Line #127 Literature/Once


1	[[quoteright:325:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_2018_10_20_at_233318.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:325:''A scary Tale of Faerefolkis and Evildoers, of Lovers and Erotic Passion, of Horror and Belief. Written only for Adults by Creator/JamesHerbert."]]
3
4	A 2001 novel by Creator/JamesHerbert.
5
6	Following a stroke, twenty-seven-year old carpenter Thom Kindred continues his recovery with a return to his childhood home of Little Bracken, cottage guesthouse to Castle Bracken, a sixteenth century mansion in the Shropshire countryside. His childhood friend Hugo Bleeth, heir to Castle Bracken, has arranged Thom's attendance by Nell Quick, self-professed [[HealingHands healer]] and nurse to Sir Russell Bleeth, the dying lord of the manor. Her oddly sly, lascivious demeanour somehow makes Thom uneasy. A plate then apparently throws itself to the floor, scaring her off.
7
8	After encounters in the forest with tiny glowing winged figures and a sensuous young woman who seems not quite of this world, Thom fears his stroke may have somehow induced hallucination. When some kind of hideous fiend attacks him in his bed, a [[TheFairFolk tiny]], strangely wizened, [[SizeShifter size]]-[[AnotherDimension shifting]] man comes to the rescue; introduces himself as Rigwit, a brownie, and warns Thom of Nell's malice.
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10	Next morning, Jennet, the [[AlchemicElementals undine]] girl from the woods, then introduces Thom to the world of the ''[[OurFairiesAreDifferent faerefolkis]]''...
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12	Not to be confused with the 2007 [[Film/{{Once}} film]] written and directed by John Carney.
13
14	----
15	!! "You do believe in tropes, don't you?"
16
17	* AgentScully: Thom, perplexed by a multicoloured swarm of tiny lights, limply theorises them to be some undiscovered breed of butterfly.
18	* AmazingTechnicolorPopulation: Several undines have complexions tinged with blue or green.
19	* AmbiguouslyBi: Nell, [[LovePotion and]] [[RapeAsDrama possibly]] [[InnocentBystander Katy]].
20	* AmbiguouslyBrown: A non-human example in Rigwit, whose skin tone somewhat resembles that of someone Chinese.
21	* AmbiguouslyHuman: Thom encounters, reclining beneath a lakeside tree, Jennet. While she appears to be a five foot tall young woman, her exquisite pallor, unabashed nudity, and cohorts of tiny winged figures have Thom decidedly perplexed.
22	* AlchemicElementals: Undines are "waterfays," and seem to inhabit the forest lake.
23	* AndIMustScream: Wayward ''faerefolkis'' who do irreversible harm are confined to the Punishment Tree, where they squirm in silent torment until dropping off as pieces of bark.
24	* AndTheAdventureContinues: Thom plans to [[spoiler:use his inheritance to turn Castle Bracken into a specialist children's hospital, around which the ''faerefolkis'' will gradually further reveal themselves to humanity.]]
25	* AnotherDimension: The ''faerefolkis'' exist on a higher dimension, between vibrations generally beyond human senses, hence Rigwit's initial size-shifting in accordance with Thom's adjusting perception.
26	* BattleaxeNurse: Nell, a trained, if unorthodox nurse, [[spoiler: deliberately keeps Sir Russell alive, so as to force amendment of his will to leave to Hugo the Bracken Estate]]. She later, [[spoiler: with magically invoked phantasms]], tries to [[spoiler: cause Sir Russell fatal heart failure]].
27	* BeautyEqualsGoodness: DownPlayed and [[JustifiedTrope justified]], a faery's spiritual demeanour and intentions affect human senses' interpretation of them. Rigwit has "an eccentric charm...bewitchingly intriguing," Jennet looks like a "fantastically beautiful" nubile young woman.
28	-->'''Jennet:''' Their forms depend mainly on you, Thom. Your own eyes and mind interpret their energies to whatever is acceptable to you.
