Line #35 Literature/TheIslandsOfChaldea


1	''The Islands of Chaldea'' is Creator/DianaWynneJones's last novel, published posthumously and finished by her sister Ursula Jones.
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3	Aileen, Wise Woman apprentice, thinks nothing can get worse after she fails her initiation and thus shows no powers. Then the High King sends her and her Aunt Beck on a quest to take down the barrier between her kingdom and the island of Logra, as well as to rescue the Crown Prince Alasdair
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7	!!This book provides examples of:
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9	* AdultsAreUseless: This is a common Diana Wynne Jones trope, and taken up to eleven when Aileen at the end realizes [[spoiler: that King Keurig and Queen Mevinne are willing to sacrifice their children for power]].
10	* AerithAndBob: ZigZagged by using actual European names. The main character's named Aileen, her aunt is Beck, and their companions on the trip are . . .Prince Ivar and his servant Ogo. [[spoiler: Ogo's name is actually Hugo, which subverts the trope.]]
11	* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: The High Priest accuses Prince Donal of "robbery, arson and murder" when it turns out that the only true crime is "arson." Subverted in that Donal only set the Priest's house to kill him, and Donal only has to [[KarmaHoudini pay a fine for the damages.]]
12	* BadassNormal: While on the quest, Ogo demonstrates this. Aileen before learning [[spoiler: she actually passed the initiation]]
13	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: Subverted in Prince Ivar's case. Although he is not evil or as much of a JerkAss as his brother and heir to the throne Donal
14	* BullyingADragon: Aunt Beck is fond of doing this, much to hers and the other questers' detriment when they encounter various Queens.
15	* CatsAreMean: Averted with Plug-Ugly, the large cat that Aileen finds in the lost land. He may steal meat, but he also defends the group [[spoiler: and is revealed to be a Chaldean guardian.]]
16	* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Ogo does this. [[spoiler: Barely remembering his childhood in Logra, he makes a wish in a wishing well to have been the prince.]] Aileen praises him for going about it the proper way.
17	* DisappearedDad: Aileen's father was captured by Logra soldiers when they invaded and kidnapped Prince Alasdair. [[spoiler: It turns out later that he's alive.]]
18	* DoNotTauntCthulhu: [[spoiler: Regent Waldo]] finds this out the hard way in the FinalBattle.
19	* EarnYourHappyEnding: At the end, [[spoiler: Alasdair]] is restored to the throne with his beloved [[spoiler: Beck]], Ivar marries [[spoiler: a beautiful girl named Riannan]] and is assumed to become a better person, [[spoiler: Ogo]] is reunited with his father and marries [[spoiler: Aileen]].
20	* FauxAffablyEvil: Prince Donal, but we know this from the start.
21	* ForcedTransformation: Every person who angers Lady Loma, except for Aunt Beck, gets turned into a donkey while the Lady is drunk.
22	* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: Every Queen encountered during the quest, but Queen Mevinne has to take the cake.
23	* ICanChangeMyBeloved: Aileen has a crush on Prince Ivar, has chosen him as her husband, and has decided to reform him into a better person. She abandons this idea when seeing his total uselessness on the quest.
24	* JustBetweenYouAndMe: [[spoiler: Regent Waldo]] does this to Aileen and Ogo, before trying to [[spoiler: drown them and execute their fellow questers]].
25	* ManipulativeBastard: Prince Donal is one from start to finish, and [[spoiler: Regent Waldo of Logra]] reveals himself as one.
26	* MyBelovedSmother: Queen Mevinne does this with Ivar, which makes her [[spoiler: plans to off him during the quest]] more shocking.
27	* OffingTheOffspring: Nearly happens with [[spoiler: Prince Ivar and his parents, King Keurig and Queen Mevinne. He is going to have nightmares for the rest of his life.]]
28	* PromotedToParent: Happens to Aileen temporarily when Lady Loma's curse incapacitates her aunt. The responsibility nearly does her in.
29	* RefugeInAudacity: Prince Donal demonstrates this at the beginning when announcing he set the Priest's house on fire to kill him. He only has to pay a fine for the damages and even tries to scoot out of that.
30	* SkewedPriorities: When Prince Donal admits to setting the Priest's hut on fire, Ivar mutters that he would've liked to come along. Actually, Ivar demonstrates this a lot.
31	* SpoiledSweet: Subverted with Prince Ivar. He is spoiled but has little sweetness. Aileen eventually realizes that he is a RoyalBrat.
32	* TheOneThatGotAway: [[spoiler: Prince Alasdair]] is this for Aunt Beck.
33	* UriahGambit: The real reason [[spoiler: King Keurig and Queen Mevinne sent their son, Wisewoman Beck and Aileen on a useless task.]]

Context Literature / TheIslandsOfChaldea