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Ambiguous Disorder is not a trope anymore, but a redirect to a YMMV entry.
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* AmbiguousDisorder: Dymphna lives alone, is more comfortable around animals than humans, spies on the children from afar before coming into contact with them, howls out the window when she's alone and employs ExactWords (she says she has no food in the house, but she does in the back porch, which she doesn't consider part of the house). She was also shunned by the small town folks for being different.
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cut trope
Changed line(s) 71 (click to see context) from:
* PrincessClassic: Beverley's princess is long-legged with golden RapunzelHair...and [[SubvertedTrope also smart enough to talk her way out of a difficult situation]].
to:
* PrincessClassic: Beverley's princess is long-legged with golden RapunzelHair...hair...and [[SubvertedTrope also smart enough to talk her way out of a difficult situation]].
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* AmbiguousDisorder: Dymphna lives alone, is more comfortable around animals than humans, spies on the children from afar before coming into contact with them, howls out the window when she's alone and employs ExactWords (she says she has no food in the house, but she does in the back porch, which she doesn't consider part of the house). She was also shunned by the small town folks for being different.
* FracturedFairyTale: The in-universe stories from every character draw inspiration from various fairy tales, but subvert the familiar endings or tropes.
** Elizabeth's has the children turn into animals and never turn back, instead having adventures of their own.
** Kevin's has a merman leaving his family for a human woman and occasionally returning to give them presents, but no longer able to be with them fully.
** Gerard's is a ChangelingFantasy in which the princess is more comfortable being raised among the cows, and her mother dies of a broken heart because of it.
** Beverly's is a GirlInTheTower story, where the prince rescues the princess...and she reminds him that their marriage contract was with her father rather than her, and she would rather live her life unmarried for now.
** Dymphna's is an AllOfTheOtherReindeer fable about a duckling who hates the rain, and ends up trapped in a cement mixer and becoming a statue. She's actually happy about this, as the rain can't get her wet.
** Elizabeth's has the children turn into animals and never turn back, instead having adventures of their own.
** Kevin's has a merman leaving his family for a human woman and occasionally returning to give them presents, but no longer able to be with them fully.
** Gerard's is a ChangelingFantasy in which the princess is more comfortable being raised among the cows, and her mother dies of a broken heart because of it.
** Beverly's is a GirlInTheTower story, where the prince rescues the princess...and she reminds him that their marriage contract was with her father rather than her, and she would rather live her life unmarried for now.
** Dymphna's is an AllOfTheOtherReindeer fable about a duckling who hates the rain, and ends up trapped in a cement mixer and becoming a statue. She's actually happy about this, as the rain can't get her wet.
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* MagicRealism: Elizabeth's ankle heals miraculously with Dymphna's lotion, Gerard's asthma goes away and there are local stories about the island being magical. The reader never finds out of course.
to:
* MagicRealism: Elizabeth's ankle heals miraculously with Dymphna's lotion, Gerard's asthma goes away and there are local stories about the island being magical. The reader never finds out of course. The title says that Dymphna is a witch, but then has the 'maybe' in brackets.
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Not So Different has been renamed, and it needs to be dewicked/moved
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* NotSoDifferent: The children discover how much they have in common over the course of the expedition.
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Misused of Five Man Band. Too many characters, two characters are associated with more than one role, also violate Example Indentation In Trope Lists. Since it's also ZCE, removed.
Deleted line(s) 36,42 (click to see context) :
* FiveManBand:
** TheLeader/ TheSmartGuy: Beverley
** TheLancer/ TheFace: Elizabeth
** TheBigGuy: Kevin
** TheHeart: Gerard
** TeamPet: Fat Cat
** SixthRanger: Dymphna
** TheLeader/ TheSmartGuy: Beverley
** TheLancer/ TheFace: Elizabeth
** TheBigGuy: Kevin
** TheHeart: Gerard
** TeamPet: Fat Cat
** SixthRanger: Dymphna
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Changed line(s) 79 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOut: Gerard's story features a rich lady meeting a man in the forest and falling in love with him - only to later find out he's actually her bethrothed. [[Disney/SleepingBeauty What could that be a reference to?]]
to:
* ShoutOut: Gerard's story features a rich lady meeting a man in the forest and falling in love with him - only to later find out he's actually her bethrothed. [[Disney/SleepingBeauty [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty What could that be a reference to?]]
