Academic Team Lit - Novels

Novels to study for academic team

Written in 1813 by English novelist Jane Austen, this novel centers on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. They dislike each other at first because they both misjudge one another. Over time, Darcy proves he’s actually decent, especially when he helps the Bennet family during a scandal. They end up understanding each other better and falling in love.

Pride and Prejudice

Written in 1811 by English novelist Jane Austen, this novel follows sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood after their family loses most of its money. Elinor quietly deals with her love for Edward Ferrars, while Marianne openly falls for Willoughby, who later abandons her. Both sisters learn that love needs a balance of reason and emotion.

Sense and Sensibility

Written in 1815 by English novelist Jane Austen, this novel centers on Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy young woman who thinks she’s great at matchmaking. She misreads people’s feelings, especially her friend Harriet’s, and causes unintentional drama. Emma eventually realizes her mistakes and discovers her own feelings for Mr. Knightley.

Emma

Written in 1814 by English novelist Jane Austen, this novel follows Fanny Price, who grows up with her rich relatives. Two visitors, Henry and Mary Crawford, stir up flirtations and moral trouble within the family. Fanny stays steady and principled while others get pulled into bad decisions, and she’s ultimately proven right about the Crawfords.

Mansfield Park

Published posthumously in 1817 and written by Jane Austen, this novel follows Catherine Morland, a young woman who loves Gothic novels and often imagines drama where there isn’t any. She visits the Tilney family’s estate and convinces herself something dark happened there, but she’s mistaken. Catherine learns to tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

Northanger Abbey

Published in 1817 by English novelist Jane Austen, this novel centers on Anne Elliot, who once rejected Captain Wentworth after being pressured by her family. Years later, Wentworth returns successful and distant, but the two slowly reconnect. They overcome past regrets and finally get a second chance at love.

Persuasion

Published in 1949 by English writer George Orwell, this novel follows Winston Smith, a man living under a totalitarian regime led by Big Brother. Winston secretly rebels by questioning the government, keeping a diary, and beginning a forbidden relationship. He’s eventually caught, tortured, and forced to accept the Party’s control. The novel explores surveillance, propaganda, and the destruction of truth.

1984

Published in 1945 by English writer George Orwell, this novel is an allegorical tale about farm animals who overthrow their human owner to create an equal society. The pigs slowly take over leadership, with Napoleon becoming a dictator who rewrites rules to benefit himself. The farm ends up just as oppressive as before, showing how revolutions can be corrupted by power.

Animal Farm

Published in 1925 by American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald, this novel follows Nick Carraway as he watches his mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, try to win back Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s wealth and parties can’t fix the past, and his dream falls apart after Daisy causes a fatal accident. The novel explores the corruption of the American Dream and the emptiness beneath wealth and glamour.

The Great Gatsby 

Published in 1920 by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this novel follows Amory Blaine, a charming but directionless young man navigating love, status, and identity after World War I. He falls for several women, but none of the relationships last, leaving him broke and disillusioned. The book captures the aimlessness of young people during the Jazz Age.

This Side of Paradise

Published in 1934 by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this novel centers on Dick Diver, a talented psychiatrist whose life unravels as he falls for a young actress named Rosemary while already married to his mentally ill wife, Nicole. Dick’s ambition and confidence fade as Nicole grows stronger and moves on. The novel focuses on decline, instability, and the emotional cost of glamour.

Tender Is the Night

Published in 1847 by English novelist Charlotte Brontë, this novel follows Jane, an orphan who grows up mistreated, becomes a governess, and falls in love with Mr. Rochester. She discovers he’s hiding a mentally ill wife in the attic and leaves, choosing self-respect over romance. After gaining independence and family, she reunites with Rochester and marries him on equal terms.

Jane Eyre

Published in 1847 by English novelist Emily Brontë, this novel centers on the intense, destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Their love leads to bitterness, revenge, and generations of conflict between the Earnshaw and Linton families. The later generation slowly repairs the damage, ending the story with a sense of peace.

Wuthering Heights

Published in 1847 by English novelist Anne Brontë, this novel follows Agnes, a young governess who works for wealthy families that treat her poorly. She stays steady, moral, and patient despite mistreatment. Agnes eventually finds stability and happiness through her relationship with the kind curate, Mr. Weston.