29	-->'''Thom:''' But some aren't acceptable. Some are just plain horrible.
30	-->'''Jennet:''' Those are cloaked in the nature of what they are and your thoughts are telling you so. Some of them adopt their own version of the human shape, but because they're weak and nasty, they become ugly, distorted, parodies of earthly creatures.
31	* BenevolentPrecursors: The ''faerefolkis'' somewhat resemble this, being inter-dimensional beings whose nurture of nature enables Earth to support life.
32	* BigFun: Portly Hugo is jolly, generous [[spoiler: and in league with Nell, although seems to retain some genuine affection for his old friend Thom.]]
33	* BiggerOnTheInside: A jar left at the cottage door by Nell, which contains [[spoiler: a seemingly infinite amount of spiders]], somewhat [[Series/DoctorWho TARDIS]]-like, to contain a dimensional portal to some ethereal realm.
34	* BigGood: The ''faerefolkis'' are guided by the Magicks, an apparent CallBack to [[SentientCosmicForce forces]] mentioned in ''Literature/TheMagicCottage''.
35	* BlackMagic: Nell, implied to have some innate supernatural ability, uses occult ritual to, among [[SpidersAreScary other]] [[OurDemonsAreDifferent things]], [[spoiler:try to acquire the Bleeth inheritance.]]
36	* BlackSpeech: The [[spoiler: spectral, rotted witches]] roused by Nell's overzealous conjuring taunt her in an unknown language.
37	* BrainyBrunette: Nell, with her knowledge of traditional remedies, nursing, and witchcraft.
38	* BreakTheCutie:
39	** Thom, whose father died before he was born, and whose mother, when he was ten, apparently drowned herself, honed a solitary pragmatism when Sir Russell sent him to boarding school.
40	** Katy Budd, Thom's physiotherapist, takes a liking to her charge; arrives at the cottage in his absence, is subjected by Nell to [[LovePotion aphrodisiac orchid roots]]; flees, and is driven by Nell's familiar magpie into a car crash. [[spoiler: Happily, she survives]].
41	* TheCavalry: A fleet of smaller faeries at times come to the rescue.
42	* CoolGate: An ancient book, previously owned by the cottage's past acquaintances of the ''faerefolkis'', is used by the smaller faeries as a portal.
43	* CountryMouse: Following initial unease, Thom is very glad to be back in his childhood home.
44	* CreatorCameo: Of a sort; a storytelling elf [[LeaningOnTheFourthWall goes intermittently]] by the [[SdrawkcabName names]] [[Creator/JamesHerbert Trebreh]] and [[Creator/JamesHerbert Semaj]].
45	* CropCircles: Were made first by "[[FlyingSaucer ufoses]]," then by pixies, and then, to Jennet's amusement, humans.
46	* CrustyCaretaker: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with Eric Pimlet, the Bracken estate's kindly old gamekeeper, who, on Thom's sixth birthday, inspired his carpentry vocation with the gift of a whittling knife.
47	* DarkIsEvil: Maliciously inclined ''faerefolkis'' work their mischief by night.
48	* DarkIsNotEvil: "Bones" Hartgrove, Sir Russell's foreboding valet, who used to scare Thom, [[spoiler: knows, like his forebears, the secret of the ''faerefolkis''; encouraged Sir Russell to accept Jonathan's union with an undine, and defends the unspoiled estate from Nell and Hugo's plans]].
49	* DeadpanSnarker:
50	** On failure to scare off a surprisingly bold magpie...
51	-->'''Thom:''' ...Yeah, and fuck you too.
52	** Following the confrontation with the succubus...
53	-->'''Thom:''' But elves aren't real, they only exist in storybooks.
54	-->'''Rigwit:''' Aye, an' so be faeries, and yer've just seen 'em. An' so be the succubus, fer yer've just seen that evil thing too.
