History Literature / AlexAndTheIronicGentleman

''Alex and the Ironic Gentleman'' by Adrienne Kress, published in 2007.

* {{Determinator}}[=/=]SuperPersistentPredator: Daughters of the Founding Fathers' Preservation Society track Alex halfway across the world because she crossed the velvet rope.

Often mistaken for a boy because of her haircut and name, Alex Morningside is an inquisitive girl of ten-and-a-half who attends the prestigious Wigpowder-Steele Academy. Unfortunately, though she loves to learn, Alex just can’t bring herself to enjoy her classes. Her teachers are all old and smelly and don’t seem to know about anything that has happened in the world the past thirty years, and her peers…well they are quite simply ridiculous.

* MeaningfulName: Lord Poppinjay the vain, rich man. Captain Magnanimous the… [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin magnanimous captain.]] “Senseless” Senslesky.

* NeverMessWithGranny: While the Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society may seem like vaguely nasty but overall harmless biddies, they are actually extremely dangerous--managing to track Alex halfway across the world and even [[spoiler:force evil pirates to do their bidding]].

* {{Telepathy}}: This is how Lord Poppinjay attempts to communicate with his staff, much to their bewilderment. Alex is able to “communicate” back by offering suggestions as to the course of action, but phrasing it as though it was Poppinjay’s idea. He confirms that of course, that is exactly what he was thinking.

* {{Adorkable}}: Mr. Underwood.

There is a [[ChangingOfTheGuard sort-of squeal]] to it, ''Literature/TimothyAndTheDragonsGate''.

* ArtificialIntelligence: The MakeCold fridge, in addition to being able to remember recipes, monitor the foods inside of it, and water plants with a spray apparatus, is also capable of lying, dreaming of alternate careers, and developing a fondness for boyish girls named Alex.

There is a [[ChangingOfTheGuard sort-of squeal]] to it, ''Literature/{{Timothy and the Dragon's Gate}}''.

* ChekhovsGun: Mr. Underwood teaches his students fencing, and how to correctly use the pronouns "I" and "me". Both become important later.

* ConvenientlyAnOrphan: Alex has neither mom nor dad.

* {{Telepathy}}: This is how Lord Poppinjay attempts to communicate with his staff, much to their bewilderment. Alex is able to “communicate” back by offering suggestions as to the course of action, but phrasing it as though it was Poppinjay’s idea. He confirms that of course, that is exactly what he was thinking.

* {{Pirate}}: There are several, notably the crew of the Ironic Gentleman.

Luckily for Alex, the new school year brings an exciting new teacher. Mr. Underwood makes lessons fun and teaches her how to fence. But Mr. Underwood has a mysterious family secret―the swashbuckling and buried treasure kind―and not everyone is glad he has come to Wigpowder-Steele. When the infamous pirates of a ship called the Ironic Gentleman kidnap Mr. Underwood, Alex sets off on a journey to rescue him, along the way encountering a cast of strange and magical characters, including the dashing and sometimes heroic Captain Magnanimous, Coriander the Conjurer, the Extremely Ginormous Octopus, and the wicked Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society.

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* {{Determinator}}: Alex. Nothing stops this child and she is largely unfazed by all the horrifying things that happen around her.

* ForTheEvulz: [[spoiler: Charles]], the villain of the train, does what [[spoiler: he]] does because [[spoiler: he]] likes to be evil.

* GoingDownWithTheShip: [[spoiler: Captain Magnanimous and his crew.]]

* MissingMom: Alex has neither mom nor dad.

* LadyLooksLikeADude: It is repeatedly remarked upon how many people confuse Alexandra Morningside, nee Alex, for a boy due to her name and her short haircut. [[spoiler: The dreaded - yet female - Captain Steele, however, is assumed to be male solely because of her reputation.]]

* MeaningfulName: Lord Poppinjay the vain, rich man. Captain Magnanimous the…[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin magnanimous captain.]] “Senseless” Senslesky.

* NeverMessWithGranny: While the Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society may seem like vaguely nasty but overall harmless biddies, they are actually extremely dangerous – managing to track Alex halfway across the world and even [[spoiler: force evil pirates to do their bidding]].
* {{Pirate}}: There are several, notably the crew of the Ironic Gentleman.
* {{Super-Persistant Predator}}: The Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society

* ForTheEvulz: [[spoiler: Charles]], the villain of the train, does what he does because [[spoiler: he]] likes to be evil.

* {{Super-PersistantPredator}}: The Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society

* Missing Mom: Alex has neither mom nor dad.

* SuperPersistantPredator: The Daughters of the Founding Fathers’ Preservation Society

* Trope/Telepathy: This is how Lord Poppinjay attempts to communicate with his staff, much to their bewilderment. Alex is able to “communicate” back by offering suggestions as to the course of action, but phrasing it as though it was Poppinjay’s idea. He confirms that of course, that is exactly what he was thinking.