Agnes Grey

Published in 1848 by English novelist Anne Brontë, this novel tells the story of Helen Graham, a woman who secretly escapes her abusive, alcoholic husband to protect her young son. She supports herself by painting and refuses to reveal her past at first. The truth eventually comes out, and after her husband’s death, she’s free to build a healthier future with Gilbert Markham.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Currer Bell

Charlotte Bronte

Ellis Bell

Emily Bronte

This novel written by Harper Lee in 1960 follows Scout Finch and her brother Jem in 1930s Alabama as their father, Atticus, defends a Black man falsely accused of rape. The story explores morality, justice, racial prejudice, empathy, and the challenges of growing up in an unjust society.

To Kill a Mockingbird

This novel written by Herman Melville in 1851 follows Ishmael aboard the whaling ship Pequod, commanded by Captain Ahab, who is obsessed with killing the white whale, Moby Dick. The story explores obsession, revenge, human versus nature, fate, and philosophical questions about existence.

Moby Dick

This novel written by Herman Melville in 1846 is based on his experiences in the South Pacific. Tommo jumps ship and lives among the Typee people, discovering a different way of life. The story examines cultural contrast, adventure, and critiques Western assumptions about “civilization.”

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life

This novel written by Mary Shelley in 1818 follows Victor, a young scientist, creates a living being from dead body parts. Horrified by his creation, he abandons it, and the creature struggles with loneliness, rejection, and anger. The novel explores themes of ambition, responsibility, the dangers of playing God, and what it means to be human.

Frankenstein

This novel written by Charles Dickens in 1837 follows orphan Oliver Twist as he navigates the harsh streets of London, encountering thieves, criminals, and moments of kindness. The story explores poverty, social injustice, innocence, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Oliver Twist

This novella written by Charles Dickens in 1843 follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. The story explores generosity, compassion, the spirit of Christmas, and the potential for personal transformation.

A Christmas Carol

This novel written by Charles Dickens in 1861 follows Pip, a poor boy who comes into unexpected wealth. As he navigates love, society, and ambition, the story examines loyalty, personal growth, forgiveness, and the true meaning of being a “gentleman.”

Great Expectations

This novel written by Charles Dickens in 1850 follows the title character from childhood to adulthood as he faces hardship, love, and personal growth. The story explores perseverance, social class, morality, and the challenges of growing up.

David Copperfield

This novel written by J.D. Salinger in 1951 follows Holden Caulfield, a 16-year-old boy wandering New York City after being expelled from prep school. The story explores adolescent alienation, identity, innocence, and the challenges of growing up in a world Holden finds phony and confusing.

The Catcher in the Rye

This novel written by James Joyce in 1922 follows Leopold Bloom through a single day in Dublin, June 16, 1904, as he navigates personal and social challenges. The story uses stream-of-consciousness narration to explore human consciousness, identity, the ordinary versus the epic, and the complexity of everyday life.

Ulysses

This collection of short stories written by James Joyce in 1914 depicts life in Dublin through ordinary people’s experiences. The stories examine paralysis, routine, moral conflict, and the struggles of ordinary people within society.y.

Dubliners

This novel written by James Joyce in 1916 follows Stephen Dedalus from childhood to early adulthood as he discovers his identity and artistic calling. The story explores self-discovery, rebellion against societal and religious constraints, and the development of personal and artistic consciousness.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

This novel written by Aldous Huxley in 1932 depicts a futuristic society where people are genetically engineered and conditioned to fit rigid social roles. Individuality, family, and personal freedom are sacrificed for stability and pleasure. The story follows Bernard Marx and John “the Savage” as they struggle with the constraints of this controlled society, exploring technology, conformity, and what it means to be human.

Brave New World

This novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1866 follows Rodion Raskolnikov, a poor student in St. Petersburg who believes he can justify murdering a pawnbroker for a “higher purpose.” After the crime, he struggles with intense guilt, paranoia, and moral conflict. The story explores morality, redemption, social inequality, and the psychological effects of crime.

Crime and Punishment

This novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1880 follows the Karamazov family and the murder of their father, exploring the conflicts between three brothers. The story examines faith, doubt, free will, morality, and human nature, showing how family tension and personal desires influence human behavior.

