History Literature / LaughingWinds

* InfantImmortality: Brutally averted, because the story takes place in a death camp children are usually among the first to be killed, especially if they are not old enough to work.

** Also possibly a slight subversion in that while she often appears indifferent, she doesn't like the situation, or the cruelty. She also doesn't want to die, or wish it on anyone else, but she ''has'' accepted the situation and resigned herself to the fact it's a death camp. She and those around her will be killed or die there sooner or later, and there is nothing she can do about it. Laura has been exposed to the harshness of the death camp for so long she's become mostly numb to it.

** Also possibly a slight subversion in that while she often appears indifferent, she doesn't like the situation, or the cruelty. She also doesn't want to die, or wish it on anyone else, but she ''has'' accepted the situation and resigned herself to the fact it's a death camp. She and those around her will be killed or die there sooner or later, and there is nothing she can do about it. Laura has been exposed to the harshness of the death camp for long enough to have become mostly numb to it.

* SourOutsideSadInside: Laura, she spends most of the book keeping everyone at arms length, tells Annika she cannot be her friend at one point and another time claims that Annika doesn't really know her and never will. She warns Annika several times not to get attached to the others either because "they are only going to die". But her icy wall turns out to be mostly a defence. A couple of times after Annika tries to get through to her Laura's mask slips and she shows signs of conflict and distress, once to the point of [[NotSoStoic crying]], although she tries to hide it. When she finally opens up to Annika, the way she explains herself, admitting she only stood away from them because she was [[SafetyInIndifference afraid of getting close]] and seeks reassurance from Annika is pretty heartbreaking.

* TearsOfBlood: Happens to one of the main characters after [[spoiler: being exposed to gas in the gas chamber]]]
* TheBear: Jurgen is gay and described as this. His thick beard and large size and strength are the first things Annika notices about him.

* ImNotHereToMakeFriends: Laura, she even says as much to both Eleny and Annika at different points. She's been at the camp much longer than the others, and its seriously taken its toll.

When Annika Straum is handed a violin and told to learn how to play, Annika knows she is about to die. In Dachau Concentration Camp, music means death. Prisoners are tasked with performing a concert before their own execution. Annika is not afraid to die. Annika has already lost everyone and everything she ever loved. The girl with the green eyes is also about to die. In the form of a stranger, Annika finds company. Annika finds a mystery. And though she is dying, Annika learns to live.

* AllGermansAreNazis: averted in one conversation, Lukas mentions he was part of the German resistance before being caught and shipped off to the camp.
* AnyoneCanDie: Played straight, the main characters are no less likely to die than anyone else at the deathcamp, and some of them do.
* ApologisesALot: Annika frequently apologises which eventually leads to Laura pointing it out and asking her why she feels the need to say sorry so much.
* ArousedByTheirVoice - Annika at one point describes Laura's singing voice as unpolished but "alluring and richly dark".

* ConditionedToAcceptHorror: Laura rarely shows any outward emotional reaction to even the most horrible acts of brutality the group suffer/witness, and even when she does it's to a lesser degree than the others. Justified in that she has been at the camp a lot longer than the others and exposed to almost [[BreakTheCutie constant abuse]] and death from the age of 10.
** Also possibly a slight subversion in that while she often appears indifferent, she doesn't like the situation, or the cruelty, and she doesn't want to die either, or wish it on anyone else, but she ''has'' accepted the situation and resigned herself to the fact it's a death camp, she and those around her will be killed or die there sooner or later, and there is nothing she can do about it, and she has been exposed to the harshness of the death camp for long enough to have become mostly numb to it.
* CrapsackWorld: The story is set during the holocaust,and the main characters are trapped in a concentration camp where conditions are horrible and the prisoners are treated harshly and often abusively by the guards.

* CynicismCatalyst: most of the main characters go or have gone through this. With Laura it was the experiments she and her twin sister were put through and the subsequent death of her twin, with Lia it was the loss of her son, who may or may not be dead but either way was taken from her, and Jonah witnessed his parents and sister being ripped to pieces by the Nazis attack dogs.

--> '''Lukas:'''My father was a good-for-nothing. I wanted to be different

--> '''Lukas:''' .....Thankyou.

