History Literature / GrasshopperJungle

** There's also the case of how these creatures could bring The End of the World as We Know It, since the American continent is essentially a giant island, and praying mantises are notoriously bad fliers and swimmers (they can infect humans to carry their eggs, but the events of the novel take place in a nearly deserted town), so this is likely a case of Unreliable Narrator.

* TriangRelations: 7. Austin likes Robby and Shann, and they both like him back.

* ThreesomeSubtext: Both out and in-universe. Austin spends a good portion of the book thinking about a threesome between him, Shann and Robby, and tries to include as much of this in their conversations as possible. In one particular instance, Robby feels awkward after Shann kisses him, because he knows exactly what Austin is thinking. [[spoiler: This goes UpToEleven in the epilogue.]]

* Polyamory: Austin likes both Shann and Robby. Shann hates it, while Robby is generally okay with Shann being Austin's girlfriend, even if he envies the attention Austin gives her. [[spoiler: In the end of the book, he's in a relationship with both of them, and while Shann still dislikes this and Robby wants to live with Austin, they have a happy life.]]

* MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness: Right there in the middle. The setting is pretty realistic, but the writer took some liberties with biology.

* BioluminescenceIsCool: The mold that contains the plague can glow in the dark.
* BiTheWay: Austin Szerba. He is in love with both his girlfriend Shann Collins and his best friend Robby Brees. A major plot point is his inability to prioritize one or the other. Angst ensues for all of them. [[spoiler: At the end of the book, Austin has come to terms with his sexuality and is together with both of them.]]
** Considering that Austin only shows physical attraction to girls if Robby isn't counted, this may be a case of IfItsYouItsOkay.
** Discussed near the end of the book, when Robby says that there is a word for men like him. Austin assumes he is talking about bisexual and says he isn't sure if he identifies that way. Turns out the word Robby had in mind was actually selfish.

* ButNotTooForeign: A major plot point is Austin's thoughts on his ancestors original polish names, with a lot of consonants, and the americanization those names suffered when his family came to the US.

''Grasshopper Jungle'' is a Science Fiction novel written by Andrew A. Smith in 2014. The story also includes several elements of a ComingOfAge story, and focus a great deal on the inner turmoils of the main protagonist, Austin Szerba, his relationships with his friends and the the teenager's relationship with his family and cultural heritage.

The history passes itself mainly on the fictional city of Ealing, Iowa, a soon-to-be ghost city suffering with economic recession. There lives Austin, a self proclaimed historian of polish descendence, and his best friend Robby Brees, who inadvertedly become responsible for the unleashing of the Contained MI Plague Strain 412E (which, as the title may suggest, develops into a serious case of BigCreepyCrawlies called the Unstoppable Soldiers )

* TheArk: The Eden project bunker who contains the semen of a lot of important men of the time it was constructed, including Richard Nixon and pope Paul VI[[spoiler:,that is, before Grady [=McKeon=] flushed it down and substituted it with more of his own infertile sperm]]. Discussed by the protagonists after Austin brings his dog, Ingrid, into the bunker.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Insects breath through holes in their exoskeleton that inject their tissues directly with oxygen. This only works well on a small scale; giant mantises would choke rather easily.

* BabiesEverAfter: [[spoiler: Austin and Shann's son, Arek, and Robby's new sister, Amelie, both born in the bunker before the epilogue.]]

* BiTheWay: Austin Szerba. He is in love with both his girlfriend Shann Collins and his best friend Robby Brees. A major plot point is his inability to prioritize one or the other. Angst ensues to all of them. [[spoiler: At the end of the book, Austin has come to terms with his sexuality and is together with both of them.]]

* ClosetKey: Robby is this for Austin. It really sparks after Robby convinces Austin to kiss him, so he, Robby, could at least know how it fells to kiss another guy.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: [[spoiler: The protagonists fail to stop the Mantises from breeding, and North America (and possibly the world) is overrun by a new apex species of giant bugs.]]
* EverybodySmokes: The Eden project is full of cigarettes since it was built in the 60- 70's. Robby and Austin are also smokers.