The Brothers Karamazov

This novel written by Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1869 follows Prince Myshkin, a kind and innocent man whose honesty clashes with the greed and corruption of Russian society. The story explores innocence, compassion, moral integrity, and the challenges of maintaining goodness in a flawed world.

The Idiot

This novella written by Fyodor Dostoevsky in 1864 presents the bitter monologue of a retired civil servant who rejects society and rationalism. The story explores alienation, free will, human contradictions, and the darker aspects of human psychology.

Notes from Underground

This novel written by Vladimir Nabokov in 1955 follows Humbert Humbert, a literature professor obsessed with 12-year-old Dolores “Lolita” Haze. The story examines obsession, manipulation, and the destructive nature of desire, while showcasing Nabokov’s intricate wordplay and the perspective of an unreliable narrator.

Lolita

This novel written by Vladimir Nabokov in 1962 tells the story of a 999-line poem by fictional poet John Shade, annotated by the eccentric Charles Kinbote. Through Kinbote’s commentary, the story explores obsession, madness, interpretation, and the blurred lines between reality and delusion.

Pale Fire

This novel written by Vladimir Nabokov in 1969 chronicles the lifelong love between Van and Ada in an alternate historical setting. The story explores memory, desire, time, and the moral complexity of human relationships.

Ada, or Ardor: A Family Chronicle

This novella written by John Steinbeck in 1937 follows George and Lennie, two displaced ranch workers during the Great Depression. Lennie’s strength and innocence lead to trouble, and the story explores friendship, dreams, loneliness, and the harsh realities of life for the working poor.

Of Mice and Men

This novel written by John Steinbeck in 1939 follows the Joad family as they leave Oklahoma for California during the Dust Bowl. The story examines poverty, injustice, resilience, family, and the struggle to maintain dignity amid hardship.

The Grapes of Wrath

This novel written by John Steinbeck in 1952 spans generations of the Trask family in California. The story explores good and evil, personal choice, family conflict, and the search for identity, often drawing parallels to Biblical themes.

East of Eden

This novel written by John Steinbeck in 1945 is set in Monterey, California, during the Great Depression and follows a group of eccentric residents. The story examines community, survival, and human kindness in the midst of poverty.

Cannery Road

This novel written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844–1846 follows Edmond Dantès, who is falsely imprisoned, escapes, and discovers a hidden treasure. Adopting the identity of the Count of Monte Cristo, he meticulously enacts revenge on those who betrayed him. The story explores justice, vengeance, forgiveness, ambition, and the moral consequences of revenge.

The Count of Monte Cristo

This novel written by Alexandre Dumas in 1847 focuses on a mysterious prisoner forced to wear an iron mask and the political intrigue surrounding him, involving King Louis XIV and the aging Musketeers. The story explores identity, loyalty, justice, and the abuse of power.

The Man in the Iron Mask

This novel written by Alexandre Dumas in 1845 continues the adventures of the Musketeers later in life. They face political upheaval, personal challenges, and loyalty tests, examining the passage of time, honor, and enduring friendship.

Twenty Years After

This novel written by Alexandre Dumas in 1844 follows young d’Artagnan, who leaves home to join the King’s Musketeers in 17th-century France. Alongside Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, he navigates duels, political intrigue, and friendship. The story explores loyalty, honor, courage, and adventure.

The Three Musketeers

This novel written by Mark Twain in 1876 follows the mischievous title character growing up in a small Mississippi River town. He gets into adventures with friends, including witnessing a crime and exploring caves, learning lessons about morality, freedom, and the joys and challenges of childhood.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

This novel written by Mark Twain in 1884, follows the title character, a boy escaping an abusive father, as he travels down the Mississippi River with Jim, a runaway enslaved man. The story explores freedom, friendship, morality, and the tension between personal conscience and society’s rules.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

This novel written by Mark Twain in 1881 tells the story of a poor boy and Prince Edward who swap places and experience each other’s lives. The story examines social inequality, justice, and empathy.

The Prince and the Pauper

This novel written by Thomas Hardy in 1891 follows Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman from a poor rural family, who is sent to claim kinship with the wealthy d’Urbervilles. There, she is seduced and abandoned by Alec d’Urberville, and later falls in love with Angel Clare. Tess faces social judgment, personal tragedy, and relentless misfortune. The story explores fate, morality, innocence, gender inequality, and the harsh realities of Victorian society.

