Literary theme analysis, by a book like {foo}
Books about Inheritance
Absalom, Absalom!
by William Faulkner
A tangled web of family secrets, betrayal, and tragedy in the American South.
Absalom, Absalom! details the rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen , a white man born into poverty in West Virginia who moves to Mississippi with the complementary aims of gaining wealth and becoming a ... (Wikipedia)
The Nest
by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
A dysfunctional family navigates the consequences of their recklessness, brought together by their inheritance.
An instant Globe and Mail bestseller. On a wintry afternoon in New York City, Melody, Beatrice and Jack Plumb gather to confront their charismatic and reckless older brother, Leo, who has just been ... (Goodreads)
Beloved
by Toni Morrison
A haunting story of loss and resilience in the aftermath of slavery.
Beloved begins in 1873 in Cincinnati, Ohio , where the protagonist Sethe, a formerly enslaved woman, has been living with her eighteen-year-old daughter Denver at 124 Bluestone Road. The book ... (Wikipedia)
The Pearl Sister
by Lucinda Riley
A young woman's quest to uncover secrets of her past, leading her to a mysterious family history.
CeCe D’Aplièse has never felt she fitted in anywhere. Following the death of her father, the elusive billionaire Pa Salt – so-called by the six daughters he adopted from around the globe and named ... (Goodreads)
Mother
by Maxim Gorky
A journey of self-discovery for a young man, as he learns the truth of his past.
In his novel, Gorky portrays the life of a woman who works in a Russian factory doing hard manual labour and combating poverty and hunger, among other hardships. Pelageya Nilovna Vlasova is the real ... (Wikipedia)
The Descendants
by Kaui Hart Hemmings
A man's journey to come to terms with his family's past, and the future of his home.
Matthew King was once considered one of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors were financially and culturally progressive—one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a ... (Wikipedia)
The Forsyte Saga
by John Galsworthy
Epic tale of an upper-class British family, exploring the clash between traditional values and modernity.
John Galsworthy, a Nobel Prize-winning author, chronicles the ebbing social power of the commercial upper-middle-class Forsyte family through three generations, beginning in Victorian London during ... (Goodreads)
The Sins of the Father
by Jeffrey Archer
A man struggles with his past and the consequences of his father's actions on his family and legacy.
Harry Clifton has joined the American Navy and has assumed the identity of Tom Bradshaw after his ship sinks in order to solve some of his problems, never knowing that he will end up in prison to ... (Wikipedia)
Everything I Never Told You
by Celeste Ng
A family unravels its history as tragedy strikes, exploring the power of secrets and lies.
On May 3, 1977, Lydia Lee, the middle child of the Lee family, is missing. After several days, her body is dredged out of the town lake. Lydia's parents, James and Marilyn, are horrified by their ... (Wikipedia)
A Countess Below Stairs
by Eva Ibbotson
A young woman takes on the identity of a housemaid in a wealthy Russian household, discovering a new life and unexpected love.
After the Russian revolution turns her world topsy-turvy, Anna, a young Russian Countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as ... (Goodreads)
The Forgotten Garden
by Kate Morton
A woman's quest to uncover the secrets of her family's past, leading to a mysterious garden.
At Nell's joyous 21st birthday party her world falls apart when her father tells her she was adopted as a 4-year-old in 1913, seemingly abandoned on an Australian wharf and unable to remember her ... (Wikipedia)
Howards End
by E.M. Forster
Exploration of the societal divides in early 20th century England, and the consequences of class prejudice.
Howards End is a novel by E. M. Forster about social conventions, codes of conduct and relationships in turn-of-the-century England. A strong-willed and intelligent woman refuses to allow the ... (Goodreads)
The Baltimore Boys
by Joël Dicker
A family's generations-spanning secret leads to a shocking revelation and life-altering consequences.
Jusqu’au jour du Drame, il y avait deux familles Goldman. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore et les Goldman-de-Montclair. Les Goldman-de-Montclair, dont est issu Marcus Goldman, l’auteur de La Vérité sur ... (Goodreads)
Black Sheep
by Georgette Heyer
A dashing young man attempts to unite his family and win the heart of a beautiful heiress.
The novel is set in Bath, Somerset and centres on two main characters: Miss Abigail Wendover and Mr Miles Calverleigh. At the beginning of the novel, Abigail's niece Fanny claims to have formed a ... (Wikipedia)
Romancing the Duke
by Tessa Dare
A woman, determined to save her family's estate, unexpectedly falls in love with a duke.
As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless ... (Barnes & Noble)
The Testament
by John Grisham
A billionaire's will creates a legal battle between his descendants and the townspeople who have been displaced.
