Revenge

Sir Walter Scott called revenge "the sweetest morsel to the mouth that was ever cooked in hell." We are often counseled to rise above slights, grievances, and injuries, but still, the temptation and promise of revenge remain. This thematic collection gathers texts that investigate what prompts us to hunger for revenge and where this hunger leads us.

Summit Lake

by Charlie Donlea

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Hate & Anger, Memory, Revenge, Death, Place, Friendship, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Education, Politics & Government, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies

Tags Horror & Suspense

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Swan Song

by Elin Hilderbrand

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Marriage, Revenge, Place, Social Class, Community, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Truth & Lies, Wins & Losses

Tags Science Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Fantasy

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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

by Hugh Wheeler

Publication year 1979

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Power & Greed, Music, Hate & Anger, Social Class

Tags Horror & Suspense, Historical Fiction, Drama, Victorian Era

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, originally published in 1979, is a musical play by Hugh Wheeler with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The play follows murderous barber Sweeney Todd, who seeks revenge against the corrupt Judge Turpin for wrongfully incarcerating him in order to steal Todd’s wife. Wheeler and Sondheim use this tale to examine the exploitation and retaliation of the working class, the perils of obsession, and the tension between tenderness and... Read Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Summary

Tale of the Heart Queen

by Nisha J. Tuli

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Hate & Anger, Love, Regret, Revenge, Place, Family, Fathers, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed

Tags Romance, Fantasy

The fourth and final installment of the Artefacts of Ouranos series picks up immediately after the devastating events of the previous book. Lor, the heir to the destroyed Queendom of Heart and a Primary (her realm's magically chosen ruling heir) who wields both healing and lightning magic, kneels over the lifeless body of Nadir, the Aurora Prince and her mate. In an uncontrolled burst of lightning aimed at soldiers loyal to Rion, the Aurora King... Read Tale of the Heart Queen Summary

That Summer

by Jennifer Weiner

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Revenge, Justice, Marriage

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Gender & Feminism, Social Justice, Trauma & Abuse, Modern Classic Fiction

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The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

by Stuart Turton

Publication year 2018

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Siblings, Justice, Revenge, Fate

Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror & Suspense, Trauma & Abuse, Relationships, Science Fiction, Historical Fiction

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle (published as The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle in Canada and the United Kingdom) is Stuart Turton’s first novel. The novel was first published in 2018 by Harper Collins; this guide references the first Canadian edition. The novel is primarily a mystery, with some elements of science fiction and fantasy. The plot features elements traditionally associated with the murder mystery genre made famous by Agatha Christie, since the... Read The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle Summary

The Anniversary

by Alex Finlay

Publication year 2026

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Revenge, Mental Health, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Self Discovery, Social Class, Good & Evil, Justice, Trust & Doubt

Tags Horror & Suspense

Set in Monarch, Nebraska, and spanning 1992 to 2011, the story follows two intertwined lives across a decade of trauma, loss, and resilience. Each section takes place on May 1st, a date of devastating significance. The prologue shows an unnamed figure at Megan Tucker's grave, examining her driver's license and reflecting on the murder as their first kill.In 1992, Jules Delaney and Quinn Riley are eleventh-graders at Monarch High School. Jules is popular; Quinn is... Read The Anniversary Summary

The Battle of Maldon

by Anonymous

Publication year 1726

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes War, Death, Loyalty & Betrayal, Revenge, Masculinity, Conflict, Shame & Pride, Nation, Perseverance

Tags Narrative Poem, Military & War, European History, Grief & Death, Trauma & Abuse, Medieval, British Literature, Education, Education, World History, Classic Fiction

“The Battle of Maldon” is a heroic poem, also classified as an epic, dating from the 10th century. Originally written in Old English, the text details a violent battle between the Anglo-Saxon warriors and the raiding Vikings. The Anglo-Saxons are led by Earl Byrhtnoth, who held land in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Essex and fought for his ruler, King Æthelred the Unready. The poem depicts some of the central tenets of Anglo-Saxon culture, praising loyalty... Read The Battle of Maldon Summary

The Best of Friends

by Lucinda Berry

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Conflict, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Love, Regret, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Mental Health, Death, Friendship, Mothers, Self Discovery, Community, Justice, Safety & Danger, Truth & Lies

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

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