55	* DidNotGetTheGirl: [[spoiler: Averted. While Jennet must spend seven years in the Waiting Place as payment for magically influencing events to save Thom from Nell's magically induced stroke, she will return in human form to preside with Thom over the children's hospice.]]
56	* DontGoIntoTheWoods:
57	** A nostalgic walk through the woods of Thom's childhood home sees him suddenly set upon by a gang of fiendish, malicious ''faerefolkis'', who steer him into a wasp's nest.
58	** [[InvertedTrope Inverted]]; when later led here by Jennet, he finds most of the ''faerefolkis'' to be benevolent.
59	* EldritchAbomination: To Sir Russell's eyrie, Nell summons what appears to be a [[LivingShadow concentrated mass of pervasive darkness]], which amalgamates into various fearsome manifestations.
60	* EnergyBeings: Multicoloured sparks of light, "part of [[Literature/TheMagicCottage the hidden life-force of all that exists]]," briefly heal Thom of his stroke-induced weariness.
61	* EverythingTryingToKillYou: As a storm cloud looms directly over Castle Bracken, Thom, to aid Sir Russell against the diabolical forces within, is hindered by seemingly strategic blasts of wind; fiendish soil-dwelling dwarfs, and at the bridge, the flooded river leaps at him in deliberate torrents.
62	* EvilPlan: Nell aims to [[SupernaturalFearInducer magically]] [[spoiler: acquire the Bleeth inheritance]], and [[spoiler: eliminate Thom, whom she anticipates to be a future threat]].
63	* FaceYourFears: As explained by Rigwit, Thom's only way of getting rid of the [[spoiler: spiders]] is to [[spoiler: throw their jar from the cottage]].
64	* TheFairFolk: Some of the ''faerefolkis'' delight in tormenting humans. Why? "[[ForTheEvulz For fun]]".
65	* FairySexy: Jennet and her fellow undines, as well as the smaller faeries.
66	* {{Familiar}}: Atop Little Bracken's tower roof, Thom is disquieted by a magpie, which he feels seems to be watching him. The bird is later shown to have a sinister affinity with Nell.
67	* FanService: Some sensual descriptions of Nell, Katy and Jennet, and Thom sometimes goes shirtless.
68	* FatBastard: Averted with a Gof, a paunchy, benevolent elf.
69	* FolkHorror:
70	** Some of the ''faerefolkis'' enjoy tormenting humans; Thom meets several who scarily pop up from beneath the soil, driving him into a wasps' nest.
71	** Nell's perversion of Wicca incorporates veneration of demons, allowing for insidious manipulation of nature, and horrifying phantasms.
72	* FourthDateMarriage: [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]]; [[spoiler: Jonathan and Bethan]], indifferent to formal marriage, underwent a ''faerefolkis'' ceremony.
73	* FriendToAllChildren:
74	** The ''faerefolkis'' sometimes appear to infants and the very old, "because we like them, and they're no danger to us."
75	** When visiting [[spoiler: Katy]] in hospital, Thom passes a children's ward, and is moved to plan to [[spoiler: use his inheritance to transform Castle Bracken into a specialist hospice]].
76	* FrightDeathTrap: Attempted [[SupernaturalFearInducer magically]] on [[spoiler: Sir Russell]] by Nell. [[spoiler: [[PowerIncontinence It doesn't]] [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard end well]] for her.]]
77	* {{God}}: The ''faerefolkis'' "call many things God," but in their position in "the essence of everything," the presence of the "Creator Being" is apparent to them.
78	* GoodParents:
79	** With deep fondness, Thom recalls his widowed, adoring mother Bethan.
80	** On sight of her sketch of his father [[spoiler: Jonathan Bleeth]], Thom feels an instant sense of the man's compassion.
81	* GuardianEntity: Rigwit, custodian of Little Bracken, also looks after Thom. Jennet is revealed to have [[spoiler: reached back through time to save Thom from Nell's magically inflicted stroke.]]
