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By TRS decision
Whip It Good is now a disambiguation page. Moving entries to appropriate tropes when possible.
Whip It Good is now a disambiguation page. Moving entries to appropriate tropes when possible.Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* WhipItGood: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.
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* WhipItGood: UtilityWeapon: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.
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* {{Clownification}}: Various bad endings involve you getting turned into a clown slave.
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Baleful Polymorph was renamed per TRS
Deleted line(s) 12 (click to see context) :
* BalefulPolymorph: The Circus' sideshow freaks ''[[WasOnceAMan used to be kids]]'' like yourself, who won the prize to join the circus and ends up falling under the evil ringleader's spell. Your bestie, Richie, gets separated early from you in the adventure and in one bad ending you realize Richie is now a BlobMonster in a bucket, while another -- a Lizard Boy named Danny who was the previous year's winner -- actively helps you escape from falling to the same fate. Of course, it goes without saying that in more than one bad ending, ''this can happen to you''.
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* ForcedTransformation: The Circus' sideshow freaks ''[[WasOnceAMan used to be kids]]'' like yourself, who won the prize to join the circus and ends up falling under the evil ringleader's spell. Your bestie, Richie, gets separated early from you in the adventure and in one bad ending you realize Richie is now a BlobMonster in a bucket, while another -- a Lizard Boy named Danny who was the previous year's winner -- actively helps you escape from falling to the same fate. Of course, it goes without saying that in more than one bad ending, ''this can happen to you''.
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None
Changed line(s) 29 (click to see context) from:
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turn out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book).
to:
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turn out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book). The twine and talcum powder also never help you; each can be used on only one page, and in both cases, they only lead to bad endings anyway.
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None
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* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally and Susan, who serve the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
to:
* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally Sara and Susan, who serve the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally Susan voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan Sara on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
Changed line(s) 30 (click to see context) from:
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and wear a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
to:
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally Susan and Sarah. Sara. They are both as nimble as snakes and wear a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally Susan is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah Sara is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
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None
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* KnifeNut: One of Madam Barbara's henchmen is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
to:
* KnifeNut: KnifeThrowingAct: One of Madam Barbara's henchmen is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
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Changed line(s) 10,11 (click to see context) from:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere. [[note]] This ending is implied to be a premonition however, and Madam Barbara is still on the loose and actively abducting children, so whether it's truly a "good" ending is debatable [[/note]]
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notably have some of the darker endings compared to other Special Edition entries.
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notably have some of the darker endings compared to other Special Edition entries.
to:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all of a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere. [[note]] This ending is implied to be a premonition however, and Madam Barbara is still on the loose and actively abducting children, so whether it's truly a "good" ending is debatable [[/note]]
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notablyhave has some of the darker endings compared to other Special Edition entries.
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notably
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally and Susan, who serves the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
to:
* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally and Susan, who serves serve the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The best ending of the book has you [[spoiler: destroying or stealing Madam Barbara's jade amulet, rendering the evil ringmistress dead, banished or transformed into a monkey, at which point you free all the circus kids in the freakshow, all of them turning back to humans en masse. You are then made the new ringleader and holds a massive show in front of a cheering crowd, among them your proud parents, and your show becomes the biggest success in circus history]].
to:
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The best ending of the book has you [[spoiler: destroying or stealing Madam Barbara's jade amulet, rendering the evil ringmistress dead, banished or transformed into a monkey, at which point you free all the circus kids in the freakshow, all of them turning back to humans en masse. You are then made the new ringleader and holds hold a massive show in front of a cheering crowd, among them your proud parents, and your show becomes the biggest success in circus history]].
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* HarmlessLiquefaction: While you spend the entire story avoiding Madam Barbara and her clown minions who intends to turn you into a circus freak, your friend Richie isn't as lucky, getting turned into a "bucket of human vomit with two eyes". In the good ending, you change Richie and the rest of the circus freaks back to normal children like yourself.
to:
* HarmlessLiquefaction: While you spend the entire story avoiding Madam Barbara and her clown minions who intends intend to turn you into a circus freak, your friend Richie isn't as lucky, getting turned into a "bucket of human vomit with two eyes". In the good ending, you change Richie and the rest of the circus freaks back to normal children like yourself.
Changed line(s) 24 (click to see context) from:
* KnifeNut: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
to:
* KnifeNut: One of Madam Barbara's henchman henchmen is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
* MonsterClown: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is the hulking clown, Geyorg, who either hunts you down for his boss or [[IAmAHumanitarian eats you]].
to:
* MonsterClown: One of Madam Barbara's henchman henchmen is the hulking clown, Geyorg, who either hunts you down for his boss or [[IAmAHumanitarian eats you]].