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No longer a trope
Deleted line(s) 33 (click to see context) :
* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: In Gerard's story he first says the girl is a princess but then relents and says she could be an heiress or just some woman of property. Beverley includes a princess in hers as well.
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* GratuitousPrincess: Lampshaded. In Gerard's story he first says the girl is a princess but then relents and says she could be an heiress or just some woman of property. Beverley includes a princess in hers as well.
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* BittersweetEnding: The in-universe stories end with these (although Gerard's has a tragic end).
** Elizabeth's is mostly positive but the children never turn back from the animals they're turned into.
** Kevin's ends with the merman finding another family on land, and becoming human - only able to return to his first family occasionally.
** Beverly's has the prince being told the princess doesn't want to marry him, after all the trouble he went through in the EngagementChallenge. But Beverly leaves the story open, suggesting they could get married in the future.
** Dymphna's has the duckling getting trapped in cement for eternity, which isn't as bad as it sounds, as it protects her from the rain. The duckling appears to be fine with this arrangement too.
** Elizabeth's is mostly positive but the children never turn back from the animals they're turned into.
** Kevin's ends with the merman finding another family on land, and becoming human - only able to return to his first family occasionally.
** Beverly's has the prince being told the princess doesn't want to marry him, after all the trouble he went through in the EngagementChallenge. But Beverly leaves the story open, suggesting they could get married in the future.
** Dymphna's has the duckling getting trapped in cement for eternity, which isn't as bad as it sounds, as it protects her from the rain. The duckling appears to be fine with this arrangement too.
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* FairyTaleMotifs: Each of stories told by the characters has elements from one or more fairy tales. Elizabeth's has ''Hansel & Gretel'' and ''Little Red Riding Hood''. Kevin's has ''The Little Mermaid''. Beverly's draws from a lot of general GirlInTheTower stories. Dymphna's takes from ''The Ugly Duckling''. Gerard's doesn't have an obvious source, and it's the only one to have a tragic ending.
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* FromDressToDressing: Discussed by Elizabeth - who says if they were in olden times, she and Beverly could use their petticoats as bandages.
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Changed line(s) 3,4 (click to see context) from:
The story follows three preteen Irish children on holiday in the seaside village of Tranarone. Beverley - the bossy one - is fascinated by the island beside the town and decides to take an expedition there. Tagging along with them is village local Kevin who has heard stories about an eccentric woman living on the island. The four children bond during their trip on the island with their own individual story to tell and their own lessons to learn.
to:
The story follows three four preteen Irish children on holiday in the seaside village of Tranarone. Beverley - the Tranarone.
* '''Beverly:''' A bossyone - is fascinated by boots, stuck-up and snobby. But also keen to learn more about the island beside area.
* '''Elizabeth:''' A scatter brained daydreamer. Would be a complete NiceGirl if she weren't such a bully towards...
* '''Gerard:''' The youngest of thetown group; a ButtMonkey who suffers from asthma and brings his cat everywhere.
* '''Kevin:''' A local boy and the oldest of the group. A bit prejudiced towards city people.
Beverly decides to take an expeditionthere. Tagging along with them is village local Kevin who has heard stories about to Lady Island - an eccentric woman living island on a tombolo beside Tranarone - when the island. The four children bond during their trip tide goes out. What follows is a ComingOfAgeStory wherein the characters also encounter the mysterious Dymphna on the island with their own individual story to tell and their own lessons to learn.
(yes, she is the titular 'witch').
* '''Beverly:''' A bossy
* '''Elizabeth:''' A scatter brained daydreamer. Would be a complete NiceGirl if she weren't such a bully towards...
* '''Gerard:''' The youngest of the
* '''Kevin:''' A local boy and the oldest of the group. A bit prejudiced towards city people.
Beverly decides to take an expedition
* TheBooRadley: Kevin spends the whole book worrying about what Dymphna is really like - having only known her as an eccentric recluse. While she is odd, they end up becoming friends.
* FeministFantasy: In-universe. [[spoiler: Beverly ends her story on a MaybeEverAfter situation, with the princess talking her way out of the marriage contract]].
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* StandardHeroReward: Deconstructed in Beverley's story:
** A princess is promised to a man who can beat a task her father has set. When the prince rescues the princess, she replies that she did not agree to the task. Also if she was to be literal about the task, she would be obliged to marry the prince's horse as he was technically her rescuer. The prince realises that she has beaten him in intelligence and takes her to his mother's house to live.