* HellHolePrison: it takes place in a death camp where the prisoners are starved, overworked, mistreated, and frequently murdered (when they don't die from illness or cold first).

* TitledAfterTheSong: The title of the book is a reference to a lyric in the song Donna Donna [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOgY8lsyRSg]] , a variation of which is sung in the book. The lyrics are different, and it seems to be inspired both by Donna Donna especially where the chorus is concerned, and also a song by Bojoura called "Swallow and the Calf" [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfI080zkbM0]]. The characters themselves even refer to the song as "The Calf and the Swallow". The song in the book is identical to neither of the songs it is inspired by, but remains a recognizable homage to both .

* InnocenceLost: All the characters are affected negatively by what they see and experience there to some degree, just some sooner and more severely than others. Radka is the only (arguable) subversion, and that's partially because the others shield and support her as far as they can, Eleny in particular. Jonah and Michal,the only children in the group, had their innocence destroyed on or shortly after entering the camp.

* InnocenceLost: If they're innocent on entering the camp, they're certainly not after awhile of being there. All the characters are affected negatively by what they see and experience there to some degree, just some sooner and more severely than others. Radka is the only (arguable) subversion, and that's partially because the others shield and support her as far as they can, Eleny in particular. Jonah and Michal,the only children in the group, had their innocence destroyed on or shortly after entering the camp.

* NotSoAboveItAll: The stoic and distant Laura is seen struggling not to smile at the others playing music and messing around during one rare moment of distraction (they are locked in the basement and are really supposed to be practising for the concert). Later she even tells a joke.

* SanitySlippage: A mild example but Lia seems to lose her grip on reality slightly before breaking down and becoming completely inconsolable. For example she starts talking and acting towards Jonah as if she believes he is her missing son, despite the fact Jonah is around 14 while her missing son is an infant who was taken away from her before she was sent to the camp and the only link between Jonah and her son is sharing the same first name. She certainly alarms the other characters who are concerned for her but have no idea how to help her.

* TitledAfterTheSong: The title of the book is a reference to a lyric in the song Donna Donna, a (sort-of) variation of which is sung in the book. The lyrics are different, and it seems to be inspired both by Donna Donna especially where the chorus is concerned, and also a song by Bojoura called "Swallow and the Calf". It's identical to neither but still a recognizable homage to both.

* TitledAfterTheSong: The title of the book is a reference to a lyric in the song Donna Donna, a variation of which is also sung in the book. The lyrics are slightly different, and the title of the song is referred to by the characters as "the calf and the swallow" but the story and subject of the song closely follows that of "Donna Donna" and it's a pretty obvious homage if you have heard the song.

* SourOutsideSadInside: Laura, she spends most of the book keeping everyone at arms length, tells Annika she cannot be her friend at one point and another time claims that Annika doesn't really know her and never will. She warns Annika several times not to get attached to the others either because "they are only going to die". But her icy wall turns out to be mostly a defence. A couple of times after Annika tries to get through to her Laura's mask slips and she shows signs of conflict and distress, once to the point of [[NotSoStoic crying]], although she tries to hide it. When she finally opens her heart to Annika, the way she explains herself, admitting she only stood away from them because she was [[SafetyInIndifference afraid of getting close]] and seeks reassurance from Annika is pretty heartbreaking.

* TearsOfBlood: At one point one of the characters starts bleeding from her eyes

* DefrostingIceQueen: Laura. At first she is aloof, seemingly indifferent to everyone else, and emotionally closed off. She thaws eventually but still struggles with getting close to people and doesn't really let her walls down for much of the book.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Laura. At first she is aloof, seemingly indifferent to everyone else, and emotionally closed off. She thaws eventually and slowly becomes more willing to talk to and engage with the others, and shows moments of encouragement and being helpful towards them, especially Annika, but still struggles with getting close to people and doesn't really let her walls down for much of the book.

* SugarAndIcePersonality: Laura appears to be cold, uncaring, and distant much of the time, but does show a more considerate and kinder side on occasion.