Changed line(s) 29,30 (click to see context) from:
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turns out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book).
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and wears a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and wears a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
to:
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turns turn out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book).
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes andwears wear a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and
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* HarmlessLiquefaction: While you spend the entire story avoiding Madam Barbara and her clown minions who intends to turn you into a circus freak, your friend Richie isn't as lucky, getting turned into a "bucket of human vomit with two eyes". In the good ending, you change Richie and the rest of the circus freaks back to normal children like yourself.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 7,8 (click to see context) from:
!!This book provides examples of:
to:
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: If you have your lucky baseball cap with you, you have a chance to partake in a TightropeWalking performance, the narration saying you feel lucky... unfortunately, the tightrope scene happens to land on page 13. The book then says you're on an ''unlucky'' page, at which point you fall off the ropes and to your death.
* IAmAHumanitarian: As it turns out, many of the circus' staff are cannibals, including Bostini the strongman (who turns out to be a werebeast), Geyorg the clown, and Madam Barbara herself.
Changed line(s) 20 (click to see context) from:
* IAmAHumanitarian: As it turns out, many of the circus' staff are cannibals, including Bostini the strongman (who turns out to be a werebeast), Geyorg the clown, and Madam Barbara herself.
to:
* IAmAHumanitarian: As it turns out, many of the circus' staff are cannibals, including Bostini the strongman (who turns out to be a werebeast), Geyorg the clown, and KarmicTransformation: The villainous Madam Barbara herself.delights in having children who fell under her power transformed into sideshow freaks. In one of the good endings, you hijacked her amulet and transforms ''her'' into a chimpanzee, and then have her locked in a cage forever.
Deleted line(s) 22,23 (click to see context) :
* OffWithHisHead: One of the bad endings have you losing your head... but Madam Barbara managed to salvage your ears. She then resurrects you as a headless freak with two ears growing from that stump your head used to be, dubbing you the "Eerie Ear-ie Kid".
* KarmicTransformation: The villainous Madam Barbara delights in having children who fell under her power transformed into sideshow freaks. In one of the good endings, you hijacked her amulet and transforms ''her'' into a chimpanzee, and then have her locked in a cage forever.
* KarmicTransformation: The villainous Madam Barbara delights in having children who fell under her power transformed into sideshow freaks. In one of the good endings, you hijacked her amulet and transforms ''her'' into a chimpanzee, and then have her locked in a cage forever.
* OffWithHisHead: One of the bad endings have you losing your head... but Madam Barbara managed to salvage your ears. She then resurrects you as a headless freak with two ears growing from that stump your head used to be, dubbing you the "Eerie Ear-ie Kid".
Deleted line(s) 29 (click to see context) :
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: If you have your lucky baseball cap with you, you have a chance to partake in a TightropeWalking performance, the narration saying you feel lucky... unfortunately, the tightrope scene happens to land on page 13. The book then says you're on an ''unlucky'' page, at which point you fall off the ropes and to your death.
Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
* WhipItGood: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.
to:
* WhipItGood: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.spell.
----
----
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Changed line(s) 9 (click to see context) from:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere.
to:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere. [[note]] This ending is implied to be a premonition however, and Madam Barbara is still on the loose and actively abducting children, so whether it's truly a "good" ending is debatable [[/note]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 7,8 (click to see context) from:
!!This book provides examples of the following:
to:
!!This book provides examples of the following:
of:
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[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gyg_se3.jpg]]
The ''Literature/GiveYourselfGoosebumps'' book where you join a circus full of evil.
"You" and your friend did so well at Circus Camp, you're being allowed to join a real circus for a week. But the ringmistress and her crew are wicked beings who want you either dead or as a permanent addition to the sideshow. Now you must figure out how to break her evil power and save the circus freaks... and get out alive in the process.
----
!!This book provides examples of the following:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere.
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notably have some of the darker endings compared to other Special Edition entries.
* BalefulPolymorph: The Circus' sideshow freaks ''[[WasOnceAMan used to be kids]]'' like yourself, who won the prize to join the circus and ends up falling under the evil ringleader's spell. Your bestie, Richie, gets separated early from you in the adventure and in one bad ending you realize Richie is now a BlobMonster in a bucket, while another -- a Lizard Boy named Danny who was the previous year's winner -- actively helps you escape from falling to the same fate. Of course, it goes without saying that in more than one bad ending, ''this can happen to you''.
* BananaPeel: In one scenario Mr. Peepers will try to help you escape Geyorg the clown by slipping banana peels. Unfortunately, depending on your choices, you ''might'' end up having Geyorg falling ''on'' you and crushing you to death.
* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally and Susan, who serves the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
* CassandraTruth: If you have a polaroid camera with you, one of the good endings have you taking pictures of Madam Barbara's activities and escaping the circus, and then trying to report her to the police. Unfortunately, your film ends up ruined (Note that this book happens in the 90s, where cameras use films) and nobody believes you. It's also a BittersweetEnding because you may have escaped the circus, your best friend Richie and the rest of the kids in the freakshow will remain there forever.
* CircusOfFear: Just as the title says, it's a circus of fear... since the owner is trying to either kill you or turn you into a sideshow attraction.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The best ending of the book has you [[spoiler: destroying or stealing Madam Barbara's jade amulet, rendering the evil ringmistress dead, banished or transformed into a monkey, at which point you free all the circus kids in the freakshow, all of them turning back to humans en masse. You are then made the new ringleader and holds a massive show in front of a cheering crowd, among them your proud parents, and your show becomes the biggest success in circus history]].
* FoodAsBribe: How you obtained Mr. Peepers' trust. Unfortunately, if he doesn't like your food, you're on your own and absolutely ''screwed''.
* InventoryManagementPuzzle: This book makes the reader choose three items out of a possible twelve. It doesn't punish you too severely for picking a bad item or two though.
* InvoluntaryDance: You might end up getting trapped by a musician's enchanted violin, whose music will force you to dance. If you didn't have a bullwhip with you, you'll be forced to dance for an eternity. Sweet dreams!
* IAmAHumanitarian: As it turns out, many of the circus' staff are cannibals, including Bostini the strongman (who turns out to be a werebeast), Geyorg the clown, and Madam Barbara herself.
* KnifeNut: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
* OffWithHisHead: One of the bad endings have you losing your head... but Madam Barbara managed to salvage your ears. She then resurrects you as a headless freak with two ears growing from that stump your head used to be, dubbing you the "Eerie Ear-ie Kid".
* KarmicTransformation: The villainous Madam Barbara delights in having children who fell under her power transformed into sideshow freaks. In one of the good endings, you hijacked her amulet and transforms ''her'' into a chimpanzee, and then have her locked in a cage forever.
* MeaningfulName: The circus' evil ringleader and BigBad of this story, Madam Barbara, whose ''real'' name is Madam ''Barbarous''.
* MonsterClown: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is the hulking clown, Geyorg, who either hunts you down for his boss or [[IAmAHumanitarian eats you]].
* NoEnding: This book requires you to choose three items from a list to use at different points in the book. If you make a wrong choice, the book will sometimes allow you to avoid a bad ending, but then send you back to the first page to start the story again with a different inventory. In one case, information gained from one such wrong ending is necessary to survive the final confrontation, so it's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in this case.
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turns out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book).
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and wears a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: If you have your lucky baseball cap with you, you have a chance to partake in a TightropeWalking performance, the narration saying you feel lucky... unfortunately, the tightrope scene happens to land on page 13. The book then says you're on an ''unlucky'' page, at which point you fall off the ropes and to your death.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Mr. Peepers is the only clown in the circus who's on the side of good. While you can only obtain his help by bribing him with the proper items, at least he doesn't hunt you down like the rest of Madam Barbara's clown mooks.
* WhipItGood: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.
The ''Literature/GiveYourselfGoosebumps'' book where you join a circus full of evil.
"You" and your friend did so well at Circus Camp, you're being allowed to join a real circus for a week. But the ringmistress and her crew are wicked beings who want you either dead or as a permanent addition to the sideshow. Now you must figure out how to break her evil power and save the circus freaks... and get out alive in the process.
----
!!This book provides examples of the following:
* AllJustADream: One of the "good" endings uses this trope, where you're about to be captured by Madam Barabara's freaks... only to wake up in your bed all a sudden, your mom shaking you after hearing you screaming in the middle of the night. The next morning you decide to sit out of the circus trip and spend your holidays going elsewhere.
* AndIMustScream: Where to start? Permanently turning into a sideshow freak? Becoming a clown under Madam Barbara's service? Trapped in a jar of goop? Dancing ''forever''? This book notably have some of the darker endings compared to other Special Edition entries.
* BalefulPolymorph: The Circus' sideshow freaks ''[[WasOnceAMan used to be kids]]'' like yourself, who won the prize to join the circus and ends up falling under the evil ringleader's spell. Your bestie, Richie, gets separated early from you in the adventure and in one bad ending you realize Richie is now a BlobMonster in a bucket, while another -- a Lizard Boy named Danny who was the previous year's winner -- actively helps you escape from falling to the same fate. Of course, it goes without saying that in more than one bad ending, ''this can happen to you''.
