History Literature / KeeperOfTheLostCities

* ArchnemesisDad: %%stopped here

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Sophie references this trope in an attempt to make Keefe feel better in Book 4.
* AmnesiacsAreInnocent: [[spoiler: The Council decides they cannot punish Alvar for his involvement with the Neverseen because all his memories have been wiped.]]
* ArrangedMarriage: In ''Flashback'', [[spoiler:it's revealed that Ro and Bo were put in an arranged marriage so that they don't have to face each other in a fight to the death.]]
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: In ''Neverseen'', when a character is describing how humans twisted the elves' gifts to them: "But they took the gifts we gave them and twisted them into weapons, or bargaining chips for their political agendas, or soggy, chemical-filled Twinkies."

* AuthorTract: Anytime the elves get outraged at how barbaric humans are.
* AwkwardKiss: In ''Nightfall'', [[spoiler:Sophie and Dex share a very awkward kiss with a lot of bumping into each other -- the first kiss for both of them -- which gets them to conclude that there is no spark between them.]]
* BadassAdorable: Sophie. Also, Dex, who explodes things on a daily basis.
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: In ''Neverseen'', the climactic battle takes place literally inside a ring of fire.

** The elves are all supremely beautiful and are presented as one of the most peaceful species, though this is played with as [[FalseUtopia their society is shown to have its own flaws and prejudices]].
** The Vackers are heroic and described as exceptionally beautiful even among elves. In ''Flashback'', [[spoiler:it's said that Alvar -- who had been working with the villains -- had never been as effortlessly attractive as his younger siblings.]]
* BetrayalByOffspring: In ''Neverseen'', [[spoiler:Alvar is revealed to be working for the Neverseen by spying on his father.]]

* BigBrotherInstinct: Even though they’re twins, Tam is extremely protective of his sister, Linh.

* BrotherSisterTeam: Tam and Linh.
* BoardingSchoolOfHorrors: Technically a Day School of Horrors, Exillium is a school for the “hopeless cases”. The food is horrible, the medical care is subpar, and the teachers hate their job. The students aren’t allowed to speak to each other or even give out their names, and they have to hide their faces behind masks. Their “ticket” to the next day’s class is a bead that gives you an electrical shock when you touch it. [[spoiler: This all changes after a few choice words from Sophie to Councillor Terik.]]
* BrainBleach: When Sophie sees Silveny and Greyfell having sex. Ewwwwwww...
* BystanderSyndrome: The Council (and the elves in general). Because of their indefinite lifespans, the elves ignore addressing problems that may cause trouble. [[spoiler: Such as all the gnomes dying.]]
* CasanovaWannabe: Dex's little brother Lex tries to act like a [[KidAnova young ladies' man]], only for his father to block him and give him a talking-to.

"Okay," Kesler said, grabbing the boy's arm before he could wrap it around Biana's waist. "Looks like we need to have another talk about appropriate behavior around girls, Lex. Rule number one--we do not touch them without their permission."

* ChekhovsGun: When Sophie interrogates Gethen in Lumenaria, there is an unobtainable sword in his cell signifying that prisoners can't do anything. [[spoiler: When Fintan, Brant, Gethen, and Alvar destroy the castle with outward channelling, it breaks free and Gethen uses it to kill Mr Forkle.]]
* ChekhovsGunman: Lots of these, including [[spoiler: Sophie's old family, who get kidnapped by the Neverseen]] and [[spoiler: Marella, who turns out to be a Pyrokinetic.]]
* ChildhoodFriendRomance: Jolie met Brant when she was six. They became instant best friends and eventually ended up getting together.
* ChildishToothGap: Dex's younger brother Rex has a missing front tooth.
* ChildProdigy: Sophie, who also has a PhotographicMemory, got into Yale at age twelve.
** Keefe is the only elf we know of who skipped a level at Foxfire, because of his PhotographicMemory, which also allows him to skip classes without failing his exams.
* TheChosenOne: Sophie, the one and only “Project Moonlark”. Subverted because she was ''literally'' genetically engineered for this purpose while the usual recipients of this trope usually are because of a prophecy or supernatural ancestry.
* CityOfGold: The goblins live in cities made of gold.
* {{Cliffhanger}}:
** ''Lodestar'' ends with [[spoiler:Sophie meeting her human sister, who recognizes her.]]
** ''Nightfall'' ends with [[spoiler:Alvar waking up and not knowing who he is.]]

* CryIntoChest: Sophie cries into Fitz’s shoulder in Book 1. Keefe cries into Sophie’s shoulder in Book 4.
* ColdBloodedTorture: Sophie and Dex were kidnapped, tortured, and burned by the Neverseen for information about the Black Swan - information that they didn’t have. Remember, these kids were ''twelve'', by human standards.

* ConflictingLoyalty:
** Keefe feels that he was “born” to be with the Neverseen, but he doesn’t necessarily want to follow his mother. It’s...complicated.
** Jolie worked undercover for the Black Swan by infiltrating the Neverseen, but after she fell in love with Brant, who was with the Neverseen, she felt her loyalties shifting.
* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: In ''Flashback'', Leto warns Keefe -- who is currently skipping his elvin history session -- that he can become ''very'' creative with his punishments. When Keefe expresses curiosity, Ro shuts him down, since as his bodyguard, she has to be there for them, too. Leto, knowing her dislike of elvin history lectures, agrees and tells her, "And I found an entire room filled with recordings of speeches from the Ancient Councillors that I think you'll find particularly enjoyable." Ro promptly starts dragging Keefe back to his session.
* CovertDistressCode: “Swan song” is the Black Swan’s code word for a last resort.
* CuteClumsyGirl: the trope is taken to its full extent in the First Book, where Sophie is described as being extremely clumsy and uncoordinated - she's unable to walk on short heels - even by human standards and is a total klutz by Elvin standards. As usual with this trope, it is only used in non-critical settings as comic relief or a way to make her seem relatable or endearing to other characters, and Sophie becomes conveniently capable whenever she has to do something crucial, even under the effects of stress. This is even completely forgotten in the subsequent books, when Sophie turns out to be a natural at throwing goblin stars, a discipline that asks a lot of coordination and she never practiced before, outmatching all of her friends, who have superhuman coordination.