In a plush Virginia office, a rich, angry old man is furiously rewriting his will. With his death just hours away, Troy Phelan wants to send a message to his children, his ex-wives, and his minions, ... (Goodreads)
Arabella
by Georgette Heyer
A spirited young woman's adventures, navigating society's expectations and finding true love.
Arabella, the beautiful daughter of a country vicar, sets out to London to have a season and make an advantageous marriage. On her way there, her carriage has an accident and she has to stop over at ... (Wikipedia)
Wives and Daughters
by Elizabeth Gaskell
A story of growth, love, and values in a rural English village.
The novel opens with young Molly Gibson, who has been raised by her widowed father, Dr. Gibson. During a visit to the local aristocratic 'great house' of Lord and Lady Cumnor, Molly loses her way in ... (Wikipedia)
The Roanoke Girls
by Amy Engel
Uncovering a dark family secret that has haunted generations of women.
Lane Roanoke is fifteen when she comes to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin at the Roanoke family's rural estate following the suicide of her mother. Over one long, hot summer, Lane ... (Goodreads)
The Summons
by John Grisham
An unexpected inheritance leads to a journey of self-discovery and a re-evaluation of life choices.
The main character, Ray Atlee, is a law professor with a good salary at the University of Virginia . He has a brother, Forrest, and a father, known to many as Judge Reuben V. Atlee. Ray is sent to ... (Wikipedia)
Sycamore Row
by John Grisham
A lawyer in Mississippi must unravel a mysterious will and its secrets.
The title refers to a row of sycamore trees in the countryside near the fictional town of Clanton, in fictional Ford County, Mississippi . The trees play an important role in the book's plot, though ... (Wikipedia)
A Thousand Acres
by Jane Smiley
A family's story of death and inheritance, exposing secrets of their past.
Larry Cook is an aging farmer who decides to incorporate his farm, handing complete and joint ownership to his three daughters, Ginny, Rose, and Caroline. When the youngest daughter objects, she is ... (Wikipedia)
Little Lord Fauntleroy
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Rich and poor boy switch places, discovering the power of kindness, goodness and love.
In a shabby New York City side street in the mid-1880s, young Cedric Errol lives with his mother (known to him as "Dearest") in genteel poverty after the death of his father, Captain Cedric Errol. ... (Wikipedia)
The Magnificent Ambersons
by Booth Tarkington
The story of a family's rise and fall, and the changing landscape of a small town.
The story is set in a largely fictionalized version of Indianapolis, and much of it was inspired by the neighborhood of Woodruff Place . , , The novel and trilogy trace the growth of the United ... (Wikipedia)
The Covenant
by James A. Michener
Epic saga of a South African family spanning generations, exploring the power of love, loyalty, and faith.
Michener writes largely from the point of view of the Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers and French Huguenot immigrants who traveled to South Africa to practice freedom of worship in the ... (Wikipedia)
The Mystery at Lilac Inn
by Carolyn Keene
A young girl investigates a mysterious inheritance and discovers secrets of a criminal organization.
Teenage detective Nancy Drew finds herself in danger when she sets out to track a jewel thief. ... (Goodreads)
The Quincunx
by Charles Palliser
A complex and intricate mystery novel set in Victorian England, following the life of a young man seeking his inheritance.
The protagonist, a young man naive enough to be blind to all clues about his own hidden history (and to the fact that his very existence is troubling to all manner of evildoers) narrates a story of ... (Goodreads)
The Prodigal Daughter
by Jeffrey Archer
A woman's journey to reclaim her family's honor and reclaim her rightful place in society.
The story begins by introducing Kane and Abel's past and the feud between them. It then tells the story of Kane and Abel from the perspective of their children, Florentyna Rosnovski and Richard Kane. ... (Wikipedia)
The Complete Wreck
by Lemony Snicket
A young orphan embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of her past and her mysterious family.
NOW A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES Some boxes should never be opened. For the first time, the complete A Series of Unfortunate Events is available in one awful package! We can't keep you from succumbing ... (Goodreads)
The Optimist's Daughter
by Eudora Welty
Laurel returns to her hometown to care for her father's affairs after his death, confronting memories and family secrets.
The Optimist's Daughter is the story of Laurel McKelva Hand, a young woman who has left the South and returns, years later, to New Orleans, where her father is dying. After his death, she and her ... (Goodreads)
The Keepsake
by Tess Gerritsen
A woman's investigation of her late mother's past uncovers a shocking family secret.
New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. By turns darkly ... (Goodreads)
Her Mother's Hope
by Francine Rivers
A powerful story of four generations of women, examining the strength of family bonds, faith, and their courage to survive.
Book one in the bestselling series that has captivated millions of readers around the world! A New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestseller. “ Her Mother’s Hope has all the meaty ... (Barnes & Noble)
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