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.
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Masculinity, Sexual Identity, Coming of Age, Future, The Past, Family, Friendship, Teamwork, Self Discovery, Social Class, Community, Nation, Politics & Government, War, Beauty, Fate, Justice, Loyalty & Betrayal, Order & Chaos, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Wins & Losses, Trust & Doubt, Truth & Lies
Tags Fantasy, Love & Sexuality, Romance
Publication year 1974
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Revenge, Memory, Coming of Age, Hate & Anger, Loneliness
Tags Horror & Suspense, Gothic Literature, Religion & Spirituality, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Stephen King’s Carrie is a supernatural horror novel originally published in 1974—the fourth novel King wrote but the first he published. The work became a bestseller upon the release of its paperback edition, setting King’s career in motion, and continues to be highly regarded. In the 1990s schools frequently banned it for its violent content, depictions of sexuality, and portrayal of fundamentalist Christianity. Carrie has been adapted several times, most notably as a 1976 film... Read Carrie Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Truth & Lies, Revenge, Memory, Shame & Pride, Perseverance, Conflict
Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Trauma & Abuse, Romance
Catching Fire (2009) is the sequel to The New York Times bestseller The Hunger Games (2008), and the second novel in author Suzanne Collins’s trilogy of the same name. Catching Fire is a young adult dystopian science fiction novel that takes place in the future, amidst the ruins of what was once America. Catching Fire details the aftermath of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark’s victory in the 74th Hunger Games from the first novel. Despite... Read Catching Fire Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Religion & Spirituality, Sexual Identity, Community, Revenge, Gender Identity
Tags LGBTQ+, Fantasy, Grief & Death, Coming of Age, Diversity, Religion & Spirituality, Gender & Feminism, Love & Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance
Publication year 1985
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Space, Conflict, Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Hope, Memory, Regret, Revenge, Femininity, Race, Sexual Identity, Death, Future, Appearance & Reality, Climate, Self Discovery, Politics & Government, War, Justice, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Safety & Danger
Tags Science Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1973
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Revenge, Fate, Justice
Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Southern Gothic, American Literature, Southern Literature, Southern Gothic, Gothic Literature
Child of God (1973) is the third novel by American Pulitzer Prize–winning author Cormac McCarthy. Like McCarthy’s first two novels, The Orchard Keeper (1965) and Outer Dark (1968), Child of God is a Gothic horror set in Appalachia. The story follows the deterioration of 27-year-old Lester Ballard after he is violently dispossessed of his family farm and becomes a serial killer. Through Lester’s extreme isolation and moral corruption, McCarthy explores the themes of Fate in... Read Child of God Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Truth & Lies, Death, Femininity, Justice, Revenge, Family, Memory
Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Magical Realism, Latin American Literature, Education, Education, Classic Fiction
Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a 1981 novella by Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. Told in non-chronological order and in journalistic fashion by an unnamed narrator, it pieces together the events leading up to and after the murder of Santiago Nasar by Pedro and Pablo Vicario. Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a classic example of Márquez's use of magical realism in his writing. The novella has been adapted several times as a film... Read Chronicle of a Death Foretold Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Love, Revenge, Appearance & Reality
Tags Fantasy, Science Fiction, Religion & Spirituality, Romance, Action & Adventure, Social Class, Love & Sexuality, LGBTQ+, Gender & Feminism, Grief & Death
City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2007) is the first in the Mortal Instruments series of young adult urban fantasy novels, followed by City of Ashes. The book follows a seemingly ordinary 15-year-old girl as she learns she is descended from an ancient race of demon hunters. City of Bones is a New York Times bestseller and inspired several media adaptations, including a graphic novel of the same name (3rd World... Read City of Bones Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Perseverance, Fear, Gratitude, Joy, Loneliness, Revenge, Shame & Pride, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Justice, Art, Good & Evil, Literature, Loyalty & Betrayal, Truth & Lies, Trust & Doubt, Science & Technology, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger, Teamwork, Family, Climate, Appearance & Reality, Environment, Self Discovery, Community, Wins & Losses, Friendship, Place, Order & Chaos
Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Action & Adventure, Children`s Literature, Realistic Fiction
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Fear, Grief, Guilt, Loneliness, Nostalgia, Revenge, Coming of Age, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Fathers, Self Discovery, Community, Politics & Government, Good & Evil, Power & Greed, Safety & Danger
Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, LGBTQ+
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Mothers, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Religion & Spirituality, Hate & Anger, Revenge, Femininity, Family, Politics & Government, War, Fate, Justice
Tags Mythology, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Gender & Feminism, World History
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Revenge, Love, Hate & Anger, Education, Mothers
Tags Horror & Suspense, Mystery & Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Fear, Revenge, Gender Identity, Masculinity, Coming of Age, Social Class, Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Horror & Suspense
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Revenge, Family, Good & Evil
Tags Fantasy, Action & Adventure, LGBTQ+, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Fear, Loneliness, Revenge, Disability, Gender Identity, Language, Childhood & Youth, Coming of Age, Death, Appearance & Reality, Family, Marriage, Social Class, Economics, Justice
Tags Horror & Suspense, Magical Realism, Science Fiction, Korean Literature
Publication year 422
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Masculinity, Religion & Spirituality, Wins & Losses, Truth & Lies, Place, Revenge
Tags Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Comedy & Satire, Dramatic Literature, Arts & Culture, Religion & Spirituality
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Guilt, Family, Justice, Revenge, Grief, Death
Tags Mystery & Crime Fiction, Horror & Suspense, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1782
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Marriage, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed, Femininity, Love, Revenge, Sexual Identity
Tags Classic Fiction, French Literature, Historical Fiction, Romance, Love & Sexuality
Dangerous Liaisons is an epistolary novel (i.e., a story told through a series of letters) first published in 1782, seven years before the start of the French Revolution, by Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos. The story revolves around the scheming and manipulative activities of two aristocrats, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. They take pleasure in seducing and ruining the reputations of others, using their wit and charm to manipulate those around them... Read Dangerous Liaisons Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Perseverance, Guilt, Hate & Anger, Love, Revenge, Coming of Age, Animals, Colonialism, War, Loyalty & Betrayal, Power & Greed
Tags Fantasy, Romance
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Perseverance, Fear, Hate & Anger, Loneliness, Revenge, Death, The Past, Appearance & Reality, Grandparents, Teamwork, Politics & Government, War, Good & Evil, Justice, Power & Greed
Tags Horror & Suspense