* AccidentalMisnaming: Sophie introduces Dex to Fitz in the first book and he soon forgets it, calling him "Deck" as he leaves. The annotated version confirms that this was unintentional on Fitz' part.
* TheAce: Fitz, the “Wonder Boy”. He’s the best at everything, from telepathy to splotching. [[spoiler: Until Sophie shows up.]]
* ActionMom: Della Vacker. In ''Neverseen'', she uses her Vanishing ability to stow away to join the Black Swan, where she naturally kicks ass.
** The same can be said of Edaline Ruewen and her sister Juline Dizznee. Using their Conjuring and Frosting abilities, they both effortlessly manhandle Ro, an ogre princess famous for her fighting abilities, given her people's superior strength and the brutal training she received from her father. Much like Della, Edaline's abilities surely come from the fact that she used to work for the Council alongside her husband as a noble. Juline's abilities are likely a result of [[spoiler: being a member of the Black Swan]].
** Silveny
* ActuallyPrettyFunny: In ''Flashback'', when Sophie tells Keefe about Silveny being stubborn and evasive and he points out that that sounds like Sophie herself, Sophie admits that he's on the mark.

"Oh--that was a good one!" Ro said, raising her hand for a high five.\\

* AllTrollsAreDifferent: Trolls go through seven life stages. As newborns, they are physically strong but mentally weak, and as they progress through subsequent stages, their strength decreases and their mental facilities increase. Empress Pernille, a Stage Six, is tiny.
* AlmostKiss: [[spoiler: Sophie and Fitz almost kiss at the end of Book 5, but Keefe interrupts them.]]
* AmicableExes:
** [[spoiler: Alden and Alina are ''technically'' this, though the latter tried to break up the former's wedding.]]
** [[spoiler: Averted with Ro and Cadael.]]

-->"How long do you think it'll be before your Physician arrives?" Mai whispered.\\

* AngstComa: Elven minds break from guilt, sometimes inducing a death-like coma.
* AnimeChineseGirl: Linh Song and her brother Tam are actually described as “like they stepped out of an anime”.
* AnnoyingYoungerSibling: Dex's younger siblings have a penchant for embarrassing him in front of his friends.

"HEY, DEX," Bex shouted toward the house. "YOUR GIRLFRIENDS ARE HERE--AND THAT GUY WHO'S WAY COOLER THAN YOU ARE!"\\

* ArchnemesisDad: Keefe and his dad, Lord Cassius. Lord Cassius was a cold, unfeeling father - could almost be classified as abusive - and he and Keefe never got along very well. One memorable moment is when Lord Cassius discovered that Keefe had been drawing in his school notebook, and in his anger, he ripped all the drawings to shreds.

* TheAgeless: Elves stay eternally young. Gnomes might too, as Calla lived for millenia.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Everything starts going downhill once the ogres get involved.
* DeadpanSnarker: Keefe Sencen.
** Tam Song and Mr Forkle.
-->'''Tam:''' I can already tell [the trees’ shadowvapor reading]’ll be off the charts, since, y’know, the trees are dying.
-->'''Mr. Forkle:''' That ''is'' what one would expect from a plague.
** Fintan.
-->'''Oralie:''' A life serving the ogres is no life at all!
-->'''Fintan:''' Funny, I thought death from disease was ''far less'' of a life.
* DeathWail: Oralie after [[spoiler: Kenric’s]] death.
* DeclarationOfProtection: Tam is extremely protective of his sister, Linh, even choosing to go with her into banishment rather than let her go alone.
* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Elvin society has its own flaws, such as prejudice against the [[FantasticUnderclass Talentless]], multiple births (e.g. twins and triplets), and certain Talents (e.g. Shades and Pyrokinetics). This is behind the motives of numerous characters, such as the Black Swan, who seek to do something about it.

** [[spoiler: Sophie and Dex]], after being kidnapped, were thought to be dead in the first book. They have a [[MeaningfulFuneral funeral]] and everything.
** [[spoiler: Alden]]’s mind broke in ''Exile'', making him brain-dead which, by elf standards, is [[MeaningfulFuneral funeral]]-worthy. [[spoiler: Fortunately, Sophie brings him back.]]
** [[spoiler: Fintan]] supposedly dies along with [[spoiler: Kenric]] in ''Everblaze'', but makes an appearance in ''Neverseen''.
** [[spoiler: Sandor]] [[LiteralCliffhanger falls off a cliff]] in ''Everblaze'', breaking almost every bone in his body. [[NoOneCouldSurviveThat But somehow, he lives.]]
** [[spoiler: Fitz]] gets stabbed in the stomach but doesn’t die, thanks to the actions of a certain Black Swan medic.