82	* GutFeeling: As taught by his mother, Thom is reminded of the "inner voice": an unimpeachable awareness, innate to all, and distinct from the matter it inhabits.
83	* HalfHumanHybrid: [[spoiler: Thom]] was born of an undine-turned-human and a human man.
84	* {{Heaven}}: A vision of part of the afterlife is glimpsed by Thom whilst making love with Jennet. A vast white void peopled with joyous souls, it's said to be a "Waiting Place."
85	* HealingHands: Nell claims such ability. The ''faerefolkis'' have advanced mastery of cures, demonstrated by Rigwit and Jennet.
86	* HoistByTheirOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Nell ultimately can't control the forces she's unleashed.]]
87	* HotWitch: Nell.
88	* HouseFey: Brownies "like looking after homes, especially when the owners are away."
89	* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Thom, at average height, and Jennet at five foot (if that), although this seems to be tall by undine standards.
90	* IKnowWhatYouFear: Nell invokes phantasms to respectively terrorise Sir Russell, Hugo, Thom and, [[spoiler: unintentionally, herself.]]
91	* ImprovisedWeapon: When the succubus attacks, Rigwit, with a broom handle, gives it a few whacks.
92	* InHarmonyWithNature:
93	** Nell's masterful grasp of natural remedies.
94	** ''Faerefolkis'' affinity with the ecosystem earns mastery of curative properties. They yearn for a day when abandonment of materialism will bring humanity back to their acquaintance, and to the "grand consciousness."
95	* InnocentAliens: According to Jennet, interstellar visitors, whose [[FlyingSaucer vehicles]] traverse such dimensions as those of the ''faerefolkis'', are wary of contact with humans, and zoom off when they realise they're being watched.
96	* InnocentBystander: Katy Budd, Thom's physiotherapist.
97	* InterruptedIntimacy: Thom encounters Jennet masturbating with the aid of several smaller faeries. Unable to look away, he quickly feels guilty, though she doesn't seem to mind at all.
98	* JustDesserts: The magpie with which Nell has [[{{Familiar}} sinister affinity]], after forcing Katy into a road collision, [[spoiler: is torn apart and devoured by crows]].
99	* KingOnHisDeathBed: Elderly Sir Russell Bleeth, dying of inoperable heart disease, is bedridden in Castle Bracken's eyrie, whose glorious panoramic view of the estate seems to offer him some comfort.
100	* LaserGuidedAmnesia: On condition that [[spoiler: Bethan make young Thom forget all knowledge of the ''faerefolkis'']], Sir Russell agreed to take charge of the boy's welfare - although [[spoiler: Bethan]] did hide the Portal Book on the cottage's top shelf, seemingly for Thom to someday find.
101	* LightIsGood: While initially hostile to Thom's unwitting intrusion, the tiny glowing faeries prove benevolent. When stung to near-delirium by a swarm of disturbed wasps, a small floating orb, sent by recently encountered Jennet, guides him home to Little Bracken.
102	* LighterAndSofter: By Herbert's standards, although that's [[BlackMagic not]] [[RapeAsDrama saying]] [[OurDemonsAreDifferent much]]...
103	* LoveAtFirstSight: Shortly following Thom's awed first sight of Jennet, the two fall mutually in love; as with Thom's parents, the attraction is implied to be innate and inevitable.
104	* LovePotion: Nell plans to use aphrodisiac orchid roots to steal Thom's life juices. In his absence, [[RapeAsDrama Katy turns up]]...
105	* LukeIAmYourFather: [[spoiler: Jonathan Bleeth, original heir to Castle Bracken, whilst serving in Northern Ireland, was killed by an IRA bomb before Thom was born.]]
106	* TheMedic: When a delirious Thom recovers from wasp stings, Jennet discreetly applies soothing creams. Rigwit, to aid his stroke-induced fatigue, consistently supplies him with plum-flavoured herbal juice, and later, some rather more powerful stuffs, some of whose content he suggests Thom is [[YouDoNotWantToKnow better off not knowing]].