** A princess is promised to a man who can beat a task her father has set. When the prince rescues the princess, she replies that she did not agree to the task. Also if she was to be literal about the task, she would be obliged to marry the prince's horse as he was technically her rescuer. The prince realises that she has beaten him in intelligence and takes her to his mother's house to live.
to:
* StandardHeroReward: Deconstructed in Beverley's story:
** Astory: a princess is promised to a man who can beat a task her father has set. When the prince rescues the princess, she replies that she did not agree to the task. Also if she was to be literal about the task, she would be obliged to marry the prince's horse as he was technically her rescuer. The prince realises that she has beaten him in intelligence and takes her to his mother's house to live.
** A
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* AllWitchesHaveCats: If Dymphna is a witch, then it's very appropriate she has two cats.
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* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Gerard and Elizabeth run into a sheep while exploring the island which results in Elizabeth twisting her ankle falling down a ditch. The sheep itself isn't mentioned after this and doesn't seem to have any bearing on the plot.
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* CatsAreMagic: If Dymphna is a witch then it's very appropriate she has two cats.
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* CloudCuckooLander: Dymphna.
* CountryMouse/ CityMouse: Beverley, Gerard and Elizabeth are the City Mice while Kevin is the Country Mouse.
* DeadpanSnarker: Beverley.
* CountryMouse/ CityMouse: Beverley, Gerard and Elizabeth are the City Mice while Kevin is the Country Mouse.
* DeadpanSnarker: Beverley.
to:
* CloudCuckooLander: Dymphna.
Dymphna. PlayedForDrama as she lives on the island precisely because she was ostracised for this.
*CountryMouse/ CityMouse: Beverley, Gerard and Elizabeth are the City Mice while Kevin Beverly is the Country Mouse.
straightest example, or at least the one who gets the most heat from Kevin about it.
* CountryMouse: Kevin, although they're ''in'' his turf for the story.
* DeadpanSnarker:Beverley.Beverley responds to most comments with sarcasm.
*
* CountryMouse: Kevin, although they're ''in'' his turf for the story.
* DeadpanSnarker:
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* DisappearedDad: Gerard and Kevin.
to:
* DisappearedDad: Gerard Gerard's mother was never married, and Kevin.Kevin's is divorced from her husband.
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* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Played with. Blonde Elizabeth is imaginative and a little spacey but she's also very cruel to Gerard so she's not completely innocent.
to:
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: HairOfGoldHeartOfGold:
** Played with. Blonde Elizabeth is imaginative and a little spacey but she's also very cruel to Gerard so she's not completely innocent.
** Played with. Blonde Elizabeth is imaginative and a little spacey but she's also very cruel to Gerard so she's not completely innocent.
** Beverly might be a little bossy and stuck up, but she's very sensible and develops a strong protective instinct for Gerard.
** Gerard and Elizabeth are much smarter than they appear.
** Kevin is more cultured than he is assumed to be.
** Gerard and Elizabeth are much smarter than they appear.
** Kevin is more cultured than he is assumed to be.
* LuminescentBlush: Beverly ends up with one after Kevin winks at her in the first chapter.
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* NotSoDifferent
to:
* NotSoDifferentNotSoDifferent: The children discover how much they have in common over the course of the expedition.
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* RealitySubtext: All of the stories, especially Kevin's and Dymphna's. The merman leaving his family is a parallel to Kevin's own father leaving for England. While the duckling who hated the rain is a parallel for Dymphna not being comfortable living on the mainland.
to:
* RealitySubtext: [[invoked]] In universe example. All of the stories, especially Kevin's and Dymphna's. The merman leaving his family is a parallel to Kevin's own father leaving for England. While the duckling who hated the rain is a parallel for Dymphna not being comfortable living on the mainland.
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* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Beverley uses this a lot. Elizabeth exploits it to get her to listen to a theory.
to:
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Beverley uses this a lot. Elizabeth exploits it to get her to listen to a theory. [[spoiler: It works]].
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* AndNowYouMustMarryMe: Beverly's story features this. [[spoiler: The princess gets out of it through some heavy LoopholeAbuse]].
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* ChildrenAreInnocent: Subverted hilariously during Gerard's story when Gerard talks about how his heroine was only expected to grow up to be married. Beverley thinks to herself "is this boy only eleven? Where on Earth does he get these ideas from?"
to:
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Subverted hilariously during Gerard's story when Gerard talks about how his heroine was only expected to grow up to be married. Beverley thinks to herself "is this boy only eleven? Where on Earth does he get these ideas from?"from?" What's more is that his story features the girl getting pregnant before she was married.
