danger, Siblings, Revenge, Mothers, Guilt, Fear, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Marriage, Justice, Trust & Doubt, Hate & Anger, Politics & Government, Appearance & Reality, Truth & Lies, Conflict, Perseverance

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

OverviewBook DetailsThe Firm is the second legal thriller written by attorney John Grisham. It followed his 1988 debut novel A Time to Kill. The Firm was the top-selling novel of 1991 on the New York Times bestseller list, bringing its author international fame. It focuses on new Harvard Law School graduate Mitch McDeere, who accepts a financially lucrative position with a Memphis law firm that he discovers is embroiled in unethical and illegal activities.Author HighlightsGrisham... Read The Firm Summary

The Fourth Stall

by Chris Rylander

Publication year 2011

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Trust & Doubt, Loyalty & Betrayal, Coming of Age, Friendship

Tags Realistic Fiction, Humor, Bullying, Coming of Age, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure

The Fourth Stall is a 2011 contemporary realistic middle grade novel by Chris Rylander. With the help of his best friend and business manager Vince, sixth grader Mac runs a secret business as a “fixer” in his elementary school: He solves problems and provides services for fellow students—for a price. When Mac takes on a customer requiring protection from Staples, a legendary local criminal, he must decide the best way to deal with Staples’s harmful... Read The Fourth Stall Summary

The Garden of Love

by William Blake

Publication year 1794

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Religion & Spirituality, Guilt, Memory, Grief, Nostalgia, Conflict, Apathy, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Good & Evil, Wins & Losses, Appearance & Reality

Tags Lyric Poem, Religion & Spirituality, World History, British Literature

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The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn

by Dorothy Hoobler, Thomas Hoobler

Publication year 1999

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Childhood & Youth, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Social Class, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Courage

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Historical Fiction, Children`s Literature, Education, Education, World History, Japanese Literature, Action & Adventure

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (1999), by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, is the first novel in the Samurai Detective young adult series, currently comprised of seven books. The novel follows Seikei, the son of a merchant who aspires to be a samurai, as he helps the judge investigate the theft of a ruby from a samurai lord. It explores the themes of Personal Ambition Versus Societal Expectations, The Deceptiveness of Appearances, and The Importance... Read The Ghost In The Tokaido Inn Summary

The Gift of Rain

by Tan Twan Eng

Publication year 2007

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Loyalty & Betrayal, Love, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Conflict, Race, The Past, War

Tags Historical Fiction, World War II, Military & War, Asian Literature

The Gift of Rain (2007) is a historical novel by Tan Twan Eng. Set in Penang, Malaysia, during World War II, the novel follows Philip Hutton, a Chinese British young man. As he navigates his dual heritage, Philip forms a complex relationship with a Japanese diplomat who becomes both his mentor and betrayer, forcing him to confront questions of loyalty, identity, and survival during the Japanese occupation. The Gift of Rain was Tan Twan Eng’s... Read The Gift of Rain Summary

The Gilded Six-Bits

by Zora Neale Hurston

Publication year 1986

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Love, Loyalty & Betrayal, Forgiveness, Appearance & Reality, Marriage

Tags Historical Fiction, African American Literature

“The Gilded Six-Bits” is a short story written by Zora Neale Hurston and originally published in 1933 in Story magazine. The story explores themes of Sex, Physical Desire, and Marriage, The Function and Morality of Money, and Appearance Versus Reality. Hurston, in addition to being a noted African American author, was also an anthropologist and folklorist. She is best known for her 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. “The Gilded Six-Bits” is Hurston’s most... Read The Gilded Six-Bits Summary

The Girl Who Played With Fire

by Stieg Larsson

Publication year 2006

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Fear, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Femininity, Mental Health, The Past, Politics & Government, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Trauma & Abuse, Scandinavian Literature

The Girl Who Played With Fire is the 2006 sequel to Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2005). As a crime fiction novel, the story focuses on solving the murders of Dag Svensson, Mia Johansson, and Nils Erik Bjurman, for which the series protagonist, Lisbeth Salander, is the prime suspect. In addition to tracking the murder investigations, the novel examines The Impact of Trauma on Personal Development, The Role of Appearances and Media... Read The Girl Who Played With Fire Summary