107	* MonstrousHumanoid:
108	** From the forest floor around Thom emerge numerous leering heads.
109	** The succubus, with its huge cranium, large black eyes, and muscular, leathery frame.
110	* NatureSpirit: The ''faerefolkis'' live "in the spirit of nature." Without their nurture, life on Earth couldn't survive.
111	* OhCrap:
112	** Nell, on the first hint the ''faerefolkis'' are looking out for Thom.
113	** The succubus, just before the smaller faeries arrive.
114	* OnlyThePureOfHeart: Debunked as a means to perceive faeries, which comes from psychic orientation.
115	* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Nell's rituals involve veneration of traditional demonic figures. Seemingly drawn to her excess of insidious conjuring, one such figure, the Diabolus, [[spoiler: arrives to claim her soul]].
116	* OurFairiesAreDifferent: Folkloric conceptions of such beings are revealed to have been inspired by race memory.
117	* OurGhostsAreDifferent: Unintentionally summoned by Nell's [[SupernaturalFearInducer conjuring]], several rotted, mutilated witches taunt her with the ruinous effects of BlackMagic. Thought not to be spirits of earthly beings, Jennet notes them not to be apparitions.
118	* ParentalAbandonment: Thom's father, [[spoiler:revealed to be Jonathan Bleeth, heir to Castle Bracken]], died before Thom was born. When Thom was ten, his mother Bethan apparently drowned herself. [[spoiler:Having been an undine who became human, the death of Jonathan stifled the magic which kept her alive.]]
119	* PowerIncontinence: Nell's overzealous [[IKnowWhatYouFear conjuring]] summons [[spoiler: phantasmal emaciated crones who torment her with promises of the physically corrupting effects of BlackMagic]]; a demonic figure termed the Diabolus, and [[spoiler: a [[BoltOfDivineRetribution fatal lightning bolt]]]].
120	* RapeAsDrama: In Thom's absence, Nell uses her [[LovePotion aphrodisiac orchid roots]] on Katy.
121	* RecurringCharacter: Rumbo, last seen as a squirrel in ''Literature/TheMagicCottage'', is now a fox.
122	* {{Sadist}}: Nell, enraged by Thom's recent secret venture into her house - [[{{Hypocrite}} despite herself having rummaged around in Little Bracken]] - leaves a jar at his door, which unleashes a seemingly infinite horde of [[spoiler: spiders]].
123	* {{Satan}}: A figure called the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Diabolus]], "greatest demon of all," is summoned by Nell. [[spoiler: It doesn't end well for her.]]
124	* ScaryStingingSwarm: On early venture into the woods, emergence from beneath the soil of numerous fearsome earthen heads has Thom confusedly flee, whereupon he accidentally disturbs a wasp nest...
125	* SceneryPorn: Some beautiful descriptions of the Shropshire countryside.
126	* SdrawkcabName: Several ''faerefolkis'' are reverse named after earlier Herbert novels.
127	* SexMagic:
128	** Nell tries to acquire Thom's seed, which would offer profound magical influence.
129	** Sexual love, said to be "the strongest magic of all", enabled [[spoiler: Thom's mother Bethan]] to become human. Intercourse with Thom later enables Jennet to cast her magic back through time [[spoiler: to save Thom from Nell's magically induced stroke]].
130	* ShoutOut:
131	** Hugo has always faintly reminded Thom of [[Literature/TheWindInTheWillows Toad of Toad Hall]].
132	** Sudden protrusion from the forest soil of grimy, scaly hands reminds an astonished Thom of late-night horror movies - he may be thinking of ''Film/ThePlagueOfTheZombies'' and the poster for ''Film/TheEvilDead1981''.
133	** Rigwit's appearance is explicitly contrasted to that of a Creator/{{Disney}} character.
134	** An Icelandic singer, confirmed by Herbert to be Music/{{Bjork}}, is said to have been an undine who became human.