* HopeSpot: The protagonists have finally found a way to kill the unstoppable soldiers and manage to take down three of the giant bugs[[spoiler:, but the female's eggs had already begun to hatch.]]

* OnlyYouCanRepopulateMyRace: Played with. Austin is more than pleased with this aspect of the Eden project. [[spoiler: This trope comes in full effect after Austin and Shann have sex, and the Unstoppable Soldiers' eggs hatch, with Shann eventually giving birth to Austin's son while they are living in the Eden bunk.]]

** There's also the case of how these creatures could bring The End of the World as We Know It, since the American continent is essentially a giant island, and praying mantises are notoriously bad fliers and swimmers (they can infect human to carry their eggs, but the events of the novel take place in a nearly deserted town), so this is likely a case of Unreliable Narrator.

* ThreesomeSubtext: Both out and in-universe. Austin spends a good portion of the book thinking about a threesome between him, Shann and Robby, and tries to include as much of this to their conversations as possible. In one particular instance of the book, Robby feels awkward after Shann kisses him, because he knows exactly what Austin is thinking. [[spoiler: This goes UpToEleven in the epilogue.]]

* AndManGrewProud: This seems to be the view of the main characters regarding the actions of McKeon Industries and their disregard for the possible consequences of creating an army of giant, bulletproof, fast-maturing, praying mantises.

* TheArk: The Eden project bunker who contains the semen of a lot of important men of the time it was constructed, including Richard Nixon and pope Paul VI[[spoiler:,that is, before Grady McKeon flushed it down and substituted it with more of his own infertile sperm]]. Discussed by the protagonists after Austin brings his dog, Ingrid, into the bunker.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Bug's breath trough holes in their exoskeleton, that injects their tissues directly with oxygen. This only works well on small scales though. Giant mantises would choke rather easily.
** Blood and sperm seen to posses qualities that near the mystical in the novel.

* BiologicalWeaponsSolveEverything: McKeon Industries' Contained MI Plague Strain 412E.

* ButNotTooGay: Austin's affective interactions with Shann are explicit and common. His interactions with Robby are limited to a kiss and a few displays of physical affection.

* Polyamory: Austin likes both Shann and Robby. Shann hates it, while Robby is generally okay with Shann being Austin's girlfriend, even if he envies the attention Austin gives her. [[spoiler: In the end of the book, he's on a relationship with both of them, and while Shann still dislikes and Robby wants to live with Austin, they have a happy life.]]
* RelationshipUpgrade: Downplayed. Happens to Austin and Robby midway through the book, though it's a more subtle, I admit I like you too, one.
* SomewhereAnEntomologistIsCrying: The giant bugs are described as being very fast and strong. In reality, the exoskeleton should have made heavy and slow, and the giant bugs shouldn't have been capable of surviving, since a bug's breathing mechanism only works because they're small.
** There's also the case of how these creatures could bring The End of the World as We Know It, since the American continent is essentially a giant island, and praying mantises are notoriously bad fliers and swimmers (they can infect human to carry their eggs, but the events of the novel take place in a scarcely populated, almost desert town), so this is likely a case of Unreliable Narrator.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Played With. In the end Austin decides that he does not really need to choose, and that it's normal to be confused. So kinda yes and kinda no.

Grasshopper Jungle is a Science Fiction novel written by Andrew A. Smith in 2014. The story also includes several elements of a ComingOfAge story, and focus a great deal on the inner turmoils of the main protagonist, Austin Szerba, his relationships with his friends and the the teenager's relationship with his family and cultural heritage.

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Played With. In the end Austin decides that he does not really need to choose, and that it's normal to be confused. So kinda yes and kinda no.

** "And that was our day. You know what I mean"

-->''"Bugs only want to do two things"''

There's also the case of how these creatures could bring The End of the World as We Know It, since the American continent is essentially a giant island, and praying mantises are notoriously bad fliers and swimmers (they can infect human to carry their eggs, but the events of the novel take place in a scarcely populated, almost desert town), so this is likely a case of Unreliable Narrator.

* Polyamory: Austin likes both Shann and Robby. Shann hates it, while Robby is generally okay with Shann being Austin's girlfriend, even if he envies the attention Austin gives her. [[spoiler: In the end of the book, he's on a relationship with both of them, and while Shann is still dislikes and Robby wants to live with Austin, they have a happy life.]]

* BiTheWay: Austin Szerba, He is in love with both his girlfriend Shann Collins and his best friend Robby Brees. A major plot point is his inability to prioritize one or the other. Angst ensues to all of them.

* Hope spot: The protagonists have finally found a way to kill the unstoppable soldiers and manage to take down three of the giant bugs[[spoiler:, but the female's eggs had already begun to hatch.]]

"Bugs only want to do two things"

* ClosetKey: Robby is this for Austin. It really sparks after Robby convinces Austin to kiss him, so he could at least know how it fells to kiss another guy.

* OnlyYouCanRepopulateMyRace: Played with. Austin is more than pleased with this aspect of the Eden project. {[spoiler: This trope comes in full effect after Austin and Shann have sex, and the Unstoppable Soldiers' eggs hatch, with Shann eventually giving birth to Austin's son while they are living in the Eden bunk.]]

** Blood and sperm seen to posses qualities that near the mystical in the novel.

* BigCreepyCrawlers: The Unstoppable Soldiers, a race of giant praying mantis.

* AndManGrewProud: This seems to be the view of the main characters regarding the actions of McKeon Industries and their disregard for the possible consequences of creating an army of giant, bulletproof, fast-maturing, praying mantises.
* ArcWords: Many, including the page quote, plus a few:
** "And that was our day. You know what I mean"
** "


* TheArk: The Eden project bunker who contains the semen of a lot of important men of the time it was constructed, including Richard Nixon and pope Paul VI[[spoiler:,that is, before Grady McKeon flushed it down and substituted it with more of his own infertile sperm]]. Discussed by the protagonists after Austin brings his dog, Ingrid, into the bunker.
* ArtisticLicenseBiology: Bug's breath trough holes in their exoskeleton, that injects their tissues directly with oxygen. This only works well on small scales though. Giant mantises would choke rather easily.
** Blood and sperm seen to posses qualities that near the mystical in the novel.
* BigBad: The Unstoppable Soldiers.
* BiologicalWeaponsSolveEverything: McKeon Industries' Contained MI Plague Strain 412E.
* BioluminescenceIsCool: The mold that contains the plague can glow in the dark.
* BiTheWay: Austin Szerba, He is in love with both his girlfriend Shann Collins and his best friend Robby Brees. A major plot point is his inability to prioritize one or the other. Angst ensues to all of them.
** Discussed near the end of the book, when Robby says that there is a word for men like him. Austin assumes he is talking about bisexual and says he isn't sure if he identifies that way. Turns out the word Robby had in mind was actually selfish.
* ButNotTooForeign: A major plot point is Austin's thoughts on his ancestors original polish names, with a lot of consonants, and the americanization those names suffered when his family came to the US.
** In the end of the novel Austin decides to regain his family's original name as well as its Catholic traditions.
* ButNotTooGay: Austin's affective interactions with Shann are explicit and common. His interactions with Robby are limited to a kiss and a few displays of physical affection.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: [[spoiler: The protagonists fail to stop the Mantises from breeding, and North America (and possibly the world) is overrun by a new apex species of giant bugs.]]
* GoneHorriblyRight: The Unstoppable Soldiers are just as efficient at killing as their creators expected.
* ImmuneToBullets: The bugs. The only thing that can sure kill them is [[spoiler: Robby Bree's blood]]
* MohsScaleOfScienceFictionHardness: Right there in the middle. The setting is pretty realistic, but the writer took some liberties with biology.

* ButNotTooGay: Austin's affective interactions with Shann are explicit and common. His interactions with Robby are limited to a kiss and a few displays of physical affection.

* NoPaperFuture: Subverted in the end.

* No