* BananaPeel: In one scenario Mr. Peepers will try to help you escape Geyorg the clown by slipping banana peels. Unfortunately, depending on your choices, you ''might'' end up having Geyorg falling ''on'' you and crushing you to death.
* CainAndAbel: Among the circus' staff are a pair of twin sisters, the acrobats Sally and Susan, who serves the evil Madam Barbara. But while Sally voluntarily assists the villainous ringleader in capturing you and your friend Richie, Susan on the other hand is on your side, helping you escape in one ending.
* CassandraTruth: If you have a polaroid camera with you, one of the good endings have you taking pictures of Madam Barbara's activities and escaping the circus, and then trying to report her to the police. Unfortunately, your film ends up ruined (Note that this book happens in the 90s, where cameras use films) and nobody believes you. It's also a BittersweetEnding because you may have escaped the circus, your best friend Richie and the rest of the kids in the freakshow will remain there forever.
* CircusOfFear: Just as the title says, it's a circus of fear... since the owner is trying to either kill you or turn you into a sideshow attraction.
* EarnYourHappyEnding: The best ending of the book has you [[spoiler: destroying or stealing Madam Barbara's jade amulet, rendering the evil ringmistress dead, banished or transformed into a monkey, at which point you free all the circus kids in the freakshow, all of them turning back to humans en masse. You are then made the new ringleader and holds a massive show in front of a cheering crowd, among them your proud parents, and your show becomes the biggest success in circus history]].
* FoodAsBribe: How you obtained Mr. Peepers' trust. Unfortunately, if he doesn't like your food, you're on your own and absolutely ''screwed''.
* InventoryManagementPuzzle: This book makes the reader choose three items out of a possible twelve. It doesn't punish you too severely for picking a bad item or two though.
* InvoluntaryDance: You might end up getting trapped by a musician's enchanted violin, whose music will force you to dance. If you didn't have a bullwhip with you, you'll be forced to dance for an eternity. Sweet dreams!
* IAmAHumanitarian: As it turns out, many of the circus' staff are cannibals, including Bostini the strongman (who turns out to be a werebeast), Geyorg the clown, and Madam Barbara herself.
* KnifeNut: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is Morton, the knife thrower, who will make you his assistant in one performance. Whatever you do, ''don't accept his offer'', he'll miss the board and his knife will end up in your guts.
* OffWithHisHead: One of the bad endings have you losing your head... but Madam Barbara managed to salvage your ears. She then resurrects you as a headless freak with two ears growing from that stump your head used to be, dubbing you the "Eerie Ear-ie Kid".
* KarmicTransformation: The villainous Madam Barbara delights in having children who fell under her power transformed into sideshow freaks. In one of the good endings, you hijacked her amulet and transforms ''her'' into a chimpanzee, and then have her locked in a cage forever.
* MeaningfulName: The circus' evil ringleader and BigBad of this story, Madam Barbara, whose ''real'' name is Madam ''Barbarous''.
* MonsterClown: One of Madam Barbara's henchman is the hulking clown, Geyorg, who either hunts you down for his boss or [[IAmAHumanitarian eats you]].
* NoEnding: This book requires you to choose three items from a list to use at different points in the book. If you make a wrong choice, the book will sometimes allow you to avoid a bad ending, but then send you back to the first page to start the story again with a different inventory. In one case, information gained from one such wrong ending is necessary to survive the final confrontation, so it's [[JustifiedTrope justified]] in this case.
* RedHerring: At least two of the eleven objects you start off with (you're allowed a maximum of three) turns out to be ''utterly'' useless. Namely, your lucky baseball cap which the book claims can make you feel lucky (both occasions you get to use it turns out badly for you) and the packet of peanuts that the narration states can help you if you get caught by rampaging elephants (no such thing occurs in the book).
* SnakesAreSinister: Played with the trapeze sisters, Sally and Sarah. They are both as nimble as snakes and wears a symbol of a black cobra on their leotards, but while Sally is genuinely evil and wants to hunt you down, Sarah is on your side, having grown to despise Madam Barbara's evil ways, and intends to save you from becoming another freakshow.
* ThirteenIsUnlucky: If you have your lucky baseball cap with you, you have a chance to partake in a TightropeWalking performance, the narration saying you feel lucky... unfortunately, the tightrope scene happens to land on page 13. The book then says you're on an ''unlucky'' page, at which point you fall off the ropes and to your death.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Mr. Peepers is the only clown in the circus who's on the side of good. While you can only obtain his help by bribing him with the proper items, at least he doesn't hunt you down like the rest of Madam Barbara's clown mooks.
* WhipItGood: One of the default items in this adventure is your bullwhip, which can come in handy if you're cornered by lions, or if you're trapped by the musician's spell.