* {{Doorstopper}}: ''Flashback'' is an insane ''845'' pages long. (The other books are no walk in the park, either!)
* DoubleAgent: [[spoiler: Alvar]] is secretly working for the Neverseen.
** Oralie stays on Sophie’s side, even when the rest of the Council is hunting her down. [[spoiler: She even commits treason to keep Sophie out of the Council’s hands.]]
* DoubleReverseQuadrupleAgent: Jolie Ruewen. An elite prodigy secretly working undercover for the Black Swan by pretending to join the Neverseen but she’s not sure if she’s actually for the Black Swan or the Neverseen. And let’s not get Brant mixed up in this.
* DownerEnding: Almost every single book, with the exception of Book 1, has one. For example, ''Neverseen'' ended with [[spoiler: Keefe defecting to the Neverseen]], and ''Lodestar'' ended with [[spoiler: Sophie discovering her human parents have been kidnapped by the Neverseen.]]
* DramaticallyMissingThePoint: In ''Legacy'', Fitz fails to get that Sophie needs reassurance that [[spoiler:he'd want to be with her even if she's unmatchable]]. He assures her that her status doesn't matter... [[BaitAndSwitchComment because]] [[spoiler:they'll find her genetic parents so she can become matchable.]]

* DramaticUnmask: In ''Everblaze'', one of the Neverseen members' hood comes off, revealing [[spoiler:that the person underneath was not Lord Cassius as previously thought, but Lady Gisela.]]
%%* DudeWheresMyRespect: Despite Dex being the best friend ever and blowing things up and fixing an iPod, he always gets the short end of the stick. stopped here

* DudeWheresMyRespect: Despite Dex being the best friend ever and blowing things up and fixing an iPod, he always gets the short end of the stick.
* EgocentricTeamNaming: In ''Exile'', when Sophie, Fitz, Biana, and Keefe are preparing to play base quest, Keefe expresses his preference for teaming up with Sophie and her getting to use her special ability: "I vote for The Unstoppable Team Keefe! Or Team Foster-Keefe [[HypocriticalHumor if you're one of those egomaniacs who needs your name in there]]. I can share some credit."
* EmbarrassingInitials: Sophie's human sister is Amy Rose Foster. In ''Everblaze'', Sophie says she doesn't think their parents realized the initials spelled 'arf' until it was too late.
* EmbarrassingPyjamas: In ''Neverseen'', the Black Swan give Sophie and her friends colorful furry onesies to use as pajamas while they're staying at Alluveterre, in the hopes that they would be embarrassing enough to discourage them from meeting after curfew.
* EmbarrassingTattoo: In ''Flashback'', Ro, who had expressed disdain for sparkles on numerous occasions, ends up getting a tattoo reading 'Sparkles Rule!' after losing a bet.
* EpiphanyTherapy: Needed for Keefe after [[spoiler: he discovered his mom was probably dead]].

* EvilMakesYouUgly: Brant is missing an ear, a hand, and his face is “more scar tissue than skin”. That’s what you get for messing with a Ruewen.

** Dame Alina, after [[spoiler: being elected as a Councillor]], tells Sophie she is “not afraid to make hard choices”. She doesn’t go back on her word.
** [[spoiler: Brant]], suddenly turning on Sophie when she discovers he’s actually evil.
* FalseReassurance: Alden’s favourite phrase is “No reason to worry.” Even when there are definitely many, many things to worry about.
* FalseUtopia: Elvin society is introduced as having no war, NoPoverty, and no crime. It's later revealed that the elves discriminate against [[FantasticUnderclass Talentless]] and the Council has swept problems under the rug for centuries, which only gets worse when they [[spoiler:punish Sophie and prosecute the Black Swan to restore the citizens' trust in them.]]
* FamilyThemeNaming: Dex and his younger siblings have rhyming names: Rex, Bex, and Lex.
* FantasticNatureReserve: Elves keep a couple of every endangered species, fantastic or known to man, in the Sanctuary to protect them from human pollution and hunting. They have never let a species go extinct and protect several species human think have disappeared long ago. In order to avoid predation, [[VegetarianCarnivore the animals are exclusively fed vegetarian food that can taste like meat]].
* FantasticUnderclass: Talentless elves, who live in "working-class" cities, attend the SuckySchool Exillium [[spoiler:(at least until Sophie convinces the Council to improve it)]], can only marry other Talentless or they'll get the scorn of being a "bad match," and are generally looked down on.
* FatalFlaw: [[GuiltComplex Guilt]] would qualify for all of the elves. Most of the main characters' fatal flaw(s) is related to the way guilt manifests in them:

** Fitz has issues with [[HairTriggerTemper anger]], which cause him to lash out at others. [[spoiler: This is deliberately exploited by the Neverseen in Book 7.]]
** Keefe is extremely reckless, [[HeroicSelfDeprecation has low self-worth]], and [[SelfSacrificeScheme little regard for his own life]]. [[spoiler: All three come together when he volunteers to fight King Dimitar in Sophie's place in Book 6.]]
** Tam holds [[NoSympathyforGrudgeholders onto grudges]] and prioritizes Linh’s safety above everything else.
** Dex has an inferiority complex and struggles with [[GreenEyedMonster jealously]].
* {{Fingore}}: In ''Neverseen'', the Black Swan say they'll have to freeze off Gethen's fingernails to remove the tracker substance from them, disturbing Sophie enough to enter her nightmares. They later assure her the process was painless and that they'd only made it sound more painful to frighten him.
* FlashyTeleportation: Alicorn-style teleportation splits the air with a thunderous crack.
* ForgotAboutHisPowers: In ''Nightfall'', Sophie and her companions need to transport an unconscious person. Sophie hefts his shoulders off the ground and calls for someone to get his legs, before Tam reminds her that they can just move him telekinetically.
-->"You Foxfire people always forget the obvious," Tam told her, floating [[spoiler:Alvar's body]] off the ground. "Remember telekinesis?"\\

* FullNameUltimatum: In the first book, when Sophie is trying to sneak out and is caught by her family, her mom calls her by her full name when demanding that she tell them what's going on. %%stopped here

