Pierre or The Ambiguities by Herman Melville

Pierre, a young idealist, learns of a mysterious woman who may be his illegitimate sister and abandons his privileged life to help her. As he spirals into secrecy, scandal, and artistic ambition, his noble intentions lead to tragedy. The plot becomes increasingly unstable, mirroring Pierre’s descent into moral and emotional confusion. A dark, symbolic novel about identity, purity, and madness. One of Melville’s most ambitious and controversial works.