135	** Having drugged her with [[LovePotion aphrodisiac orchid roots]], Nell addresses Katy as "[[IHaveYouNowMyPretty my pretty]]" - and, at the "[[Film/TheWizardOfOz witchhag utterance]]", almost laughs.
136	** As the effect of the [[LovePotion orchid roots]] wears off, Nell's crazed lust reminds Katy of [[Literature/JaneEyre Rochester's mad wife]].
137	** The climax, in which Nell's overzealous conjuring rouses a demonic manifestation, somewhat recalls ''Film/TheDevilRidesOut''.
138	** On departure to the Waiting Place, [[spoiler: Jennet]] leaves [[spoiler: Thom]] with the message "expect me." Herbert later noted this to be a deliberate nod to the autograph inscriptions of Creator/MargaretHamilton.
139	* [[SingleTear Single]] [[TearsOfJoy Tear of Joy]]: On Thom's realisation of his preordained vocation to [[spoiler: aid humanity's gradual reunion with the ''faerefolkis'' by founding in Castle Bracken a children's hospice to whose patients the ''faerefolkis'' will gradually apply their healing powers]], Jennet sheds a single tear, seemingly both in sorrow at [[spoiler: having to spend seven years in the Waiting Place]], and joy.
140	* SourOutsideSadInside: Sir Russell's embittered aloofness is imagined by Thom to have been caused by being twice a widower, and by the killing by an IRA bomb of his Belfast-stationed son Jonathan.
141	* SparkFairy: The smaller faeries initially appear as variously coloured points of light, although, within, Thom later discerns tiny winged figures.
142	* SpidersAreScary: [[NightmareFuel Never more so]] than when [[spoiler: literally thousands of them magically swamp your house]]. Thom hates the buggers.
143	* SuperSenses: On accompanying Jennet into the woods, Thom, having attuned to the dimension inhabited by the ''faerefolkis'', sees, hears and smells, with overwhelming lucidity, the life around him.
144	* SnakesAreSinister:
145	** [[AvertedTrope Averted]] with a grass snake, happily rode upon by several tiny imps.
146	** [[InvokedTrope Invoked]] with the phantom snakes who terrorise Hugo.
147	* TheSwarm: A magically infinite horde of [[spoiler: spiders.]]
148	* SkepticNoLonger: Thom.
149	* SuccubiAndIncubi: A succubus, though not the usual HotAsHell kind. Thom wakes from a [[EroticDream dream]] about Jennet, and then Nell, to find himself being fellated by a four foot tall, muscular biped with a huge cranium, black eyes and pointy teeth; sent by Nell to acquire Thom's seed.
150	* TranslatorMicrobes: To Thom, Rigwit's speech is, at first, barely intelligibly fast. On sensory adjustment to Rigwit's dimensional orientation, the brownie's speech becomes slower, yet flavoured with Old English. Further adjustment allows Thom's subconscious clearer interpretation.
151	* TrueCraftsman: Thom's lifelong fascination with wood nurtured a fastidious devotion to carpentry.
152	* TheVamp: Nell keeps [[spoiler: Hugo]] in desirous thrall. [[DefiedTrope Defied]] by Thom, who, while initially attracted to her, finds her advances unnervingly overbearing.
153	* AllWebbedUp: [[spoiler:Nell's spiders]] begin an attempt at this on Thom.
154	* WickedWitch: Nell; a sultry practitioner of [[InHarmonyWithNature natural remedies]] and self-professed [[HealingHands healer]], who, through diabolical ritual, wields sinister influence.
155	* WeirdWeather: A storm cloud, focused directly above Castle Bracken, heralds a sudden unnatural hostility of surrounding flora and fauna.
156	* YourMindMakesItReal: Nell's phantasms seem to work like this; the [[spoiler: spiders]] have increasingly tangible effects [[spoiler: before Thom throws their [[BiggerOnTheInside jar]] from the cottage.]]

Context Literature / Once