Line #33 Literature/NathanielKeene


1	[[quoteright:328:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/41qtcn_uryl.jpg]]
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3	[[https://www.amazon.com/Nathaniel-Keene-Lovelace-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01IJS5KJU#nav-subnav The first volume]] in an ongoing UrbanFantasy series, The Lovelace Chronicles, by debut author Aditi Ramaswamy. The titular character, a soft-spoken honor roll student and budding entomologist, finds his life abruptly turned upside down when he and his mother move to the little town of Lovelace, California. Within a month, he's joined the ranks of the undead and become the prime suspect in a gruesome murder. Can his senior year possibly get any weirder?
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5	Yes. Yes, it [[AskAStupidQuestion can]].
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7	----
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9	!! Nathaniel Keene contains examples of:
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11	* AboveGoodAndEvil: [[spoiler:Principal Lightwood]] tries to convince Nat that this applies to vampires, and that BeingGoodSucks.
12	* ActionGirl: Yumi, at times. And Lavinia Cross is an Action ''Woman''.
13	* AsianAndNerdy: Nathaniel, who is half-Indian, and Yumi, who is Korean, both count.
14	* BadassBookworm: Yumi - and Nat, much to his own surprise.
15	* TheBrute: [[spoiler:Dawson Helm]]
16	* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:Dimitri's interest in Buffy/vampire lore in general. It's how he realizes that Nat can't have been the murderer.]]
17	* TheDandy: Taddeus Robinson.
18	--> '''Dani, to Nat:''' I like a guy who challenges the boundaries of fashion.
19	--> '''Tad:''' Or who's fashion-challenged.
20	* DarkAndTroubledPast: [[spoiler:Merry Cross]] is implied to have had one. She's doing [[AxCrazy just fine, though.]]
21	* DarkIsNotEvil: Nathaniel is a vampire. He is [[SociallyAwkwardHero not evil]].
22	* DeadpanSnarker: [[PluckyGirl Yumi]], [[IronLady Officer Cross]], and [[spoiler:Dahlia Flowers]], in spades.
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24	--> '''Nat:''' I’ll have you know that all thirty species of cockroach are very fascinating insects.
25	--> '''Yumi:''' My sneakers are inclined to agree.
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27	--> '''[[MamaBear Charlotte Keene]]:''' First you arrest him for God-knows-what-
28	--> '''Officer Cross:''' Murder. God, and everyone else in this police station, knows it.
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30	-->'''[[spoiler:Ms. Flowers]]:''' You were arrested for murder, Nathaniel. One would think you might remember that.
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32	** Nat and his mother both have their moments, too:
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34	--->'''Charlotte Keene, when Officer Cross asks her for a mirror:''' With all due respect, Officer, I don’t believe this is an appropriate time to touch up your lipstick.
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36	---> '''[[spoiler:Dawson Helm]]:''' Welcome to your final resting place.
37	---> '''Nat:''' Classy.
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39	* DisappearedDad: Neel Kumar.
40	* EvilLawyerJoke: Milbrook makes one... about himself.
41	* EvilMentor: [[spoiler:Elridge Lightwood. He acted as this toward Neel Kumar, and tries to do the same for Nat.]]
42	* FirstPersonSmartass: Nat's inner voice.
43	--> ''At least I still have my favorite pastimes: moping in the dark, and skulking around in the dark!''
44	* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: Nathaniel Keene. Well, not in most of Lovelace's eyes after his undead status is initially made public - mostly because he was found at the scene of a brutal murder with blood on his mouth. [[spoiler:He was framed.]] However, he tends to adhere to this characterization for the most part.
45	-->'''Dimitri:''' He’s the nicest bloodsucking demon you’ll ever meet!
46	* FriendToBugs: Nathaniel Keene. [[spoiler:Literally.]]
47	* GeniusBruiser: Dimitri, crossed with GentleGiant. He's huge and extremely strong, but also a diehard Buffy geek and Calculus nerd. And while he ''could'' potentially beat someone up, he isn't particularly inclined to do so.
48	* HorrorHunger: Nat is disgusted by his own thirst for blood.
49	* ImplausibleHairColor: Yumi, who is Korean, has bright green hair. Justified, as she dyes it (her natural color is black).
50	* IntrepidReporter: Rodney Gibbet.
51	* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Officer Cross, in Nat's eyes. (At first, she just seems like a {{Jerkass}}.)
52	* LimitedWardrobe: Just how many sweatshirts does Nat ''own?''
53	* MysteriousParent: Neel Kumar. [[spoiler:Charlotte]] might qualify as this by the ending.
54	* OurVampiresAreDifferent: Vampires in this universe are pretty traditional: sunlight burns them, garlic is poisonous if ingested, and they can only drink blood. However, there are a few differences - for example, vampirism isn't limited to humans. [[spoiler:Nathaniel gets bitten by a vampiric ''cat''.]] Additionally, wooden stakes have no effect on vampires - in order to work, a stake must be made of pure silver. [[spoiler:Nat learns this the hard way.]]
55	* {{Shapeshifting}}: Unlike Dracula, Nat can't do it. [[spoiler:Dawson Helm, however...]]
56	* TheSmartGuy: The entire Quiz Bowl team.
57	* TheSociopath: [[spoiler:Principal Lightwood.]]
58	* SomedayThisWillComeInHandy: [[spoiler:Tad's neodymium magnets.]]
59	* SternTeacher: Dahlia Flowers. [[spoiler:She also qualifies as a BadassTeacher.]]
60	* SupernaturalAngst: Nat experiences this a ''lot'' - understandably so.
61	* SweetTooth: Mayor Cadence Powell.
62	* TellMeAboutMyFather: Charlotte had been dreading the day when her son would ask this question.
63	* TinyTyrannicalGirl: Yumi Kangjun.
64	--> "Despite her size and youth, Yumi appeared to have already mastered the fine art of terrifying the pants off of people."
65	* TownWithADarkSecret: Twenty-three years ago, something happened in Lovelace. No one wants to talk about it.

Context Literature / NathanielKeene