* SourOutsideSadInside: Laura, she spends most of the book keeping everyone at arms length, tells Annika she cannot be her friend at one point and another time claims that Annika doesn't really know her and never will. She warns Annika several times not to get attached to the others either because "they are only going to die". But her icy wall turns out to be mostly a defence. A couple of times after Annika tries to get through to her Laura's mask slips and she shows signs of conflict and distress, once to the point of [[NotSoStoic crying]], although she tries to hide it. When she finally drops her mask completely and opens her heart to Annika, the way she explains herself, admitting she only stood away from them because she was [[SafetyInIndifference afraid of getting close]] and seeks reassurance from Annika is pretty heartbreaking.

* UnableToCry: Annika for most of the book, even when she feels she should or needs too she can't, and it worries her as she fears there is something wrong with her and she is becoming indifferent to death.

* SleepCute: Annika and her brother Shechem sleep curled up next to each other and holding hands on one occasion. Once they become friends the entire group sleep huddled together a couple of times as well, partially for warmth as its winter and they have little protection from the cold, but Annika at least also seems to find some comfort in doing so.

* SleepCute: Annika and her brother Shechem sleep like this on one occasion. Once they become friends the entire group sleep huddled together a couple of times as well, partially for warmth and also partially for security and comfort.

* HoldingHands: Frequently as it seems to be the favoured form of showing support and/or affection for many of the characters. Annika's parents hold hands when they first enter the death camp until they are forced to separate, and when [[spoiler: Annika sees them again just before their deaths they are also holding hands]]. Annika holds Laura's hand on a couple of occasions too, and hold hands with her brother Shechem for mutual comfort on one occasion too. In a more romantic example Eleny and Daavid hold hands as well while sitting next to each other and playing on the piano together. In this case the hand holding is of the IntertwinedFingers variety

* HoldingHands: Seems to be the favoured form of showing support/affection for many of the characters. Annika's parents hold hands when they first enter the death camp, until they are forced to separate, and when [[spoiler: Annika sees them again before their deaths they are also holding hands]]. Annika holds Laura's hand twice, and holds hands with her brother for mutual comfort on one occasion too. Eleny and Daavid hold hands one time as well while sitting next to each other and playing on the piano together (although Eleny doesn't really know how to play). In this case the hand holding is of the IntertwinedFingers variety

* HoldingHands: Annika's parents hold hands when they first enter the death camp, until they are forced to separate, and when [[spoiler: Annika sees them again before their deaths they are also holding hands]]. Annika holds Laura's hand twice, and holds hands with her brother for mutual comfort on one occasion too. Eleny and Daavid hold hands one time as well while sitting next to each other and playing on the piano together (although Eleny doesn't really know how to play). In this case the hand holding is of the IntertwinedFingers variety

* FragileFlower: Radka is noted to be very sensitive and easily upset, especially at first. Annika believes she was very sheltered before being taken to the camp. Radka does get less tearful later, but still has a very gentle, innocent and sweet personality.

* DyingAlone: A double subversion with [[spoiler: Annika, technically she is shut in the gas chamber with her three surviving friends...but she holds on to life much longer than the others and comments on how alone and scared she feels after her friends have all died, then as she succumbs to the gas herself, she feels as if her friends are present again and have returned to comfort her in her dying moments, although she is not sure if this is real or only a trick of her mind, and can't see anything in the darkness]]

* CryIntoChest: Jonah completely breaks down and does this to Annika at one point

* DefrostingIceQueen: Laura. At first she is aloof, seemingly indifferent to everyone else, and emotionally closed off. She thaws eventually but she still struggles with getting close to people and doesn't really let her walls down for much of the book. She does however become more willing to talk and engage with the others, and shows moments of encouragement and being helpful towards them, especially Annika, but it takes a long while for her to be able to open up completely

* CryIntoChest: Jonah does this to Annika.

* CryIntoChest: Jonah when he breaks down and is comforted by Annika.

* FauxDeath: Annika is mistaken for dead after being shot for attacking the guard and passing out. Ironically it's partially what saves her from actual execution for the attack.

* TheImp: It turns out Laura was quite mischievous and a practical joker before ending up at the death camp.

* TroubledChild: Jonah, witnessing his little sister and parents being killed understandably caused him no small amount of emotional angst and has left him very subdued and timid. Also Michal, although with her it shows as anger.