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* ITakeOffenceToThatLastOne: After Kevin gives Beverly a string of insults, the narration describes her feeling the end of her nose to make sure it wasn't pointed.
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* SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan: Gerard is the sensitive guy, Kevin is the manly man.
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* ShakingHerHairLoose: Dymphna when they first meet her. Seeing her hair down does seem to ease the children's suspicions a little.
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* ShoutOut: Gerard's story features a rich lady meeting a man in the forest and falling in love with him - only to later find out he's actually her bethrothed. [[Disney/SleepingBeauty What could that be a reference to?]]
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* {{Tsundere}}: Beverly is a mixture. She's rather cross to everyone - but shows a softer side around Kevin (it's implied she fancies him) and later a motherly side to Gerard. Elizabeth is a Type B; she's mostly nice to everyone but gets very bitchy to Gerard.
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Added DiffLines:
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Gerard and Elizabeth run into a sheep while exploring the island which results in Elizabeth twisting her ankle falling down a ditch. The sheep itself isn't mentioned after this and doesn't seem to have any bearing on the plot.
* [[BigBrotherInstinct Big Sister Instinct]]: Beverley surprisingly develops this towards Gerard. Notably she stops Elizabeth from ranting about Fat when she sees how distressed Gerard is.
* [[BigBrotherInstinct Big Sister Instinct]]: Beverley surprisingly develops this towards Gerard. Notably she stops Elizabeth from ranting about Fat when she sees how distressed Gerard is.
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* RealitySubtext: All of the stories, especially Kevin's and Dymphna's. The merman leaving his family is a parallel to Kevin's own father leaving for England. While the duckling who hated the rain is a parallel for Dymphna not being comfortable living on the mainland.
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* SimpleMindedWisdom: Gerard and Dymphna show lots of it.
* SlipknotPonytail: Elizabeth's hair comes undone after she twists her ankle.
* SlipknotPonytail: Elizabeth's hair comes undone after she twists her ankle.
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* InvoluntaryShapeshifting: In Elizabeth's story the four children eat berries that cause them to turn into whatever animal they were most like.
* LoopholeAbuse: In Beverley's story, a task is set where the princess's future husband must cut down a tree and carve a golden goblet out of it. One prince tricks his way into passing it - carves a wooden goblet and polishes it until it is a golden ''colour''. The princess uses this later (see StandardHeroReward below).
* LoopholeAbuse: In Beverley's story, a task is set where the princess's future husband must cut down a tree and carve a golden goblet out of it. One prince tricks his way into passing it - carves a wooden goblet and polishes it until it is a golden ''colour''. The princess uses this later (see StandardHeroReward below).
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* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: In Kevin's story the merman leaves his family and marries a human woman because they showed him no affection.
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* PrincessClassic: Beverley's princess is long-legged with golden RapunzelHair...and [[SubvertedTrope also smart enough to talk her way out of a difficult situation]].
* RealityWritingBook: A variation. Elizabeth believes in getting stuck inside a story and there is an obvious parallel to the one she tells earlier in the book - the character based on Elizabeth ends up injuring her ankle and it gets cured with an odd potion.
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Beverley uses this a lot. Elizabeth exploits it to get her to listen to a theory.
* RealityWritingBook: A variation. Elizabeth believes in getting stuck inside a story and there is an obvious parallel to the one she tells earlier in the book - the character based on Elizabeth ends up injuring her ankle and it gets cured with an odd potion.
* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Beverley uses this a lot. Elizabeth exploits it to get her to listen to a theory.
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Added DiffLines:
''Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (Maybe)'' is a children's novel by Irish author Siobhan Parkinson and is one of her more famous and beloved stories, along with ''Literature/SistersNoWay''.
The story follows three preteen Irish children on holiday in the seaside village of Tranarone. Beverley - the bossy one - is fascinated by the island beside the town and decides to take an expedition there. Tagging along with them is village local Kevin who has heard stories about an eccentric woman living on the island. The four children bond during their trip on the island with their own individual story to tell and their own lessons to learn.
!!Provides examples of:
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Elizabeth sees Gerard as this though they are cousins rather than brother and sister.
