Subject
Guilt -- Fiction Books
Best books
Émile Zola
Theresa Raquin
"Theresa Raquin" by Émile Zola is a novel published in 1867. It tells the story of a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin Camille. When she begins a passionate affair with her husband's friend Laurent, the lovers become convinced that only murder can free them to be together. Their crime succeeds, but guilt transforms their passion into mutual hatred and psychological torment, making their lives together unbearable.
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Mathilda
"Mathilda" by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley is a novella written between 1819 and 1820. Narrating from her deathbed, a young woman reveals the dark secret behind her isolation: her father's confession of incestuous love and his subsequent suicide. Written during Shelley's own profound grief after losing two children, this Gothic tale explores forbidden desire, guilt, and emotional withdrawal. The story follows Mathilda's lonely existence and her friendship with the poet Woodville, who cannot prevent her tragic decline.
Émile Zola
Thérèse Raquin
"Thérèse Raquin" by Émile Zola is a novel published in 1867. Trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin Camille, Thérèse begins a passionate affair with Laurent, her husband's friend. Convinced they can only find happiness together, the lovers commit murder. But their crime becomes their torment—haunted by guilt and disturbing visions, their passion transforms into mutual hatred. This detached, psychological exploration of temperament and consequence is considered a seminal work of literary naturalism.
Berthold Auerbach
On the Heights: A Novel
"On the Heights: A Novel" by Berthold Auerbach is a novel published in 1865. It follows a king whose powerful individualism clashes with constitutional restraints and personal loyalty. Torn between his gentle queen and the magnetic Countess Irma, he must discover whether true freedom means defying law or embracing it. Through parallel stories of court and peasant life, the novel explores the tension between individual nature and social order during Germany's constitutional conflicts.
Robert F. Young
The Girl in His Mind
"The Girl in His Mind" by Robert F. Young is a science fiction novel written in the early 1960s. The book explores the intricacies of the human mind as it follows Nathan Blake, a psycheye, who navigates the peculiar landscape of his own thoughts and memories. The story delves into themes of self-discovery, guilt, and the duality of human nature. In the narrative, Nathan Blake finds himself pursuing a fugitive named Sabrina York within the confines of his own mind, which becomes a battleground for his memories and alter egos. As he traverses various memories that represent his past relationships, especially with a girl named Deirdre Eldoria, he confronts deeply buried emotions and the consequences of his actions. The storyline stitches together Blake's struggles to reconcile his desires and moral compass while evading haunting manifestations of his past, represented by the Erinyes, who serve as personifications of his guilt. Ultimately, through these surreal encounters, Blake is forced to confront both his innermost fears and the reality of his genuine feelings for Deirdre.
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