* FullNameUltimatum: In the first book, when Sophie is trying to sneak out and is caught by her family, her mom calls her by her full name when demanding that she tell them what's going on.
* GadgeteerGenius: Dex, the only Technopath who would think of stabbing a gadget with a stick to improve its signal.
* {{Gasshole}}: Iggy the imp makes very stinky burps and farts.
* GeneticEngineeringIsTheNewNuke: Sophie’s genes were tweaked by the Black Swan in order for her to have enhanced abilities.
* GetOut: In ''Everblaze'', after Sophie and Grady tell Brant he can be healed, he screams at them to get out because he doesn't want to be healed.
%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* GettingSmiliesPaintedOnYourSoul: In ''Everblaze'', Sophie inflicts happiness on Bronte during a session with him. The results aren't pretty -- he starts laughing uncontrollably, crying and becoming hysterical.
* GirlPosse: At school, Stina is sometimes accompanied by two other girls described as her minions.
* GirlsLoveStuffedAnimals:
** Sophie has a blue stuffed elephant named Ella that she can’t sleep without.
** It’s not just girls, either! Fitz owns a sparkly red dragon named Mr Snuggles (that’s an Elwin-named stuffed animal, mind you), and Keefe has a gulon named Mrs Stinkbottom.
* HalfIdenticalTwins: Tam and Linh are brother and sister, but identical in every other way - they have the same face, eyes, and hairstyle.
* HandsOnApproach: In book 1, Dex puts his arms around Sophie to help her adjust a stellarscope, making her blush.
* HazyFeelTurn: Keefe - [[spoiler: is he evil now? Or is he just working undercover?]]
* HeroicSacrifice: In ''Neverseen'', [[spoiler:Calla turns herself into a Panake to save the gnome species from the plague.]]

* HopeSpot: After the DownerEnding of ''Neverseen'', it seems nothing will be okay ever again...then [[spoiler: Prentice wakes up.]] Maybe all is not lost.
* HumansAreBastards: Yep.
* HumansAreSpecial: Although they have finite lifespans, do not have superpowers, are less beautiful and on average less intelligent, humans have one ability that has led the Neverseen to see them as a threat ''and'' an example to learn from. They are immune to guilt. Which means that unlike, they are able to commit atrocities if it means protecting themselves and their loved ones, without their mind breaking down. However the fact that ogres and goblins are warrior species and thus use violence, just like the Neverseen themselves who kill with limited mental consequences makes one skeptical about the uniqueness of this particularity granted to humans.
* HumiliatingWager: In the beginning of ''Flashback'', Keefe and Ro have a bet on how long the Tribunal will take. If it lasts until sunset, Ro wins, and Keefe has to wear ogre armor (which looks like a metal diaper) to school instead of his uniform. If it's done in an hour, Keefe wins, and Ro has to start calling him Lord Hunkyhair. Keefe ends up winning. Later in the book, they bet on whether Sophie will be able to pull off a telekinetic move. If she can't, Ro wins and gets to shave Keefe's head. If she can, Keefe wins, and Ro has to get a [[EmbarrassingTattoo tattoo reading 'Sparkles Rule!']]. Again, Keefe wins.

-->"Lame. I vote for [[EgocentricTeamNaming The Unstoppable Team Keefe]]! Or Team Foster-Keefe if you're one of those egomaniacs who needs your name in there. I can share some credit."
* IAmNotMyFather: Keefe is an Empath like his father, Lord Cassius, and also has several marked similarities to his mother, Lady Gisela. He doesn’t want to be like either.
* IDontLikeYouAndYouDontLikeMe: Keefe hates Tam because he’s a pretentious bastard. Tam hates Keefe because he can’t be trusted.

* ImmortalityBeginsAtTwenty: Elves stop aging once they reach adulthood. Their only sign of old age is PointyEars.
* ImplicitPrison: [[spoiler: Alvar is put under house arrest in Book 7, and is unable to leave the Vacker's property. Dex fashions a device called The Warden to monitor Alvar's every move.]]

* InevitableWaterfall: Used to the group’s advantage to escape [[spoiler: Ravagog]] in Book 4.

** Thorough the series elves are stated to have no concept of sexism. However, they abide by gender stereotypes, to the point Keefe was mocked by other elves for braiding and generally taking care of his hair because he is a boy. Similarly, they are ''said'' to have no concept of racism and do not take race into consideration when choosing a partner. However, every black (except [[spoiler: Livvy/Doc]]or Asian character in the Books are related to each other and the Song family has been Asian-coded (Sophie describes them both as anime characters and K-pop stars) for generations. Most of the couples -- at least those who have children -- are monoracial as well. The fact that elves even have races identifiable to humans is indicative of the dissonance between what is stated by the author and what is represented in the books, as the main reason humans have is because they tended to keep to their own race when mating in the past, which wouldn't have been the case for elves, and Elvin families should have become a blend of all races with time.
** {{Telepathy}} is supposedly a rare talent, but the most common talent amongst known characters.
* InnocentBlueEyes: Elves, who are stated to be a peaceful species who created a society where poverty has been eradicated -- and know no concept of racism or sexism according to WordOfGod -- have blue eyes. Sophie is the only exception to the rule, but it is because she was genetically engineered.
* IWillPunishYourFriendForYourFailure: The Neverseen threatened to hurt Sophie if Dex didn’t give them the information they wanted.
* InhumanlyBeautifulRace: Elves.
* ItsAllMyFault:
** Guilt is a HUGE theme in KOTLC. This happens at least once every book. Humans are resistant to it.
** The most important one is when [[spoiler: Alden’s]] mind breaks because of the guilt of helping to break Prentice’s mind and leaving Wylie parentless.
* ItsQuietTooQuiet: In ''Neverseen'', while walking through the forest at Brackendale, Sophie realizes what feels wrong about the place -- it's far too quiet.

** [[spoiler: After becoming a Councillor,]] [[FaceHeelTurn Dame Alina]] goes from Sophie Supporter to Sophie Hater in less than twenty-four hours.
** The Hekses are weaselling bastards who jump on the bandwagon and insult everyone under the sun.

-->'''Keefe:''' So, let me get this straight. We don't know where we're going, or how long it's going to take us to get there, and we're flying to meet the Black Swan--who may or may not be evil murderers--and this whole thing could be a trap?\\

* LoveDodecahedron: Sophie likes Fitz and Keefe, Fitz may like Sophie and/or Linh, Keefe may like Sophie and/or Biana, Dex may like Biana and/or Linh, and Tam may like Biana. And absolutely none of this is officially canon.
* LukeIMightBeYourFather: Sophie thinks that Kenric might be her birth father, although this is not confirmed.
* ManipulativeBastard: Fintan, and Brant.
* MasterActor: Keefe. In ''Neverseen'', Sophie says Keefe deserves an Academy Award for his performance in [[spoiler: Ravagog]].
* MeaningfulFuneral: [[spoiler: Sophie and Dex]] have a funeral that leaves Grady and Edaline stricken for a second time - first they lost their daughter, now they supposedly lost their adopted daughter, too.
** [[spoiler: Alden]] has a funeral that is incredibly [[TearJerker tear-jerking]].
** [[spoiler: Kenric’s]] KilledOffForReal funeral is rudely interrupted by King Dimitar, the ogre king. And Sophie makes a very poor decision.

* TheMole: [[spoiler: Alvar]] secretly works for the Neverseen.
** So does [[spoiler: Brant]].

** In ''Flashback'', [[spoiler:Fitz and Sophie have just confessed their feelings for each other and are about to kiss when Sophie receives a telepathic cry for help from Silveny.]]
* MoodSwinger: Lady Redek has mood swings due to a brain injury from a fall. One character recalls a conversation where she laughed, cried, and screamed at them within minutes.
* MovingBeyondBereavement: Grady and Edaline lost their daughter Jolie years ago. They kept her bedroom exactly as it was, and sometimes Edaline would spend the night in Jolie's bedroom. Part of Edaline's development is reaching a point where she's ready to pack up Jolie's stuff and put it away.
* MuggleFosterParents: Literally. Their surname is "Foster". Sophie’s surrogate parents are humans, and Sophie herself thinks she's human until Fitz arrives to tell her the truth. It is taken to another level as Sophie was implanted into her mother as an embryo and was effectively birthed into her human family.
* NamedAfterFirstInstallment: The first book takes the title of the series, thus presumably being a ProtagonistTitle.
* NarrativeProfanityFilter:
** In ''Neverseen'', "[Keefe] shouted a bunch of words that would earn him a month of detention".
** In ''Nightfall'', after Keefe makes a risky move despite Sophie's protest:
--->Sophie shook her head, her brain too clogged with words she wasn't supposed to say to come up with a response.
** In ''Flashback'':
*** When Ro has to call Keefe "Lord Hunkyhair" after losing a bet:
---->Ro said it, all right. Along with several ogre words that weren't very nice.
*** When Ro finds out who Sophie's ogre bodyguard will be:
---->The last name made Ro unleash an impressive string of ogre curses.\\
…\\
Ro muttered a few more creative words under her breath.
*** Tarina unleashes "a colorful array of Trollish words" the first time she teleports via free-falling.
** In ''Legacy'', after Sophie reveals some bad news, Ro is mentioned to be "muttering a whole lot of creative words under her breath."
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In ''Everblaze'', Sophie [[spoiler: attempts to read King Dimitar’s mind, is found out, almost]] starts a war, and [[spoiler: provokes King Dimitar into unleashing a]] deadly plague. Nice.
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: In ''Everblaze'', Grady (rightfully so) [[spoiler:burns off Brant's hand when he admits to murdering Jolie. He would have burnt the rest of Brant's body as well if Sophie hadn't snapped him out of it.]]
* NoodleIncident: The Great Gulon Incident, which took place three years before Sophie arrived at Foxfire. It has been mentioned by characters, but not explained.

** [[spoiler: Sandor]] [[LiteralCliffhanger falls off a cliff]] in ''Everblaze'', breaking almost every bone in his body, but survives due to Elwin magic.
** [[spoiler: Fitz]] gets stabbed in ''Neverseen'' but somehow lives.
* NoSparks: In ''Nightfall'', [[spoiler:Sophie and Dex have an awkward kiss which gets Dex to realize that there is no spark between them and they are better as friends.]] %%stopped here

* ''Unlocked'' (2020): A book that's part epilogue to ''Legacy'', part companion to the series as a whole.

!!This series includes examples of:

* NoSparks: In ''Nightfall'', [[spoiler:Sophie and Dex have an awkward kiss which gets Dex to realize that there is no spark between them and they are better as friends.]]
* ObfuscatingInsanity: [[spoiler: Brant]] pretended to be broken by the guilt of Jolie’s death, while in reality, he was sneaking away to burn things for the Neverseen.
* OddlyCommonRarity: Throughout the books, {{telepathy}} is stated to be a rare Talent at multiple times. However, an overwhelming majority of the elves we are introduced to turn out to be Telepaths, and Telepathy is the most represented talent within the main cast and within the Council itself. Plus, it doesn't help that somehow, most known Talents are said to be rare, when at least one ''has'' to be common.
* OneSteveLimit: Averted with Marella and Maruca, as lampshaded by Tam in ''Lodestar''.
-->"There's a Marella and a Maruca?" Tam asked. "Yeah... I'm never going to be able to keep that straight."
* OneWordTitle: Every book other than the first:
** Exile
** Neverseen

** In the first book, when Sophie is leaving her human family, she realizes that she's going to miss her AnnoyingYoungerSibling Amy, and that even though they fought all the time, the fighting was actually fun. She rushes over to hug her, and her parents gasp.
** In ''Exile'', when Sophie visits Everglen after Alden has fallen into a serious condition, Biana is unkempt and un-made-up, in contrast to her usual immaculacy.

** Tinker usually only speaks in questions, so when she makes a direct statement, it usually indicates special circumstances. The first time she does it is when she is told about Dex designing weapons. She is shaken, and murmurs, "He shouldn't."
--->The words were hushed and simple--but coming from someone who only spoke in questions, they hit with a thud.

* OurElvesAreDifferent: Elves look like beautiful humans with eyes in various shades of blue and ears that grow points as they become ancient. They have psychic powers, are psychologically vulnerable to guilt, and have a technologically advanced society.

* OurOgresAreHungrier: Ogres are rock-colored creatures with apelike proportions and are a ProudWarriorRace with advanced knowledge of microbiology.
* OverlyNarrowSuperlative: Referenced in the dedication of ''Nightfall'':
-->For Nadia and Roland, best niece and nephew an aunt could ask for (and not *just* because you're the only ones--though that does help) ;)

* ParentalBetrayal: Keefe’s mother, Lady Gisela, [[spoiler: is secretly working for the Neverseen]]. Not only this, but [[spoiler: she attempted to kill Keefe in ''Exile''.]]

** Grady and Edaline are Sophie’s foster, and later adopted, parents.
** Sir Tiergan is Wylie’s adopted father.

* ThePlace: ''Exile'' and ''Nightfall'' are titled after plot-important locations.
* ThePlague: The gnomes fall to one in ''Neverseen''.

* PointyEars: Elves aren't born with these, but their ears become pointy over time. Elves who have lived long enough to grow them are known as Ancients.

* PolarOppositeTwins: Tam and Linh. Tam is defiant, rebellious, and fiercely protective, while Linh is quiet, shy, and drawn into herself.

* {{Portmanteau}}:

** In ''Neverseen'', Keefe comes up with name portmanteaus to describe team-ups and groupings: "Sophitz" and "Fitzphie" for Sophie+Fitz, "Keefex" for himself+Dex (Dex suggests "Deefe", which Keefe declares "lame"), "Sophex" and "Deephie" for Sophie+Dex, and "Sophorkle" for Sophie+Forkle.
** ''Lodestar'':
*** Keefe comes up with "Keefoster" for himself+Sophie and "Dophie" for Dex+Sophie.
*** After Biana and Dex are left out of an excursion, Biana suggests they should form their own group called Team Bianex, then--agreeing that it's not the best name--comes up with "Dizznacker" and "Vackiznee" as alternate portmanteaus.
** ''Nightfall'':
*** Tam comes up with "Keephie" for Keefe+Sophie, and Keefe with "Dexphie" for Dex+Sophie.
*** The gorgodons are part gorgonops, part flareadon, part argentavis, and part eurypterid. Fitz wonders, "Wouldn't that be a gorgentaveridon? It seems like the argentavis and eurypterid should be in the name."

%%* ThePrankster: Keefe Sencen of the Great Gulon Incident.
* RelativeError: When she first meets Tam and Linh, Sophie wonders if they're boyfriend and girlfriend, since they're sitting close together and sharing a fruit. It is only once she sees their faces that she realizes they're brother and sister.
* LaResistance: The Black Swan. ‘Nuff said.
* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: Iggy the Imp. Also the verminion.
* RunningGag: Fitz and Dex going "wow" when they see Linh's Hydrokinesis.
* ScrewTheRulesImDoingWhatsRight: Sophie, too many times to count.
* SecondSuperIdentity: Mr. Forkle is actually both [[spoiler: Sir Astin]] and [[spoiler: Magnate Leto]].
* SecretIdentity:
** The Black Swan leaders all wear disguises and have code names: Mr Forkle, Squall, Blur, Wraith, and Granite.
** Mr. Forkle is actually both [[spoiler: Sir Astin]] and [[spoiler: Magnate Leto]].
** Granite is actually [[spoiler: Sir Tiergan]].
* SecretlySelfish: [[spoiler: Oralie becomes this when it is revealed she is Sophie's biological mother. While the Moonlark Project was vital and ultimately helped to save the Lost Cities more than once, her reasons for taking part in it are borderline selfish. Indeed, she states the fact that it was "her only way to have a child", as Councillors are forbidden from having families, as one of her main reason for taking part in the Project, even though by doing so she ''knowingly'' condemned Sophie to being Unmatchable, and had the gall to look distraught when she was told about it. It doesn't help that the only concern she expresses when Sophie confronts her is whether or not her test tube baby will out her and destroy her career, plus the fact that she was perfectly able to keep herself from having a relationship with Kenric, even when giving in would only have had consequences on her and not an innocent child. She does express her love and care for Sophie afterwards though, apologising profusely.]]

* SelfSacrificeScheme: To make the cure for the gnomes’ plague, [[spoiler: Calla]] sacrifices herself by turning into a Panakes tree.
* SeriesContinuityError: In the first book, Stina's family's name is given as "Logner" when they first show up, but is "Heks" in the rest of the book. The annotated version of the book points out the mistake -- according to the author, she'd gotten confused by her notes, thought she'd forgotten to give them a last name, and asked her editor to add it in. Other printings have corrected it.
* ShipperOnDeck: [[spoiler: Sophie for Sandor and Grizel. Biana for Sophie and Fitz. Ro for Sophie and Keefe. Keefe acts like he’s this for Ro and Bo.]]
* ShoutOut:
** At the start of chapter 15 of the first book, Fitz is reading a book titled ''Twenty-Five Ways to Catch the Wind'', a reference to the ''Sky Fall'' series by the same author.

** “Kerlof” is an anagram for “Forkle”. [[spoiler: Mr Forkle is Leto Kerlof’s SecretIdentity.]]
** “Tiergan” is an anagram for “Granite”. [[spoiler: Granite is Sir Tiergan’s SecretIdentity.]]
* SinkOrSwimMentor: Bronte and his Inflicting sessions with Sophie.

* TheSquad: Sophie, Fitz, Biana, Keefe, and Dex. You could also include Tam and Linh.
* StarCrossedLovers: Kenric and Oralie. They’re obviously in love, but they can’t be together due to the rule that Councillors can’t get married.
* SuperiorSpecies: Elves. Who are more beautiful than humans, smarter than humans, nicer than humans, richer than humans, more technologically advanced than humans etc. ...
* SyntheticPlague: The [[spoiler: ogres]] bioengineered the plague to get the gnomes to be their slaves.
* TearsOfRemorse: Dex at the end of ''Everblaze''. He keeps saying, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” after he [[spoiler: permanently puts an ability-restricting circlet on Sophie]].

* TellMeAboutMyFather: Sophie repeatedly asks Mr Forkle this question.
* ThatCameOutWrong: In ''Lodestar'', Sophie and Keefe hold hands as they levitate through an area. Sophie has recently manifested as an Enhancer, which makes her enhance the abilities of whomever she's touching -- in this case, Keefe's [[TheEmpath empathic]] abilities. Keefe, who has not yet been informed of this, voices his observations:
-->"So, quick question," he said as they picked their way through an especially dark hallway. "Is there a reason I keep getting this crazy rush every time I touch your hand?" He cleared his throat when he realized how that sounded, "What I mean is, your emotions always feel strong. But now they're on another level."
* TokenEvilTeammate: Coiffe, the sardonic, resentful Black Swan member. Makes sense when you learn he’s actually [[spoiler: Timkin Heks]].

* {{Transflormation}}: When gnomes die, they turn into plants. ''Neverseen'' reveals [[spoiler:the Panakes are former gnomes who transformed themselves.]]
* TranslationConvention: Most of the dialogue in the series is in the Enlightened Language, the language of elves. When another language is spoken, [[{{Omniglot}} which Sophie can always understand,]] the text is still presented in English.

* TricksterTwins: The Dizznee triplets are a whirlwind of chaos -- stampeding through the house, screaming and shouting at each other, and leaving a mess behind.

** In Book 4, the Neverseen trigger some of Keefe’s hidden memories with the phrase ‘Lodestar Initiative’.
** [[spoiler: In Book 7, Vespera’s voice triggers Alvar’s memories to return.]]

** In ''Neverseen'', [[spoiler:one of Mr. Forkle's other aliases is revealed to be Sir Astin, Sophie's mentor for The Universe in Level Two, and his true identity to be Leto. The Black Swan member Coiffe is revealed to be Timkin Heks, and Granite is revealed to be Sir Tiergan.]]
** An inversion in ''Neverseen'': [[spoiler:Sophie's investigations into the identity of the Boy Who Disappeared turn up a former Exillium student named Ruy Ignis. However, later they are revealed to be separate people.]]
** In ''Lodestar'', [[spoiler:the Black Swan member Squall is revealed to be Juline, Dex's mother and Edaline's sister.]]
* VegetarianCarnivore: Grady and Edaline train animals like t-rexes to stop hunting and go vegetarian. It helps that gnomes can grow plants with the taste and texture of meat.
* VillainsActHeroesReact: From the very start, the heroes, [[spoiler: the Black Swan]] and the Council do nothing but attempt, with very mixed results, to stop the evil plans of the [[spoiler: Neverseen]]. To the point Sophie can't help but feel discouraged by the fact they are always one step late on the villains, allowing innocent lives to be lost because they want to keep the moral high ground, when they don't simply put a spanner in each other's work. [[spoiler: The one time Sophie decides to take the initiative in Book 8.5, burning the Neverseen hideout to impede for once, she is berated by the adults ''and'' her friends. While they say she should have made the decision with them, they mostly scold her because they claim she has now waged war on the Neverseen, put her allies in danger and stooped as low as their enemies, even when said enemies have been killing and torturing their ranks and innocent bystanders from the start.]]

* WhamLine: In ''Neverseen'', when Sophie is examining a memory of Keefe's, [[spoiler:she hears Lady Gisela tell the Boy Who Disappeared, "Then perhaps you should go to Exillium. Ruy is having no problems there."]] This reveals that contrary to what was assumed prior, [[spoiler:Ruy and the Boy are separate people.]]
* WhenTreesAttack: The gnomes can control trees to make them, yes, attack you.

** Keefe’s dad, Lord Cassius, often expresses his wish that Keefe was more “like a Sencen”.

%%** The entire Vacker family's reaction to [[spoiler: Alvar]]

* WizardingSchool: Foxfire, named after a glowing fungus.
* YouHaveFailedMe: Wylie to Sophie in ''Exile''. Wylie wants Sophie to wake up Prentice, but Sophie, who is the reason why his own father chose to let his mind be broken and thus abandon his family, doesn’t know how.

* A untitled [[https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-ben-affleck-arts-and-entertainment-15bb4c0aa68f2374e31a54bf7f64927d tenth novel that will conclude the series]]

** [[https://shannonmessenger.com/keeper-of-lost-cities/bonus-keefe-story.html An untitled short story focused on Keefe]], originally included in the Barnes & Noble exclusive edition of ''Nightfall''.
* ''Flashback'' (2018) [[note]]Includes "The Talk", a short story focused on Keefe that takes place just before the start of the novel[[/note]]

* ''Unlocked'' (2020): A book that partially serves as an epilogue to ''Legacy'' and a companion to the series as a whole.

* ShoutOut: At the start of chapter 15 of the first book, Fitz is reading a book titled ''Twenty-Five Ways to Catch the Wind'', a reference to the ''Sky Fall'' series by the same author.

* ''Flashback'' (2018)

* MuggleFosterParents: Literally. Their surname is "Foster". Sophie’s surrogate parents are humans, and Sophie herself thinks she’s human until Fitz arrives to tell her the truth. It is taken to another level as Sophie was implanted into her mother as an embryo and was effectively birthed into her human family.

Sophie Foster has always been different. Despite only being twelve, she's already a high school senior, thanks in no small part to her photographic memory. Even amongst family, she sticks out, being the only skinny blonde among chubby brunettes. All of this, however, pales in comparison to the secret she's kept for years: she can hear the thoughts of others and has been able to ever since a truamatic brain injury when she was five.

While this might sound useful, it's caused Sophie no small amount of grief: she can't turn this ability off and her attempts to mitigate the constant background noise make her stick out. She's too afraid to tell anyone, including her family, for fear of being turned into an experiment. So, when she comes across a strange boy whose mind she can't read and who somehow knows this, she tries to run. When the boy finds her again, he introduces himself as Fitz, explaining that he's an elvin Telepath just like her. Though skeptical at first, Sophie quickly belives him when he shows her the Lost Cities, lands inhabited by elves and other creatures from myth and fairy tales.

In the blink of an eye, Sophie's entire world is turned upside down; she leaves her human family to live with a pair of elves who become her new guardians and she's enrolled into Foxfire, an elvish school where she has to unlearn all of her human-gained knowledge while simulatanuously learning how to hone her telepathic abilities. Luckily, she finds a few friends who help make the transition from her old life to her new one a little smoother: there's the handsome Fitz, his younger sister, Biana, the laidback Dex, the mischivious Keefe, and the strongwilled Marella.

* ''Unlocked'' (2020): An interquel book that's part epilogue to ''Legacy'', part companion book to the series as a whole.

* An untitled tenth novel

After a brain injury when she was five years old, Sophie Foster has been able to hear the thoughts of others. While this might sound useful, it's been nothing but a pain to Sophie; she can't turn it off and she can't tell anyone for fear of being turned into an experiment. It's just another thing that makes her different from her peers: despite being only twelve, she's already a high school senior. Due to all of these differences, she's resigned herself to never fitting in, not even among her loving family.

Then, during a class trip to a museum, she meets a boy whose mind she can't read. This has never happened before, and the stranger somehow knows about her secret ability. He introduces himself as Fitz, telling her that she's an elf and a Telepath. Apparently, his father, Alden, has been looking for her for twelve years. Though skeptical at first, Sophie quickly believes his story when he shows her the Lost Cities, lands inhabited by elves and other fairy tale creatures.

In the blink of an eye, Sophie's entire world is turned upside down; she leaves her human family to live with a pair of elves who become her new guardians. She attends an elvish school called Foxfire where she has to unlearn all of her human knowledge while also learning how to hone her telepathic abilities. She manages to find a few friends in Dex, a laid-back carefree boy who hates Fitz; Marella, a girl who doesn't care about what others think of her; Keefe, an Empathic mischief maker; and Biana, Fitz's younger sister, all of whom make the transition into her new life a little smoother.

Unfortunately, Sophie still can't quite manage to totally fit into her new world. Despite only recently learning about the existence of elves, she somehow knows confidential information that only the ruling elves are privy too. As her life with her kin develops, Sophie will discover that not everything is peaceful in paradise, and her existence may be one tiny piece in an ever-changing puzzle.

* IWillProtectHer: Tam is extremely protective of his sister, Linh, even choosing to go with her into banishment rather than let her go alone.

''Keeper of the Lost Cities'' is a series of [[MiddleGradeLiterature middle grade]] {{fantasy}} novels by Shannon Messenger.

** Plus, Sophie is stated to be extremely clumsy at the beginning of the series, even by human standards, which is astronomically clumsy by ''Elvin'' standards, but it is seldom mentioned in the following books and even in the first, this attribute completely disappears at crucial moments, namely when she needs to fight. It is only played to make her seem endearing or remind us that she ''does'' have a flaw. It is even completely forgotten about when she turns out to outmatch all of her friends, who are supposed to have perfect coordination, at throwing goblin stars - an act that requires a lot of coordination and precision.
** Same with {{telepathy}} supposedly a rare talent, but being the most common talent amongst known characters.

''Keeper of the Lost Cities'' is a series of middle grade fantasy novels by Shannon Messenger.

In the blink of an eye, Sophie's entire world is turned upside down; she leaves her human family to live with a pair of elves who become her new guardians. She attends an elvish school called Foxfire where she has to unlearn everything she's been taught while also learning how to hone her telepathic abilities. She manages to find a few friends in Dex, a laid-back carefree boy who hates Fitz; Marella, a girl who doesn't care about what others think of her; Keefe, an Empathic mischief maker; and Biana, Fitz's younger sister, all of whom make the transition into her new life a little smoother.

** Greyfell

* AerithAndBob: [[JustifiedTrope Justified]]. Sophie was born to a human family and given a human name as a result.

* MomentKiller: In ''Exile'', as Sophie has an emotional goodbye with Grady and Edaline before departing with Keefe and Silveny, Keefe breaks the moment by commenting on how "hardcore" they are with goodbyes.