* BrokenAesop: Beverley lets go of her snobbery towards country people after spending time with Kevin yet later chapters imply that Kevin has yet to let go of his prejudices about city people.
* CatsAreMagic: If Dymphna is a witch then it's very appropriate she has two cats.
* CatsAreMean: Subverted. Gerard's Fat Cat is only difficult because he hates being by the sea and Gerard has to carry him everywhere.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Subverted hilariously during Gerard's story when Gerard talks about how his heroine was only expected to grow up to be married. Beverley thinks to herself "is this boy only eleven? Where on Earth does he get these ideas from?"
* CloudCuckooLander: Dymphna.
* CountryMouse/ CityMouse: Beverley, Gerard and Elizabeth are the City Mice while Kevin is the Country Mouse.
* DeadpanSnarker: Beverley.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Beverley again.
* DisappearedDad: Gerard and Kevin.
* DownerEnding: Gerard's story ends with the young girl's mother dying of a broken heart because her daughter grows up among the cows.
* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: In Gerard's story he first says the girl is a princess but then relents and says she could be an heiress or just some woman of property. Beverley includes a princess in hers as well.
* FieryRedhead: Dymphna though more fiery as in energetic rather than aggressive.
* FiveManBand:
** TheLeader/ TheSmartGuy: Beverley
** TheLancer/ TheFace: Elizabeth
** TheBigGuy: Kevin
** TheHeart: Gerard
** TeamPet: Fat Cat
** SixthRanger: Dymphna
* FreudianExcuse: Hmm let's see...
** Beverley is cold and cynical because her parents constantly row and her older brothers have grown up and left her alone.
** Kevin hates city people because his father left his mother to move to England.
** Gerard is timid because he's grown up without a father.
* GeniusDitz: Dymphna does some very odd things for very sensible reasons.
* GoodIsNotDumb: In Beverley's story, the heroes get their way out of tight situations through their intelligence and quick thinking while the villain is beaten by his own stupidity.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Played with. Blonde Elizabeth is imaginative and a little spacey but she's also very cruel to Gerard so she's not completely innocent.
** Beverley includes a golden-haired princess in her story.
* HappilyMarried: Elizabeth's parents, in contrast to Beverley's who are at each other's throats and Kevin's and Gerard's who are split up.
* HiddenDepths: The children discover this about each other.
* MagicRealism: Elizabeth's ankle heals miraculously with Dymphna's lotion, Gerard's asthma goes away and there are local stories about the island being magical. The reader never finds out of course.
* MaybeEverAfter: Beverley ends her story this way, saying she doesn't know whether the prince and princess got married.
* NotSoAboveItAll: When Beverley and Elizabeth are eating ice cream together, Elizabeth drops the spoon and starts licking it out of the bowl. Beverley looks apalled for a moment before joining in as well.
* NotSoDifferent
* OneSteveLimit: Subverted. Dymphna names the cow after herself and both her cats are called Pappageno.
--> '''Beverley:''' Doesn't it get confusing?
--> '''Dymphna:''' Why should it? I call her 'Dymphna', she doesn't call me anything.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: In Kevin's story the merman loses his tail when he marries a human woman but regains it at night. He can never return to the sea permanently however.
* ShipTease: Beverley and Kevin.
* StandardHeroReward: Deconstructed in Beverley's story:
** A princess is promised to a man who can beat a task her father has set. When the prince rescues the princess, she replies that she did not agree to the task. Also if she was to be literal about the task, she would be obliged to marry the prince's horse as he was technically her rescuer. The prince realises that she has beaten him in intelligence and takes her to his mother's house to live.
* TeamMom: Beverley. Elizabeth tells her she's worse than a teacher but it's Beverley's sensibleness that helps them out.
* TimeSkip: The epilogue of the book skips two weeks later to the end of the holiday.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: For Kevin it's thunderstorms.
* WickedWitch: Kevin is terrified that Dymphna is this, momentarily worrying if she'll fatten them up for her dinner. Then he laughs at his own silliness.
* WrongGenreSavvy: In Elizabeth's story when the characters find a gingerbread house, Beverley assumes there is a witch inside. Elizabeth corrects her - it's a wolf instead.
The story follows three preteen Irish children on holiday in the seaside village of Tranarone. Beverley - the bossy one - is fascinated by the island beside the town and decides to take an expedition there. Tagging along with them is village local Kevin who has heard stories about an eccentric woman living on the island. The four children bond during their trip on the island with their own individual story to tell and their own lessons to learn.
