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.
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 1946
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
The short stories in Tadeusz Borowski’s collection, This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen, were selected from two earlier volumes of stories, Farewell to Maria and The World of Stone, both published in Poland in 1948. The collection was translated into English in 1967 and published in the United States. Borowski’s stories are based on his experiences as a concentration camp inmate at Auschwitz-Birkenau during the Holocaust. His fiancée, Maria Rundo, was arrested as... Read This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 65
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Play: Tragedy, Ancient Rome, Classical Period, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1594
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Play: Tragedy, Historical Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, British Literature, Education, Education, Drama / Tragedy
Titus Andronicus is a tragedy generally thought to have been written between 1588 and 1593 and is usually credited to William Shakespeare. The play is set in an undefined time in imperial Rome. Roman General Titus Andronicus returns victorious from a long war. Tamora, Queen of the Goths, is his prisoner, along with her family and retinue. He authorizes the execution of one of her sons by his sons. This begins a vicious cycle of... Read Titus Andronicus Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Society: Community
Tags Romance, Fantasy, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Mythology
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Mental Health, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Romance, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, New Adult, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 1956
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Historical Fiction, Indian Literature, Asian Literature, Asian Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Train to Pakistan is a 1956 historical novel by Indian novelist Khushwant Singh. Set during the 1947 partition of India that created the nations of Pakistan and India, it focuses on the way partition impacted the people on the ground. Focusing on the lives of ordinary citizens as they were torn from their homes, Train to Pakistan brings a human dimension to one of the bloodiest periods in the history of the two countries. Before the... Read Train to Pakistan Summary
Publication year 1968
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Western, Action / Adventure, Classic Fiction
True Grit is a 1968 western novel by Charles Portis that tells the story of Mattie Ross, a determined and headstrong 14-year-old girl from Arkansas who seeks vengeance for her father’s murder. With the unlikely help of Rooster Cogburn, a tough US Marshal, and LaBoeuf, a Texas Ranger, Mattie sets out to capture the killer, Tom Chaney. True Grit was an instant bestseller, adapted as a film in 1969 and in 2010. This guide uses the... Read True Grit Summary
Publication year 1870
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Place, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Classic Fiction, Action / Adventure, French Literature, Animals, Technology, Science / Nature, Fantasy
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a science fiction adventure novel by French author Jules Verne. It was originally published in serialized form in 1869 under the title Vingt mille lieues sous les mers, and later as a book in 1870. In 1873, the first English-language translation was released. The book was highly acclaimed at the time of its publication and was one of several successful novels by Verne. Others include Journey to the... Read Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Self Discovery, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Romance, Love / Sexuality, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, History: Asian, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Disability, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Realistic Fiction, Bullying, Technology
Rachel Vail is the author of the middle grade novel Unfriended (2014). Vail has published several books for young readers and children, including Wonder (1991) and The Friendship Ring series (2014). As with Unfriended, her stories focus on young people confronting the fraught dynamics of friendships and school. In Unfriended, 13-year-old Truly leaves her best friend for the popular crowd and is beset by conflicts online and in the physical world. The story of Truly... Read Unfriended Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Relationships, Race / Racism, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Love / Sexuality, Social Justice, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, American Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Romance, New Adult
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Psychological Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Publication year 2021
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Politics / Government, Social Justice, Gender / Feminism, Race / Racism, Philosophy, Philosophy
Publication year 1962
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Gothic Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Class, Mental Illness, Bullying, Gender / Feminism, Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Siblings, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Joy, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Magical Realism, LGBTQ