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 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Siblings, Self Discovery
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth chronicles the turbulent family dynamics of the wealthy Goodwin family. Published in 2019, the crime thriller explores the complexities of motherhood as Lucy Goodwin struggles to uncover the truth behind the tragic death of her mother-in-law, Diana Goodwin. Hepworth’s sixth novel, the book features multiple narrators and flashbacks that offer a suspenseful examination of Lucy’s self-discovery while grappling with the violent death of her family’s complicated matriarch.Content Warning: The Mother-in-Law... Read The Mother-in-Law Summary
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Christian literature, Romance, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction
The Mountain Between Us (2010) is a survival romance novel by Charles Martin. It tells the story of Ben Payne, a surgeon who becomes trapped in the remote Utah wilderness with writer Ashley Knox. The novel interweaves Ben’s personal history with his growing feelings for Ashley as they rely on each other for survival, and their love begins to pose a potential complication in the lives to which they hope to return. Through their journey... Read The Mountain Between Us Summary
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Society: War, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Historical Fiction, Vietnam War, Asian Literature, Military / War, Asian Literature, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Society: Class, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Animals, Identity: Indigenous, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Fate
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Society: Immigration
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Arts / Culture, Indian Literature
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Literature, Society: War, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Relationships: Marriage
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, History: World
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, Survival Fiction, Holocaust, WWII / World War II, Military / War, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Children's Literature, History: World
Publication year 2003
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Fathers
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Romance, Parenting
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Grief / Death, Love / Sexuality, Psychology, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy, Romance
The Naturals (2013) is a Young Adult suspense novel by American author Jennifer Lynn Barnes. It is the first novel in the Naturals series, which follows Cassie, a teenager with a natural talent for profiling people based on a careful study of their behavior. Cassie meets other teenagers with similar abilities when she joins a special FBI program meant to use their skills to solve murders. Throughout the series, Cassie must also work to solve... Read The Naturals Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Children's Literature, History: World, Indian Literature
The Night Diary, Veera Hiranandani’s 2018 work of historical fiction for middle-grade and young adult readers, consists of 60 diary entries spanning approximately four months. In it, the author chronicles the events of India’s post-World War II independence from Britain and subsequent partition through the voice of a 12-year-old Indian girl, Nisha. The fictional family in the novel is loosely based on the childhood experiences of Hiranandani’s father, whose family, like Nisha’s, made the journey... Read The Night Diary Summary
Publication year 2007
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Indigenous, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Place, Society: Colonialism
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gothic Literature, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Identity: Race, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags History: World
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance
Publication year 2017
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Daughters & Sons
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Lisa Jewell’s mystery novel Then She Was Gone follows Laurel Mack in her search for answers regarding her daughter Ellie’s disappearance. Through a series of flashbacks and differing points of view, Jewell gradually unfolds the details of the past and looks inside the mind of the psychopath who kidnapped Ellie, all while chronicling the steps Laurel must take to heal from the sorrow that has consumed her.This novel was originally published in 2017, but this... Read Then She Was Gone Summary
Publication year 1998
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Psychology, Parenting, Science / Nature, Sociology, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Social Science, Psychology
Publication year 2016
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2013
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Memory
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
In The Ocean at the End of the Lane (2013), a dark fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman, a young boy accidentally brings an evil entity from another reality into his world, and he needs the help of three mysterious women to try to get rid of the threat. A number-one New York Times bestseller, the novel won several honors, including the British Book Awards Book of the Year and the Locus Award for best fantasy... Read The Ocean at the End of the Lane Summary