Tess of the d’Urbervilles

This novel written by Thomas Hardy follows Bathsheba Everdene, an independent and headstrong woman, as she navigates relationships with three very different suitors. Themes include love, honor, social class, and the tension between desire and responsibility.

Far from the Madding Crowd

This novel written by Thomas Hardy follows Michael Henchard, a man whose impulsive decisions and pride lead to personal downfall. The story explores fate, character flaws, redemption, and the consequences of one’s actions.

The Mayor of Casterbridge

This novel written by Oscar Wilde follows Dorian Gray, a young man who remains outwardly youthful while a hidden portrait ages and reflects his moral corruption. The story explores vanity, influence, morality, and the consequences of a life devoted to pleasure.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

This novel written by Bram Stoker follows Jonathan Harker, Mina Harker, and a group of friends as they confront Count Dracula, a centuries-old vampire threatening England. The story explores fear, superstition, the battle between good and evil, and Victorian anxieties about sexuality and power.

Dracula

This novel written by Charles Dickens follows Charles Darnay, a French aristocrat, and Sydney Carton, a disillusioned English lawyer, during the French Revolution. Through love, sacrifice, and personal transformation, the story explores themes of resurrection, justice, revenge, and the effects of social upheaval.

A Tale of Two Cities

This novel written by George Eliot (pen name of Mary Ann Evans) follows the lives of several residents in the fictional town of Middlemarch, focusing on Dorothea Brooke and her ambitions, marriages, and moral dilemmas. The story explores themes of social change, idealism, marriage, political reform, and the limitations placed on women in Victorian society.

Middlemarch

This novel written by George Eliot follows siblings Tom and Maggie Tulliver as they navigate family obligations, love, and tragedy in a small rural community. The story explores themes of family loyalty, personal growth, social expectations, and the tension between passion and duty.

The Mill on the Floss

This novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien follows Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who reluctantly joins a group of dwarves on a quest to reclaim their homeland from the dragon Smaug. The story explores adventure, courage, friendship, and the growth of an ordinary individual into a hero.

The Hobbit

This epic novel written by J.R.R. Tolkien follows Frodo Baggins as he journeys to destroy the One Ring, a powerful artifact that could bring darkness to Middle-earth. Alongside the Fellowship, he faces danger, temptation, and betrayal, while themes of friendship, courage, sacrifice, and the struggle between good and evil are explored.

The Lord of the Rings

This collection written by J.R.R. Tolkien recounts the mythology and history of Middle-earth, including the creation of the world, the rise of evil, and the heroic deeds of early peoples. Themes include power, fate, heroism, and the struggle between good and evil across ages.

The Silmarillion

This novel written by William Faulkner follows the Compson family in the American South, using multiple perspectives and stream-of-consciousness narration. It explores themes of time, memory, family decline, race, and the struggles of individuals against societal and personal decay.

The Sound and the Fury

This novel written by William Faulkner follows the Bundren family as they transport the body of their matriarch, Addie, to her hometown for burial. Told through multiple viewpoints, it explores themes of death, family loyalty, suffering, and the complexity of human perception.

As I Lay Dying

This novel written by William Faulkner follows several characters in the American South, including Joe Christmas, a man of uncertain racial identity, as they confront prejudice, isolation, and moral conflict. Themes include identity, racism, religion, and the search for meaning.

Light in August

This novel written by L.M. Montgomery follows Anne Shirley, an imaginative and spirited orphan, who is adopted by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island. The story explores themes of friendship, family, identity, and the joys and challenges of growing up.

Anne of Green Gables

This novel written by L.M. Montgomery continues Anne Shirley’s story as she becomes a teacher in Avonlea. The story explores her personal growth, her relationships, and the challenges of responsibility, ambition, and community.

Anne of Avonlea

This novel written by L.M. Montgomery follows Anne as she leaves home to attend college, navigating friendship, love, and self-discovery. Themes include maturity, independence, and finding one’s place in the world.

Anne of the Island

This novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows Hester Prynne, a woman in 17th-century Puritan Massachusetts who bears a child out of wedlock. Forced to wear a scarlet “A” as a symbol of shame, she navigates social judgment, guilt, and personal resilience. The novel explores themes of sin, morality, identity, and the tension between individual desire and societal expectation.