!!Provides examples of:
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Elizabeth sees Gerard as this though they are cousins rather than brother and sister.
* BrokenAesop: Beverley lets go of her snobbery towards country people after spending time with Kevin yet later chapters imply that Kevin has yet to let go of his prejudices about city people.
* CatsAreMagic: If Dymphna is a witch then it's very appropriate she has two cats.
* CatsAreMean: Subverted. Gerard's Fat Cat is only difficult because he hates being by the sea and Gerard has to carry him everywhere.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Subverted hilariously during Gerard's story when Gerard talks about how his heroine was only expected to grow up to be married. Beverley thinks to herself "is this boy only eleven? Where on Earth does he get these ideas from?"
* CloudCuckooLander: Dymphna.
* CountryMouse/ CityMouse: Beverley, Gerard and Elizabeth are the City Mice while Kevin is the Country Mouse.
* DeadpanSnarker: Beverley.
* DefrostingIceQueen: Beverley again.
* DisappearedDad: Gerard and Kevin.
* DownerEnding: Gerard's story ends with the young girl's mother dying of a broken heart because her daughter grows up among the cows.
* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: In Gerard's story he first says the girl is a princess but then relents and says she could be an heiress or just some woman of property. Beverley includes a princess in hers as well.
* FieryRedhead: Dymphna though more fiery as in energetic rather than aggressive.
* FiveManBand:
** TheLeader/ TheSmartGuy: Beverley
** TheLancer/ TheFace: Elizabeth
** TheBigGuy: Kevin
** TheHeart: Gerard
** TeamPet: Fat Cat
** SixthRanger: Dymphna
* FreudianExcuse: Hmm let's see...
** Beverley is cold and cynical because her parents constantly row and her older brothers have grown up and left her alone.
** Kevin hates city people because his father left his mother to move to England.
** Gerard is timid because he's grown up without a father.
* GeniusDitz: Dymphna does some very odd things for very sensible reasons.
* GoodIsNotDumb: In Beverley's story, the heroes get their way out of tight situations through their intelligence and quick thinking while the villain is beaten by his own stupidity.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Played with. Blonde Elizabeth is imaginative and a little spacey but she's also very cruel to Gerard so she's not completely innocent.
** Beverley includes a golden-haired princess in her story.
* HappilyMarried: Elizabeth's parents, in contrast to Beverley's who are at each other's throats and Kevin's and Gerard's who are split up.
* HiddenDepths: The children discover this about each other.
* MagicRealism: Elizabeth's ankle heals miraculously with Dymphna's lotion, Gerard's asthma goes away and there are local stories about the island being magical. The reader never finds out of course.
* MaybeEverAfter: Beverley ends her story this way, saying she doesn't know whether the prince and princess got married.
* NotSoAboveItAll: When Beverley and Elizabeth are eating ice cream together, Elizabeth drops the spoon and starts licking it out of the bowl. Beverley looks apalled for a moment before joining in as well.
* NotSoDifferent
* OneSteveLimit: Subverted. Dymphna names the cow after herself and both her cats are called Pappageno.
--> '''Beverley:''' Doesn't it get confusing?
--> '''Dymphna:''' Why should it? I call her 'Dymphna', she doesn't call me anything.
* OurMermaidsAreDifferent: In Kevin's story the merman loses his tail when he marries a human woman but regains it at night. He can never return to the sea permanently however.
* ShipTease: Beverley and Kevin.
* StandardHeroReward: Deconstructed in Beverley's story:
** A princess is promised to a man who can beat a task her father has set. When the prince rescues the princess, she replies that she did not agree to the task. Also if she was to be literal about the task, she would be obliged to marry the prince's horse as he was technically her rescuer. The prince realises that she has beaten him in intelligence and takes her to his mother's house to live.
* TeamMom: Beverley. Elizabeth tells her she's worse than a teacher but it's Beverley's sensibleness that helps them out.
* TimeSkip: The epilogue of the book skips two weeks later to the end of the holiday.
* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: For Kevin it's thunderstorms.
* WickedWitch: Kevin is terrified that Dymphna is this, momentarily worrying if she'll fatten them up for her dinner. Then he laughs at his own silliness.
* WrongGenreSavvy: In Elizabeth's story when the characters find a gingerbread house, Beverley assumes there is a witch inside. Elizabeth corrects her - it's a wolf instead.
