“The Penelopiad” is a novella written by the acclaimed Canadian author Margaret Atwood. Published in 2005, it is part of the Canongate Myth Series, where contemporary authors rewrite ancient myths. Atwood’s retelling of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” offers a feminist perspective, with Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, as the narrator. The novella is a …
Examples of Allegories
“The Remains of the Day” is a novel written by Kazuo Ishiguro, a British author of Japanese descent. The book was published in 1989 and won the Booker Prize the same year. The novel tells the story of Stevens, a butler with a long record of service at Darlington Hall, a fictitious stately home near …
The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen is a powerful and emotional novel that tells the story of a young Jewish girl named Hannah Stern. Hannah, who lives in New Rochelle, New York, is transported back in time to 1941 Poland during World War II, where she is sent to a concentration camp. The book is …
Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower is a thought-provoking novel that explores themes of social inequality, climate change, and the human condition. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world where the United States has collapsed, and society is in chaos. The protagonist, Lauren Olamina, is a young woman who possesses a unique ability to …
The Road to Wellville by T.C. Boyle is a historical fiction novel set in Battle Creek, Michigan during the early days of breakfast cereals. The story follows the lives of the patients and staff at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a health spa run by Dr. John Harvey Kellogg. The novel is a satirical take on …
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant is a historical novel published in 1997. It tells the story of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and Leah, sister of Joseph. Although Dinah is a minor character in the Bible, the author has broadened her story into a first-person narrative. The book’s title refers to the tent in which …
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon is a captivating novel that has gained immense popularity since its release in 2003. The story follows Christopher, a fifteen-year-old boy with autism, who sets out to investigate the mysterious death of his neighbor’s dog. As he delves deeper into the investigation, Christopher …
“The Memory Police” by Yoko Ogawa is a dystopian novel that explores the power of memory and the consequences of its loss. Set on an isolated island, the novel follows a young novelist who must navigate a world where objects and memories disappear without warning, erased by the Memory Police. The novel has been praised …
The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis is a Gothic novel that was first published in 1796. The story follows the life of a monk named Ambrosio, who is initiated into a life of depravity by a woman named Matilda. The novel is known for its graphic violence and sexual content, which made it one of …
The Magicians by Lev Grossman is a popular fantasy novel that tells the story of Quentin Coldwater, a young man who discovers a secret college of magic in New York. The novel received critical acclaim and has since been followed by two sequels, The Magician King and The Magician’s Land. The series has also been …