The Scarlet Letter

This novel written by Nathaniel Hawthorne follows the Pyncheon family and their ancestral home, exploring the effects of guilt, superstition, and inherited sin across generations. Themes include family legacy, morality, and redemption.

The House of the Seven Gables

This collection written by Nathaniel Hawthorne contains short stories that explore morality, human nature, and the supernatural. Many of the stories reflect on the complexities of sin, guilt, and personal conscience.

Twice-Told Tales

This novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro follows Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, students at a mysterious English boarding school called Hailsham. As they grow up, they slowly discover the truth about their purpose in life. The novel explores memory, identity, love, mortality, and the ethics of scientific control.

Never Let Me Go

This novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro follows Stevens, an English butler, as he reflects on his life of service while traveling across the English countryside. The story explores duty, loyalty, personal sacrifice, regret, and the consequences of emotional repression.This novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro follows Stevens, an English butler, as he reflects on his life of service while traveling across the English countryside. The story explores duty, loyalty, personal sacrifice, regret, and the consequences of emotional repression.

The Remains of the Day

This novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro follows Klara, an Artificial Friend with keen observational skills, as she hopes to understand human emotions and help a sick child. The novel explores artificial intelligence, human connection, love, and the nature of hope.

Klara and the Sun

This novella written by Joseph Conrad follows Marlow, a sailor who travels up the Congo River to find Kurtz, an ivory trader who has become dangerously obsessed with power. The story explores imperialism, human nature, morality, and the darkness within civilization and the self.

Heart of Darkness

This novel written by Joseph Conrad follows Jim, a young seaman whose moment of cowardice haunts him for the rest of his life. The story explores honor, guilt, redemption, and the struggle to reconcile ideals with human weakness.

Lord Jim

This novel written by Joseph Conrad follows the lives of the inhabitants of the fictional South American country of Costaguana, focusing on the complex character Nostromo. The story explores imperialism, greed, politics, and the moral compromises of individuals in the face of ambition.

Nostromo

This novella written by Ernest Hemingway follows Santiago, an aging Cuban fisherman, as he struggles to catch a giant marlin far out at sea. The story explores perseverance, dignity, human struggle, and the relationship between man and nature.

The Old Man and the Sea

This novel written by Ernest Hemingway follows Lieutenant Frederic Henry, an American serving in the Italian army during World War I, and his love affair with nurse Catherine Barkley. The story explores love, war, loss, and the fragility of human life.

A Farewell to Arms

This novel written by Ernest Hemingway follows Robert Jordan, an American dynamiter fighting in the Spanish Civil War, as he works with guerrilla fighters on a critical mission. The story explores duty, sacrifice, love, and the impact of war on individuals and communities.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

This novel written by E.M. Forster follows Lucy Honeychurch, a young Englishwoman, as she travels in Italy and navigates love, social conventions, and personal freedom. The story explores class, social expectations, self-discovery, and the tension between passion and propriety.

A Room with a View

This novel written by E.M. Forster follows the lives of the Schlegel and Wilcox families, whose relationships reveal social divisions, moral choices, and conflicts between wealth and intellect. The story explores class, social responsibility, connection, and the search for meaning.

Howards End

This novel written by E.M. Forster follows Maurice Hall as he comes of age and discovers his sexuality in early 20th-century England. The story explores love, social repression, identity, and the challenges of living authentically in a restrictive society.

Maurice

This novel written by E.M. Forster follows Dr. Aziz, a British-educated Indian doctor, and his interactions with British colonizers in India. When a British woman accuses him of assault, tensions between Indians and the British escalate, revealing deep cultural misunderstandings. The story explores colonialism, friendship, prejudice, justice, and the difficulties of cross-cultural connection.

A Passage to India

This novel written by Ernest Hemingway follows a group of expatriates traveling from Paris to Spain after World War I, including Jake Barnes and Lady Brett Ashley. The story explores the aimlessness, disillusionment, and emotional struggles of the “Lost Generation,” along with themes of love, friendship, masculinity, and the search for meaning in a postwar world.

The Sun Also Rises

This novel written by Sylvia Plath follows Esther Greenwood, a young woman who struggles with identity, societal expectations, and mental illness while pursuing a career in writing. The story explores depression, alienation, gender roles, and the pressures faced by women in mid-20th-century America.

