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 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Self Discovery, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War
Tags Fantasy, Magical Realism, Romance, New Adult
Publication year 1911
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Identity: Race, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, British Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1919
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Relationships: Family
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Education, Education, British Literature, Classic Fiction
“The Interlopers” is one of the best-known short stories by British author Hector Hugh Munro (H. H. Munro), who wrote under the pseudonym Saki. As is typical of the author’s style, the story uses nature to question the morals and manners of humanity, especially of the more elite classes. Saki is also known for his twist endings, of which this story is a prime example. Other works by Saki include “The Open Window” and “The... Read The Interlopers Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1976
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature
Publication year 2011
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lemonade Crime is the sequel to Jacqueline Davies’s elementary school reader novel The Lemonade War. Published in 2011, this follow-up continues the story of entrepreneurial siblings Evan and Jessie, solving the mystery of the theft that ended the first novel. The key question of the novel is about the best way to right a wrongdoing: Is it through vengeance or justice? By setting the climax of The Lemonade Crime at a mock trial organized... Read The Lemonade Crime Summary
Genre Play, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Play: Tragedy, Mythology, Ancient Greece, Classical Period, Drama / Tragedy, Fantasy, Classic Fiction
Libation Bearers is an ancient Greek tragedy by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus, first produced in 458 BCE at the City Dionysia in Athens. Libation Bearers is the second part of the Oresteia, a trilogy exploring the themes of justice, retribution, and the cyclical pattern of bloodshed within the family of the mythical king Agamemnon. Following the events of Agamemnon, the first tragedy of Aeschylus’s Oresteia, the play depicts the murder of Clytaemestra, the queen of... Read The Libation Bearers Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Self Discovery
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2006
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Identity: Language, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Nation
Tags Fantasy, Action / Adventure, Mystery / Crime Fiction
The Lies of Locke Lamora, written by Scott Lynch and published in 2006, is the first entry in the Gentleman Bastards series. These novels mix caper stories and fantasy stories and include adventure, violence, dark humor, and intimate friendships. The Lies of Locke Lamora is an international best seller and was nominated for multiple awards. The other entries in the series are Red Seas Under Red Skies, The Republic of Thieves, and The Thorn of... Read The Lies of Locke Lamora Summary
Publication year 1854
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Race, Society: Nation
Tags Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Historical Fiction, Incarceration, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Class, History: World, Action / Adventure
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Family, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, WWII / World War II, Holocaust, Jewish Literature, Military / War, History: World
Publication year 2023
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Self Discovery, Society: Class
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, History: World, LGBTQ, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger
Tags Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Action / Adventure
Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars (2006) is a reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s Victorian fairy tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel, Alice Through the Looking-Glass (1871). The Looking Glass Wars is the first book in the middle-grade fantasy trilogy of the same name, followed by Seeing Redd (2007) and ArchEnemy (2009).The novel uses several of Carroll’s iconic figures, including Alice, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit. Beddor... Read The Looking Glass Wars Summary
Publication year 2009
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Historical Fiction
IntroductionThe Lost Symbol is a bestselling novel by Dan Brown and is the third to feature Harvard professor and symbology expert Robert Langdon. In this novel, Langdon makes a last-minute trip to Washington, DC, to give a keynote speech at an event hosted by his friend and mentor, Peter Solomon. However, when Langdon arrives, he discovers that Peter’s kidnapper lured him to Washington in order to compel him to decipher a code that will reveal... Read The Lost Symbol Summary
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Grandparents, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Crime / Legal
Publication year 2010
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression
Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary