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* AdultFear: For the Matsikas, first finding out that their children are missing, then finding that their children are inaccessible in Resthaven (possibly forever), and finally, that their children have been sold to a gang that intends to torture them to death.
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* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the [[NoWomansLand unpleasant ones]][[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
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* AncientAfrica: AncientAfrica:
** Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the [[NoWomansLand unpleasant ones]][[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
** Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the [[NoWomansLand unpleasant ones]][[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
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* NobleSavage: Resthaven again, deconstructed. See GoodOldWays.
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* NobleSavage: Resthaven again, deconstructed. See GoodOldWays.is a cultural preserve where a select few live the life of pre-colonial Africans. Serves as a deconstruction as the initially idyllic lifestyle is shown to be full of sexism, superstition, and child murder; it's explicitly stated such a culture can only exist as a whole and you can't pick and choose only the "good" parts..
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* TranslationConvention: Most of the characters speak [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_language [=chiShona=]]] unless otherwise specified. At one point, Tendai finds an antique glass bottle with English labeling, and has to work a little to translate it.
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* TranslationConvention: TranslationConvention:
** Most of the characters speak [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_language [=chiShona=]]] unless otherwise specified. At one point, Tendai finds an antique glass bottle with English labeling, and has to work a little to translate it.
** Most of the characters speak [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_language [=chiShona=]]] unless otherwise specified. At one point, Tendai finds an antique glass bottle with English labeling, and has to work a little to translate it.
* TheWallAroundTheWorld: In Zimbabwe in 2194, Resthaven is a large preserve that has been set aside where a select few live in the GoodOldWays of pre-colonial Africa. It's large enough to hold at least a couple villages with their livestock and agriculture, and surrounded by an enormous wall to block out the sights and sounds of the modern world, mirrored on the inside to give the impression of going on forever. The residents call the wall "the edge of the world" and aren't even curious what's on the other side, knowing it only as [[HomeOfTheGods Mwari's country]].
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** Another version of this crops up at the climax. [[spoiler:The mouth of the [[EldritchAbomination Big-Head Mask]] is lined with very small teeth.]]
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** Another version of this crops up at the climax. [[spoiler:The mouth of the [[EldritchAbomination Big-Head Mask]] is lined with very small teeth.teeth, and the children are to be tortured to death.]]
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Dewicked trope
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* AdultFear: The notion of your children being kidnapped after they convince you to let them do a small expedition for homework. Unsurprisingly, General Matsika is frantic when he realizes his kids are gone.
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A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm''[[note]] (No, there is not a comma missing there)[[/note]] is a novel by Creator/NancyFarmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow 200 years in the future]].
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A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm''[[note]] (No, there is not a comma missing there)[[/note]] is a novel by Creator/NancyFarmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow [[ExtyYearsFromPublication 200 years in the future]].
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* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, but although she saved the day, the She Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]
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* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from from[[spoiler: becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail serves community service for her extortion plot, but although she saved the day, the She Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]]]
* BlatantLies: Suspecting that the detectives don't have suitable formal wear, mother gives them each a dashiki; she says that the dashikis were given to the General as a gift, and he never accepts gifts to avoid the appearance of taking bribes. The detectives note how unlikely it is that the general was gifted three dashikis that fit the detectives perfectly, including one with ''matching earmuffs'', but are grateful nonetheless.
* BlatantLies: Suspecting that the detectives don't have suitable formal wear, mother gives them each a dashiki; she says that the dashikis were given to the General as a gift, and he never accepts gifts to avoid the appearance of taking bribes. The detectives note how unlikely it is that the general was gifted three dashikis that fit the detectives perfectly, including one with ''matching earmuffs'', but are grateful nonetheless.
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* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Mellower. Tendai ends up feeling vaguely guilty about not knowing the real name of the person who essentially raised them; Kuda, on the other hand insists that the Mellower doesn't have a name.
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* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Mellower. Tendai ends up feeling vaguely guilty about for not knowing the real name of the person who essentially raised them; Kuda, on the other hand insists that the Mellower doesn't have a name.
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** The Mellower's mother. She hides the fact that she has Matsika's children in the hopes that he will eventually offer a reward that she can collect. This delay gives the She Elephant time to track them down, re-kidnap them, and sell them to the Masks, which almost results in their death by torture; she faces no consequences for this.
to:
** The Mellower's mother. She hides the fact that she has Matsika's children in the hopes that he will eventually offer a reward that she can collect. This delay gives the She Elephant time to track them down, re-kidnap them, and sell them to the Masks, which almost results in their death by torture; she faces no consequences for this.torture. Her consequence? 1000 hours of community service.
* MadeASlave: The children are temporarily forced to mine plastic in the Dead Man's Vlei while the She Elephant arranges to sell them into more permanent slavery.
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* MirroringFactions: Although the Gondwannans are Zimbabwe's historical enemies and blamed for everything from locusts to headaches, Tendai surmises that they probably carry on boring lives exactly the same as the Zimbabweans. [[spoiler: Horribly subverted when it turns out that they actually carry out HumanSacrifice by way of ColdBloodedTorture in order to appease their EldritchAbomination gods]].
to:
* MirroringFactions: MirroringFactions:
** Although the Gondwannans are Zimbabwe's historical enemies and blamed for everything from locusts to headaches, Tendai surmises that they probably carry on boring lives exactly the same as the Zimbabweans. [[spoiler: Horribly subverted when it turns out that they actually carry out HumanSacrifice by way of ColdBloodedTorture in order to appease their EldritchAbominationgods]].gods]].
** A more straight example seems to be the opposing tribe in Resthaven, who engage in fist-fights with Tendai's group as a coming of age rite but are presumably virtually identical to Garikayi's tribe.
** Although the Gondwannans are Zimbabwe's historical enemies and blamed for everything from locusts to headaches, Tendai surmises that they probably carry on boring lives exactly the same as the Zimbabweans. [[spoiler: Horribly subverted when it turns out that they actually carry out HumanSacrifice by way of ColdBloodedTorture in order to appease their EldritchAbomination
** A more straight example seems to be the opposing tribe in Resthaven, who engage in fist-fights with Tendai's group as a coming of age rite but are presumably virtually identical to Garikayi's tribe.
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* NormalFishInATinyPond: Tendai doesn't enjoy his martial arts training and isn't particularly good at it, but he's easily the best fighter out of the youth in Resthaven.
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* {{Afrofuturism}}: The book's setting.
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* {{Afrofuturism}}: The book's setting.book is set in Zimbabwe in the year 2194.
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* CommonplaceRare: [[GreenAesop Plastics.]] Nobody really misses them, but plastic artifacts can be quite valuable to the right buyer.
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* CommonplaceRare: [[GreenAesop Plastics.]] Nobody really misses them, but plastic artifacts can be quite valuable as antiques to the right buyer.
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* DisproportionateRetribution: When Rita steals some food while the siblings are in Resthaven, guess what her punishment is? [[spoiler:They heat peanuts with coals and use them ''to burn her chest.'']] Ouch.
* TheDreaded: Matsika. As security chief of Zimbabwe, he brought an end to the chaos caused by the great gang wars through sheer ruthlessness. Over a decade later, just mentioning his name is enough to make the surviving lesser criminals take flight.
* TheDreaded: Matsika. As security chief of Zimbabwe, he brought an end to the chaos caused by the great gang wars through sheer ruthlessness. Over a decade later, just mentioning his name is enough to make the surviving lesser criminals take flight.
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* DisproportionateRetribution: When Rita steals some food while the siblings are in Resthaven, guess what her punishment is? [[spoiler:They heat peanuts with coals and use them ''to burn her chest.'']] Ouch.
Made even worse by the fact that she didn't know she was stealing; she ate because she was hungry, and didn't realize she had to ask.
*TheDreaded: TheDreaded:
** Matsika. As security chief of Zimbabwe, he brought an end to the chaos caused by the great gang wars through sheer ruthlessness. Over a decade later, just mentioning his name is enough to make the surviving lesser criminals take flight.
*
** Matsika. As security chief of Zimbabwe, he brought an end to the chaos caused by the great gang wars through sheer ruthlessness. Over a decade later, just mentioning his name is enough to make the surviving lesser criminals take flight.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat (and despite [[TrashOfTheTitans where she lives]], she's quite the cook). [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: EvenEvilHasStandards:
** Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat (and despite [[TrashOfTheTitans where she lives]], she's quite the cook). [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]
** Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat (and despite [[TrashOfTheTitans where she lives]], she's quite the cook). [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: The Mellower. Tendai ends up feeling vaguely guilty about not knowing the real name of the person who essentially raised them; Kuda, on the other hand insists that the Mellower doesn't have a name.
* GildedCage: How Tendai, Rita, and Kuda view their mansion. Despite having every comfort, they resent the fact that they're rarely allowed to leave.
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* GoodOldWays: Inverted and somewhat played straight with Resthaven. It's a natural preserve of pristine beauty, and it's a very good place to live - if you're a man. If you're a girl, you can look forward to polygamy and drudgery for the rest of your life, and [[spoiler: if twins are born, one of the twins ''will'' be killed. Yes, probably the girl.]] Also, understandably, when the kids end up there, they want to head home to their old life.
to:
* GoodOldWays: Inverted and somewhat played straight Deconstructed with Resthaven. It's a natural preserve of pristine beauty, and it's a very good place to live - if you're a man. If you're a girl, you can look forward to polygamy and drudgery for the rest of your life, and [[spoiler: if twins are born, one of the twins ''will'' be killed. Yes, probably the girl.]] Also, understandably, when A character who left the kids end up there, they want modern world to head home to their old life.live in Resthaven acknowledges both the good and bad aspects, and that you can't have one without the other.
* KarmaHoudini:
** The Mellower's mother. She hides the fact that she has Matsika's children in the hopes that he will eventually offer a reward that she can collect. This delay gives the She Elephant time to track them down, re-kidnap them, and sell them to the Masks, which almost results in their death by torture; she faces no consequences for this.
** Averted by the She Elephant, who ends up doing some jail time for her crimes despite her eventual HeelFaceTurn.
** The Mellower's mother. She hides the fact that she has Matsika's children in the hopes that he will eventually offer a reward that she can collect. This delay gives the She Elephant time to track them down, re-kidnap them, and sell them to the Masks, which almost results in their death by torture; she faces no consequences for this.
** Averted by the She Elephant, who ends up doing some jail time for her crimes despite her eventual HeelFaceTurn.
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* {{Mutants}}: The source of Eye, Ear, and Arm's abilities, and the people of the Dead Man's Vlei.
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* {{Mutants}}: {{Mutants}}:
** Thesource of Eye, Ear, and Arm's abilities, the Eye and the Arm are from a village whose water source was tainted with radiation; their pregnant mothers drank the water, leading to their unique abilities.
** The people of the Dead Man'sVlei.Vlei develop into a sort of shambling hive mind due to prolonged exposure to the toxic environment.
* MirroringFactions: Although the Gondwannans are Zimbabwe's historical enemies and blamed for everything from locusts to headaches, Tendai surmises that they probably carry on boring lives exactly the same as the Zimbabweans. [[spoiler: Horribly subverted when it turns out that they actually carry out HumanSacrifice by way of ColdBloodedTorture in order to appease their EldritchAbomination gods]].
* MistakenForDying: After escaping Resthaven Rita falls seriously ill and Tendai fears for her life, knowing she could have caught any number of dangerous diseases that have been eradicated in 2194. It turns out she did catch an extinct disease -- Chicken Pox.
** The
** The people of the Dead Man's
* MirroringFactions: Although the Gondwannans are Zimbabwe's historical enemies and blamed for everything from locusts to headaches, Tendai surmises that they probably carry on boring lives exactly the same as the Zimbabweans. [[spoiler: Horribly subverted when it turns out that they actually carry out HumanSacrifice by way of ColdBloodedTorture in order to appease their EldritchAbomination gods]].
* MistakenForDying: After escaping Resthaven Rita falls seriously ill and Tendai fears for her life, knowing she could have caught any number of dangerous diseases that have been eradicated in 2194. It turns out she did catch an extinct disease -- Chicken Pox.
* ShelteredAristocrat: Tendai and his siblings are the children of a high-ranking government official who keeps them mostly confined to their house to protect them from his many enemies. When they finally leave, they are ill-equipped to deal with the real world.
* StarScraper: The Mile-High Macllwaine, which lives up to it's name. Stated to be less of a building and more of a self-contained, vertical city within the larger Harare metroplex.
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* WouldHurtAChild: Most of the inhabitants of Resthaven, [[WouldHitAGirl as long as it's a girl]].
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* WouldHurtAChild: WouldHurtAChild:
** Most of the inhabitants of Resthaven, [[WouldHitAGirl as long as it's agirl]].girl]]. It's also their practice to kill one of the babies if twins are born.
** Most of the inhabitants of Resthaven, [[WouldHitAGirl as long as it's a
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* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: She-Elephant [[spoiler:does pull a HeelFaceTurn when realizing the children are going to be sacrificed. The thing is that she ''kidnapped'' them in the first place, which set the whole plot into motion. Thus, she is sentenced to some jail time because the father is definitely pressing charges for endangering his children]].
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* RealityEnsues: She-Elephant [[spoiler:does pull a HeelFaceTurn when realizing the children are going to be sacrificed. The thing is that she ''kidnapped'' them in the first place, which set the whole plot into motion. Thus, she is sentenced to some jail time because the father is definitely pressing charges for endangering his children]].
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* HonorBeforeReason: Because Resthaven is deep-rooted in tradition, they don't just call the authorities to let them know kidnapped children are with them. THe kids even lampshade that surely someone has come looking for them.
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* HonorBeforeReason: Because Resthaven is deep-rooted in tradition, they don't just call the authorities to let them know kidnapped children are with them. THe The kids even lampshade that surely someone has come looking for them.
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* InfantImmortality: Played straight, although the plot comes very close to averting this on a few occasions.
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* InfantImmortality: ImprobableInfantSurvival: Played straight, although the plot comes very close to averting this on a few occasions.
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Frickin' Laser Beams entry amended in accordance with this Trope Repair Shop Thread
.
.* EnergyWeapon: Laser guns are illegal weapons in the future, used solely by criminals (and [[{{Foreshadowing}} those with diplomatic immunity]]). In a subversion of most fictional lasers, a character actually does get temporarily blinded by looking at one.
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* FrickinLaserBeams: Laser guns are illegal weapons in the future, used solely by criminals (and [[{{Foreshadowing}} those with diplomatic immunity]]). In a subversion of most fictional lasers, a character actually does get temporarily blinded by looking at one.
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No longer a trope.
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* GoodIsNotNice: First and foremost, General Matsika, but also Myanda (who is herself [[spoiler:[[{{Foil}} a former criminal]]]]), as well as [[spoiler:the ''mhondoro'' spirit who possesses Arm near the book's climax]]. Averted with the detectives themselves, who are surprisingly soft-hearted compared to [[HardboiledDetective their Western counterparts]]--but then again, before the Matsikas came along, a lot of their cases involved [[YourCheatingHeart "sneaky husbands."]]
to:
* GoodIsNotNice: First and foremost, General Matsika, but also Myanda (who is herself [[spoiler:[[{{Foil}} a former criminal]]]]), as well as [[spoiler:the ''mhondoro'' spirit who possesses Arm near the book's climax]]. Averted with the detectives themselves, who are surprisingly soft-hearted compared to [[HardboiledDetective their Western counterparts]]--but then again, before the Matsikas came along, a lot of their cases involved [[YourCheatingHeart "sneaky husbands."]]"
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Added DiffLines:
* HonorBeforeReason: Because Resthaven is deep-rooted in tradition, they don't just call the authorities to let them know kidnapped children are with them. THe kids even lampshade that surely someone has come looking for them.
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* RealityEnsues: She-Elephant [[spoiler:does pull a HeelFaceTurn when realizing the children are going to be sacrificed. The thing is that she ''kidnapped'' them in the first place, which set the whole plot into motion. Thus, she is sentenced to some jail time because the father is definitely pressing charges for endangering his children]].
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* Afrofuturism: The book's setting.
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* Afrofuturism: {{Afrofuturism}}: The book's setting.
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A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm''[[note]] (No, there is not a comma missing there)[[/note]] is a novel by Nancy Farmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow 200 years in the future]].
to:
A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm''[[note]] (No, there is not a comma missing there)[[/note]] is a novel by Nancy Farmer Creator/NancyFarmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow 200 years in the future]].
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* Afrofuturism: The book's setting.
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* NeoAfrica: The book's setting.
to:
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added a trope
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* AbandonTheDisabled: Trashman was abandoned by his mother because of his profound intellectual disability. The people of Resthaven have given him shelter, but still keep him at arm's length, believing that he might attract malevolent spirits.
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* UrbanHellscape: Toxic slums, borderline-PrivatelyOwnedSociety, food shortages... an excellent example from the trope's heyday in the mid-90's.
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* UrbanHellscape: Toxic slums, borderline-PrivatelyOwnedSociety, food shortages... an excellent example from the trope's heyday in the mid-90's.mid-90s.
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Changed line(s) 40 (click to see context) from:
* GoodIsNotNice: First and foremost, General Matsika, but also Myanda (who is herself [[spoiler:[[{{Foil}} a former criminal]]]]), as well as [[spoiler:the ''mhondoro'' spirit who possesses Arm near the book's climax]]. Averted with the detectives themselves, who are surprisingly soft-hearted compared to [[PrivateEyeMonologue their Western counterparts]]--but then again, before the Matsikas came along, a lot of their cases involved [[YourCheatingHeart "sneaky husbands."]]
to:
* GoodIsNotNice: First and foremost, General Matsika, but also Myanda (who is herself [[spoiler:[[{{Foil}} a former criminal]]]]), as well as [[spoiler:the ''mhondoro'' spirit who possesses Arm near the book's climax]]. Averted with the detectives themselves, who are surprisingly soft-hearted compared to [[PrivateEyeMonologue [[HardboiledDetective their Western counterparts]]--but then again, before the Matsikas came along, a lot of their cases involved [[YourCheatingHeart "sneaky husbands."]]
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** Many key cultural terms (most prominently the ''[[Geniusloci mhondoro]]'') are left untranslated--along with loanwords from Afrikaans, Portuguese, and a few other languages to keep things interesting.
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** Many key cultural terms (most prominently the ''[[Geniusloci ''[[GeniusLoci mhondoro]]'') are left untranslated--along with loanwords from Afrikaans, Portuguese, and a few other languages to keep things interesting.
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* WretchedHive: The Cow's Guts slum, where the detectives live and base their business.
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Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the unpleasant ones[[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
to:
* AllThereInTheManual: Several of the myths, historic figures/events, and elements of modern (i.e. 1990s) African life are discussed further in a short appendix and glossary.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Myanda. She's married to one of Resthaven's elders, but they have no children, and she names Sekai after [[spoiler:a former "girlfriend" from when she lived on the outside]]. (She's also very fond of her husband's other wife, Chipo, who is Sekai's mother, but that may be more due to [[BigBrotherInstinct Big Sister Instinct]].)
* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the [[NoWomansLand unpleasantones[[/note]] ones]][[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
** The historical kingdoms of Great Zimbabwe (ca. 1200-1450) and Mutapa (ca. 1450-1750 CE), and one of the rulers of the latter, also feature prominently as the plot progresses. The ruler's name is never specified; he's referred to as "Monomatapa," but [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep that's actually his title]].
* AmbiguouslyGay: Myanda. She's married to one of Resthaven's elders, but they have no children, and she names Sekai after [[spoiler:a former "girlfriend" from when she lived on the outside]]. (She's also very fond of her husband's other wife, Chipo, who is Sekai's mother, but that may be more due to [[BigBrotherInstinct Big Sister Instinct]].)
* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[note]]Even the [[NoWomansLand unpleasant
** The historical kingdoms of Great Zimbabwe (ca. 1200-1450) and Mutapa (ca. 1450-1750 CE), and one of the rulers of the latter, also feature prominently as the plot progresses. The ruler's name is never specified; he's referred to as "Monomatapa," but [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep that's actually his title]].
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* BigDamnHeroes: The detectives pull this in Resthaven. [[spoiler:Arm also attempts to pull this at the book's climax, but that doesn't work out.]]
* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, but She-Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]
* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, but She-Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]
to:
* BigDamnHeroes: The detectives pull this in Resthaven. [[spoiler:Arm also attempts to pull this at the book's climax, but that doesn't work out. Instead, it's the She Elephant who ends up breaking the power of the Masks--literally, over her knee.]]
* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, butShe-Elephant although she saved the day, the She Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]
* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, but
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** Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate: at one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
to:
** Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, him (and sunlight isn't his favorite thing either), while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate: at one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
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* DisproportionateRetribution: When Rita steals some food while the siblings are in Resthaven, guess what her punishment is? [[spoiler:They heat peanuts with coals and use them ''to burn her chest.'']] Ouch.
to:
* DisproportionateRetribution: When Rita steals some food while CommonplaceRare: [[GreenAesop Plastics.]] Nobody really misses them, but plastic artifacts can be quite valuable to the siblings are in Resthaven, guess what her punishment is? [[spoiler:They heat peanuts with coals and use them ''to burn her chest.'']] Ouch. right buyer.
** The narration itself tends toward the bone-dry at times, although it's pretty understated compared to Rita.
* DisproportionateRetribution: When Rita steals some food while the siblings are in Resthaven, guess what her punishment is? [[spoiler:They heat peanuts with coals and use them ''to burn her chest.'']] Ouch.
** The Masks, however, remain TheDreaded themselves, despite the general's best efforts. Their EstablishingCharacterMoment is the bombing of a supermarket, and their motives ([[ForTheEvulz assuming they have any]]) remain a mystery. By the time [[spoiler:we find out who they really are, and [[EldritchAbomination whom they serve]], it's not at all hard to believe]].
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat. [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat.eat (and despite [[TrashOfTheTitans where she lives]], she's quite the cook). [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]]]
** For most of the book, the She Elephant is also perfectly happy to [[spoiler:sell the children to the Masks]]. When [[spoiler: she finds out [[HumanSacrifice their true intentions]], and when they [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack alter the deal]] for good measure]], she [[LetsGetDangerous throws down]].
** For most of the book, the She Elephant is also perfectly happy to [[spoiler:sell the children to the Masks]]. When [[spoiler: she finds out [[HumanSacrifice their true intentions]], and when they [[Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack alter the deal]] for good measure]], she [[LetsGetDangerous throws down]].
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* FrickinLaserBeams: Laser guns are illegal weapons in the future, used solely by criminals. In a subversion of most fictional lasers, a character actually does get temporarily blinded by looking at one.
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* FrickinLaserBeams: Laser guns are illegal weapons in the future, used solely by criminals.criminals (and [[{{Foreshadowing}} those with diplomatic immunity]]). In a subversion of most fictional lasers, a character actually does get temporarily blinded by looking at one.
* GoodIsNotNice: First and foremost, General Matsika, but also Myanda (who is herself [[spoiler:[[{{Foil}} a former criminal]]]]), as well as [[spoiler:the ''mhondoro'' spirit who possesses Arm near the book's climax]]. Averted with the detectives themselves, who are surprisingly soft-hearted compared to [[PrivateEyeMonologue their Western counterparts]]--but then again, before the Matsikas came along, a lot of their cases involved [[YourCheatingHeart "sneaky husbands."]]
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* HumansAreWhite: Averted. There are three distinct ethnic groups -- Black, Brown, and White. Most of the characters belong to Black and Brown, but the Mellower, [[ThoseTwoGuys Knife]], and Ear are White.
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* HumansAreWhite: Averted. There are three distinct ethnic groups -- Black, Brown, Brown[[note]]implied to be analogous to the modern-day "Cape Coloured" people of South Africa, who have mixed heritage[[/note]], and White. Most of the named characters belong to Black are Black, but [[StealthPun Eye is Brown]], and Brown, but the Mellower, [[ThoseTwoGuys Knife]], and Ear are White.White.
* IAmVeryBritish: The Mellower's mother, a.k.a. [[PreppyName Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham]].
* IAmVeryBritish: The Mellower's mother, a.k.a. [[PreppyName Mrs. Horsepool-Worthingham]].
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* LovecraftianSuperpower: downplayed in the titular characters, but their powers are derived from physical mutations, and their appearances are very unsettling to others. Eye's eyes are [[SphereEyes bulbous and protruding]], Ear's ears are huge and mobile (to the point where he can fold them to focus on a point like an animal's ears or curl them up for storage), Arm's namesakes are of the {{Creepy Long| Arms}} variety with (slightly adhesive) [[CreepyLongFingers Fingers]] and legs to match.
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* LovecraftianSuperpower: downplayed Downplayed in the titular characters, but their powers are derived from physical mutations, and their appearances are very unsettling to others. Eye's eyes are [[SphereEyes bulbous and protruding]], Ear's ears are huge and mobile (to the point where he can fold them to focus on a point like an animal's ears or curl them up for storage), Arm's namesakes are of the {{Creepy Long| Arms}} variety with (slightly adhesive) [[CreepyLongFingers Fingers]] and legs to match.
* NothingIsScarier: [[spoiler:The "decorations" at the Masks' shrine...as well as the eyes of the Big-Head Mask. It's never stated clearly how a mask's eyes can "open," or show hunger as a sacrifice is prepared--but then again, it may be better left unspecified]].
* PsychicPowers: The Mellower has a mild case, but Arm fell out of that particular tree and hit every branch on the way down. [[spoiler:He loses some of them at the end, but he's not entirely ungrateful. See BlessedWithSuck, as well as...]]
* ReactiveContinuousScream: Arm and Sekai accidentally get into a psychic version of this at one point. It nearly breaks them both.
* PsychicPowers: The Mellower has a mild case, but Arm fell out of that particular tree and hit every branch on the way down. [[spoiler:He loses some of them at the end, but he's not entirely ungrateful. See BlessedWithSuck, as well as...]]
* ReactiveContinuousScream: Arm and Sekai accidentally get into a psychic version of this at one point. It nearly breaks them both.
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* PsychicPowers: Arm. [[spoiler:He loses some of them at the end, but he's not entirely ungrateful. See BlessedWithSuck.]]
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* TranslationConvention: Most of the characters speak [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shona_language [=chiShona=]]] unless otherwise specified. At one point, Tendai finds an antique glass bottle with English labeling, and has to work a little to translate it.
** Many key cultural terms (most prominently the ''[[Geniusloci mhondoro]]'') are left untranslated--along with loanwords from Afrikaans, Portuguese, and a few other languages to keep things interesting.
** Many key cultural terms (most prominently the ''[[Geniusloci mhondoro]]'') are left untranslated--along with loanwords from Afrikaans, Portuguese, and a few other languages to keep things interesting.
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* WitchHunt: [[spoiler:In Resthaven, after the twins are born. A very literal and very unpleasant example--even though the ancestor spirit who possesses the ''[[SinisterMinister nganga]]'' prevents him from framing Tendai as he was planning to do. Instead, the "evidence" points to [[SacrificialLion Myanda]], whose fate is left unspecified]].
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** Another version of this crops up at the climax. [[spoiler:The mouth of the [[EldritchAbomination Big-Head Mask]] is lined with very small teeth.]]
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/cover_of_the_eye_the_ear_and_the_arm.png]]
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* ManChild: Trashman is an example of this. Kuda is the only one who can (supposedly) understand him.
** And the Mellower has elements of this, too.
** And the Mellower has elements of this, too.
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* ManChild: Trashman is an example of this. Kuda is the only one who can (supposedly) understand him.
** And thehim. The Mellower has elements of this, too.
** And the
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* TrashOfTheTitans: The [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace Dead Man's Vlei]]- an abandoned toxic waste dump- is spacious enough to house an entire colony of scavengers, and so deep that slaves ''mine'' for salvage.
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* TrashOfTheTitans: The [[IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace Dead Man's Vlei]]- Vlei]] -- an abandoned toxic waste dump- dump -- is spacious enough to house an entire colony of scavengers, and so deep that slaves ''mine'' for salvage.
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* BlessedWithSuck: Arm's telepathy grows in strength as the book progresses, making him more sensitive to what other people are feeling nearby, and thus making it harder for him to function around other people. [[spoiler:Luckily for him, he loses his telepathy due to what the Gondwannan gods do to him.]]
* Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate in the physical sense: At one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
* Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate in the physical sense: At one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
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* BlessedWithSuck: BlessedWithSuck:
** Arm's telepathy grows in strength as the book progresses, making him more sensitive to what other people are feeling nearby, and thus making it harder for him to function around other people. [[spoiler:Luckily for him, he loses his telepathy due to what the Gondwannan gods do to him.]]
* ** Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate in the physical sense: At delicate: at one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
** Arm's telepathy grows in strength as the book progresses, making him more sensitive to what other people are feeling nearby, and thus making it harder for him to function around other people. [[spoiler:Luckily for him, he loses his telepathy due to what the Gondwannan gods do to him.]]
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* LovecraftianSuperpower: downplayed in the titular characters, but their powers are derived from physical mutations, and their appearances are very unsettling to others. Eye's eyes are [[SphereEyes huge and protruding]], Ear's ears are huge and mobile (to the point where he can fold them to focus on a point like an animal's ears or curl them up for storage), Arm's namesakes are of the {{Creepy Long| Arms}} variety with (slightly adhesive) [[CreepyLongFingers Fingers]] and legs to match.
to:
* LovecraftianSuperpower: downplayed in the titular characters, but their powers are derived from physical mutations, and their appearances are very unsettling to others. Eye's eyes are [[SphereEyes huge bulbous and protruding]], Ear's ears are huge and mobile (to the point where he can fold them to focus on a point like an animal's ears or curl them up for storage), Arm's namesakes are of the {{Creepy Long| Arms}} variety with (slightly adhesive) [[CreepyLongFingers Fingers]] and legs to match.
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* Eye and Ear have similar issues with their own abilities. In addition to typical SensoryOverload and the disfiguring nature of their mutations, Eye is treated to a perpetual GrossUpCloseup of everything around him, while Ear's eponymous attributes are extremely delicate in the physical sense: At one point he suffers an excrutiating tear when he unfurls them in extreme winds.
* ButtDialingMordor: Psychic powers and eldritch abominations make a bad combination.
* ButtDialingMordor: Psychic powers and eldritch abominations make a bad combination.
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* LovecraftianSuperpower: downplayed in the titular characters, but their powers are derived from physical mutations, and their appearances are very unsettling to others. Eye's eyes are [[SphereEyes huge and protruding]], Ear's ears are huge and mobile (to the point where he can fold them to focus on a point like an animal's ears or curl them up for storage), Arm's namesakes are of the {{Creepy Long| Arms}} variety with (slightly adhesive) [[CreepyLongFingers Fingers]] and legs to match.
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* {{Mutants}}: The source of Eye, Ear, and Arm's abilities, and the people of the Dead Man's Vlei.
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* UrbanHellscape: Toxic slums, borderline-PrivatelyOwnedSociety, food shortages... an excellent example from the trope's heyday in the mid-90's.
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* AdultFear: The notion of your children being kidnapped after they convince you to let them do a small expedition for homework. Unsurprisingly, General Matsika is frantic when he realizes his kids are gone.
* BittersweetEnding: The kids are saved [[spoiler:from becoming a sacrifice, the family soothsayer's mother is put in jail for her extortion plot, but She-Elephant still has to serve some jail time for her crimes.]]
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Rita mentions that despite being their captor, at least She-Elephant made sure that the kids had enough to eat. [[spoiler:Whereas in Resthaven, Rita gets burned with peanuts for taking a bit of food for herself.]]
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* GoodOldWays: Inverted and somewhat played straight with Resthaven. It's a natural preserve of pristine beauty, and it's a very good place to live - if you're a man. If you're a girl, you can look forward to polygamy and drudgery for the rest of your life, and [[spoiler: if twins are born, one of the twins ''will'' be killed. Yes, probably the girl.]]
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* GoodOldWays: Inverted and somewhat played straight with Resthaven. It's a natural preserve of pristine beauty, and it's a very good place to live - if you're a man. If you're a girl, you can look forward to polygamy and drudgery for the rest of your life, and [[spoiler: if twins are born, one of the twins ''will'' be killed. Yes, probably the girl.]] Also, understandably, when the kids end up there, they want to head home to their old life.
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* TheDreaded: Matsika. As security chief of Zimbabwe, he brought an end to the chaos caused by the great gang wars through sheer ruthlessness. Over a decade later, just mentioning his name is enough to make the surviving lesser criminals take flight.
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* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[hottip:*: Even the unpleasant ones]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
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* AncientAfrica: Resthaven. In the middle of the futuristic Zimbabwe, this is a sacred country where the old ways are preserved[[hottip:*: Even preserved[[note]]Even the unpleasant ones]] ones[[/note]] - "the spiritual heart of Africa." Even airplanes aren't allowed to fly overhead, and the people who live inside of it have only the vaguest notion of the outside world - most of them.
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A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm'' [[hottip:*: No, there is not a comma missing there]] is a novel by Nancy Farmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow 200 years in the future]].
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A 1995 Newbery Honor Book, ''The Ear, the Eye and the Arm'' [[hottip:*: No, Arm''[[note]] (No, there is not a comma missing there]] there)[[/note]] is a novel by Nancy Farmer set in Zimbabwe [[ExtyYearsFromNow 200 years in the future]].
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Tendai and his siblings Rita and Kuda have lived a sheltered life and have a strained relationship with their father, the renowned General Matsika. Thus, with the aid of their caretaker, the Mellower, they sneak out of the house...and into a whole lot of trouble, getting themselves kidnapped. Meanwhile, the Matsika parents are frantic with worry, so the Mellower suggests hiring some detectives he has heard of - the eponymous Ear, Eye, and Arm. As the Matsika children struggle to survive, the detectives race to find them before it's too late.
to:
Tendai and his siblings Rita and Kuda have lived a sheltered life and have a strained relationship with their father, the renowned General Matsika. Thus, with the aid of their caretaker, the Mellower, they sneak out of the house...and into a whole lot of trouble, getting themselves kidnapped. Meanwhile, the Matsika parents are frantic with worry, so the Mellower suggests hiring some detectives he has heard of - [[TitleDrop the eponymous Ear, the Eye, and Arm.the Arm]]. As the Matsika children struggle to survive, the detectives race to find them before it's too late.
* BigDamnHeroes: The detectives pull this in Resthaven. [[spoiler:Arm also attempts to pull this at the book's climax, but that doesn't work out.]]
* HappilyAdopted: [[spoiler:Sekai, in the WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue.]]
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* HumansAreWhite: Averted. There are three distinct ethnic groups -- Black, Brown, and White. Most of the characters belong to Black and Brown, but the Mellower, [[ThoseTwoGuys Knife]], and one of title three are White.
* InfantImmortality
* LightningGun: The Soul Stealers
* InfantImmortality
* LightningGun: The Soul Stealers
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* HumansAreWhite: Averted. There are three distinct ethnic groups -- Black, Brown, and White. Most of the characters belong to Black and Brown, but the Mellower, [[ThoseTwoGuys Knife]], and one of title three Ear are White.
*InfantImmortality
InfantImmortality: Played straight, although the plot comes very close to averting this on a few occasions.
* LightningGun: The SoulStealersStealers.
*
* LightningGun: The Soul
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* MyBelovedSmother: [[spoiler: The Mellower's mother.]]
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* TheMenFirst: Implied that this is part of General Matsika's professional standards. [[spoiler:By the end, Tendai develops similar beliefs.]]
* MyBelovedSmother:[[spoiler: The [[spoiler:The Mellower's mother.]]
* MyBelovedSmother:
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* NobleSavage: Resthaven again, deconstructed. . See GoodOldWays.
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* NobleSavage: Resthaven again, deconstructed. . See GoodOldWays.
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* ThemeNaming: This trope feels the love. The eponymous detectives, the Mellower, the She-Elephant, Knife and Fist, Trashman...
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* ThemeNaming: This trope feels the love. The eponymous three detectives, the Mellower, the She-Elephant, Knife and Fist, Trashman...
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* WouldHurtAChild: Most of the inhabitants of Resthaven, [[WouldHitAGirl as long as it's a girl]].
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* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Happens to Arm near the end of the book. Luckily, [[IGotBetter he gets better]]...mostly.]]
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* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:Happens to Arm near the end of the book. Luckily, [[IGotBetter he gets better]]...mostly.]]
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crosswicking
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* NeoAfrica: The book's setting.
