Leo Tolstoy famously begins the novel Anna Karenina with the sentence: "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." In this thematic collection, we have gathered noteworthy texts that navigate the joyous and sorrowful emotional terrain of the family unit.
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Action / Adventure, Arts / Culture
The Only Road (2016) is Alexandra Diaz’s second novel. Diaz is the daughter of Cuban immigrants, and this book focuses on the experience of migration. The novel, written primarily for young adults, follows cousins Jaime and Ángela, who are forced to flee their small Guatemalan village after the local gang kills Ángela’s brother. Faced with either joining the gang responsible for his death or taking the uncertain 4,000-kilometer journey north, Jaime and Ángela reluctantly leave... Read The Only Road Summary
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Realistic Fiction, Poverty, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness
Barbara Haworth-Attard’s young adult novel Theories of Relativity follows the story of Dylan Wallace, a 16-year-old boy living on the streets of a large city in Canada. Through first-person, present-tense narration, Dylan navigates the dangers and risks of street life and deals with the hardships that accompany the lifestyle. This novel was originally published in Canada in 2003 by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. This study guide follows the First American Edition of the novel, published in... Read Theories of Relativity Summary
Publication year 1884
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Nation
Tags Anthropology, Anthropology, Gender / Feminism, Business / Economics, Sociology, History: World, Philosophy, Philosophy, Classic Fiction, Politics / Government
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Health / Medicine, History: World
Publication year 1997
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Immigration
Tags Children's Literature, Italian Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 2001
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Life/Time: The Future, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, British Literature, Romance, Auto/Biographical Fiction
The Other Boleyn Girl (2001) is a historical women’s fiction novel by British author and journalist Philippa Gregory. Gregory first reached bestseller status with her debut historical novel Wideacre (1987). The Other Boleyn Girl won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Romantic Novelists’ Association and was adapted into a film. The novel is narrated by Mary, the Boleyn daughter whose more famous sister, Anne, has overshadowed her in the historical record. Mary... Read The Other Boleyn Girl Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Values/Ideas: Fate, Relationships: Family
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Relationships
Mary Lawson’s 2016 novel, The Other Side of the Bridge, tells the dual stories of Arthur and Ian, two men separated by a generation but in love with the same woman: Arthur’s wife, Laura.Odd-numbered chapters are told from the point-of-view of Ian Christopherson, the son of a doctor who takes a job on Arthur Dunn’s farm, chiefly to be near Laura Dunn. Even-numbered chapters follow Arthur Dunn. The older of the two Dunn brothers, Arthur... Read The Other Side of the Bridge Summary
Publication year 2000
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Life/Time: Coming of Age
Tags Historical Fiction, African Literature, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction
The Other Side of Truth is a young adult novel by South African writer Beverley Naidoo that was published in 2000. The work is set in both Nigeria and in London, and it takes place after the 1995 Nigerian execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer and activist who spoke out against Nigeria’s military government’s corruption. Sade is the novel’s protagonist. The story is written in the third person, and it follows the journey of Sade... Read The Other Side of Truth Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Graphic Novel/Book, Fiction
Themes Identity: Indigenous, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Family
Tags Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Addiction / Substance Abuse, Incarceration, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1961
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Literature, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Relationships
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Mothers, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Relationships: Family
Tags Relationships, Romance, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Humor
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, French Literature
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, History: World, French Literature
Queen Elizabeth I enacted laws that persecuted Catholics in England; in response, some daring inventors created secret hiding places within Catholic homes to hide the priests from raids. In the 2013 novel, The Paris Architect, Charles Belfour transposes this real historical event into a new context: hiding Jewish people from German forces in Occupied France. The story centers on an architect in Paris who undertakes the dangerous work of designing invisible hiding places, makes new... Read The Paris Architect Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, American Literature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Historical Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Patron Saint of Liars (1992) is Ann Patchett’s debut novel. Since its publication, Patchett has written seven more novels that feature multifaceted characters and plots that explore ambiguous moral dilemmas. These aspects of her work are present in The Patron Saint of Liars as well, which follows the story of Rose, a pregnant young woman who flees her unhappy marriage to live at a home for unwed mothers. The novel was a bestseller and... Read The Patron Saint of Liars Summary
Publication year 1947
Genre Novella, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Society: Colonialism, Relationships: Family
Tags American Literature, Classic Fiction, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Historical Fiction, Education, Education
The Pearl is a 1947 historical fiction novella by John Steinbeck. It is an expansion of his earlier short story, “The Pearl of the World,” published in the Woman’s Home Companion in 1945. Steinbeck also co-wrote the screenplay for a 1947 film adaption of the novella titled La perla, directed by Emilio Fernández. Citations in this guide correspond to the 1994 Penguin Books edition. The story, which is presented as a parable, follows a poor... Read The Pearl Summary
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Family
Tags Race / Racism, History: World, Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Mystery / Crime Fiction