The House of Mirthis a critical examination of social hierarchies, moral ambiguity, and the intricate nature of human relationships. Edith Wharton critiques the rigid class structure of early 20th-century New York, portraying a society where appearances are meticulously maintained, and genuine emotions often come second to personal gain. Through the struggles of Lily Bart, the novel explores the power of wealth, social expectations, and the limitations...

Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy (1925) is nothing less than what the title holds it to be; it is the story of a weak-willed young man who is both villain and victim (the victim of a valueless, materialistic society) and someone who ultimately destroys himself. Dreiser modeled the story of Clyde Griffiths on a real-life murder that took place in 1906; a young social climber of considerable charm murdered his pregnant girlfriend to get her out...

In a future Chicago, sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

"About a Chinese American chef who, lured to a decadent, enigmatic colony of the superrich in a near future in which food is disappearing, discovers the meaning of pleasure and the ethics of who gets to enjoy it, altering her life and, indirectly, the world"-- Provided by publisher. A smog has spread. Food crops are rapidly disappearing. A chef escapes her dying career in a dreary city to take a job at a decadent mountaintop colony seemingly free...

"In a shabby house, on a shabby street, in the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil as a scullion. But when her scheming mistress discovers the lump of a servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position. What begins as simple amusement for the bored nobility takes a perilous turn when...

At Swaziland's Keziah Christian Academy, where the wealth and color of one's father determines one's station, once-popular Adele bonds with poor Lottie over a book and a series of disasters.

Told in two voices, sixteen-year-old Comtesse Emilie, whose yearning to be a physician is below her station, switches places with Annette, who needs training to develop her magic, as their homeland is threatened by war. Emilie des Marais is desperate to escape her noble roots to serve her country as a physician-- but society dictates a noble lady cannot perform such gruesome work. Annette Boucher, from humble beginnings, is desperate to be trained...

An enduring classic by E.M. Forster about human connection, society, and legacy. Set in Edwardian England, Howards End delves into the intricate relationships between three families with contrasting values and aspirations: the idealistic and intellectual Schlegels, the wealthy and pragmatic Wilcoxes, and the struggling, working-class Basts. At the heart of the story lies Howards End, a quaint country house symbolizing heritage, connection, and...

A scholarship student at prestigious St. Aidan the Great School (S.T.A.G.S.), Greer is delighted by an invitation to an exclusive weekend of "huntin' shootin' fishin'" until she learns she and the other misfits are the prey.