The Bell Jar

This novel written by William Makepeace Thackeray follows Becky Sharp, an ambitious and cunning young woman, as she navigates English society during the early 19th century. The story explores social climbing, greed, hypocrisy, and the contrasts between morality and ambition.

Vanity Fair

This novel written by William Makepeace Thackeray follows Arthur Pendennis, a young man coming of age in England, as he learns about love, society, and personal growth. The story explores ambition, social expectations, and the journey to self-awareness.

The History of Pendennis

This novel written by William Makepeace Thackeray follows the Newcome family and their rise in English society. The story examines social status, family honor, morality, and the tension between virtue and social ambition.

The Newcomes

This novel written by Albert Camus follows Meursault, a French Algerian who lives a detached and indifferent life. After committing a seemingly senseless murder, he faces trial and reflects on the absurdity of existence, exploring themes of alienation, meaning, morality, and the human condition.

The Stranger

This novel written by Albert Camus follows the inhabitants of Oran, Algeria, as they endure a deadly plague. Through the experiences of Dr. Rieux and others, the story explores human resilience, solidarity, suffering, and the struggle to find meaning in the face of catastrophe.

The Plague

This philosophical essay written by Albert Camus examines the absurdity of life and the human desire for meaning. Using the myth of Sisyphus as a metaphor, Camus argues that one must embrace life’s absurdity while continuing to live fully and authentically.

The Myth of Sisyphus

This novel written by William Golding follows a group of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island who attempt to govern themselves, but gradually descend into chaos and savagery. The story explores themes of civilization vs. instinct, the darkness within human nature, leadership, and the breakdown of society.

Lord of the Flies

This novella written by Franz Kafka follows Gregor Samsa, a traveling salesman who wakes up one morning transformed into a giant insect. The story explores alienation, guilt, identity, family obligations, and the absurdity of modern life.

The Metamorphosis

This novel written by Franz Kafka follows Josef K., a man who is arrested and prosecuted by a mysterious authority for an unspecified crime. The story explores bureaucracy, guilt, power, alienation, and the struggle to find justice in an absurd world.

The Trial

This novel written by Franz Kafka follows K., a land surveyor, who struggles to gain access to the authorities of a mysterious castle while facing endless bureaucratic obstacles. The story explores alienation, authority, the search for meaning, and the frustrations of human existence.

The Castle

This novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett follows Mary Lennox, a spoiled and lonely girl who is sent to live with her uncle in England. After discovering a locked, neglected garden, she brings it back to life with the help of new friends, including Colin and Dickon. The story explores healing, friendship, transformation, and the restorative power of nature.

The Secret Garden

This novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett follows Sara Crewe, a kind and imaginative girl who loses her wealth and is forced into servitude at her boarding school. Despite hardship, she holds onto her dignity and compassion. The story explores resilience, generosity, and the power of imagination.

A Little Princess

This novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett follows Cedric Errol, a cheerful American boy who discovers he is heir to an English earldom. His kindness softens his gruff grandfather and changes the community around him. The story explores innocence, kindness, class, and moral character.

Little Lord Fauntleroy

This novel written by Daphne du Maurier follows a young, unnamed woman who marries the wealthy widower Maxim de Winter and moves to his estate, Manderley. She becomes haunted by the lingering presence of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, and the manipulations of the housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers. The story explores jealousy, identity, memory, and the power of the past.

Rebecca

This novel written by Daphne du Maurier follows Mary Yellan, who moves to live with her aunt and sinister uncle at the isolated Jamaica Inn on the Cornish coast. She uncovers a violent smuggling ring and struggles to survive the danger surrounding her. The story explores crime, corruption, fear, and the tension between safety and independence.

Jamaica Inn

This novel, written by Daphne du Maurier follows Philip Ashley, who becomes obsessed with Rachel, the widow of his cousin. Unsure whether she is innocent or manipulative, Philip is torn between love and suspicion. The story explores trust, obsession, ambiguity, and the uncertainty of human motives.

My Cousin Rachel

This novel written by Kenneth Grahame follows Mole, Rat, Badger, and the reckless Mr. Toad as they experience adventures along the riverbank and in the Wild Wood. The story explores friendship, loyalty, home, and the tension between peaceful living and impulsive thrill seeking.

The Wind in the Willows