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Combine common axes
These books are ranked using the characterization labels extracted for The Cost of Knowing.
Characterization labels used: anxious protagonist, protective older brother, younger brother, boyfriend, guardian aunt, reclusive teen, vulnerable masculinity, Black boyhood
This does not mean the books share the same plot, setting, quality, or difficulty. It means their characterization embeddings are close.
A traumatized wealthy family tries to live normally after escaping captivity, while secrets and surveillance close in.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: anxious protagonist · protective mother · twin sibling conflict · secretive father · suspicious teenager · overprotective parent · traumatized family · curious investigator · untrustworthy adult · dynamic sibling
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1077
In a world stuck outside real time, a teen uncovers family secrets, strange abilities, and a mystery at home.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: teen protagonist · dysfunctional family · abusive sibling · absent mother · overwhelmed father · secretive brother · isolated protagonist · gifted athlete · emotionally reserved · trauma-affected
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1279
A foster kid discovers invisibility after a terrifying encounter and must uncover his origins while deciding whom to trust.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: foster child · Black boy · young teen · wary protagonist · artistic protagonist · resourceful · curious · tenacious · reluctant trust · lovable protagonist · psychiatrist parent · best friend · new siblings
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1280
A Korean-Canadian teen with scent-triggered time slips goes to Korea to uncover her mother’s disappearance and her own past.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: teen protagonist · reserved protagonist · brave protagonist · emotionally mature teen · emotionally unavailable father · single father · absent mother · supportive best friend · sweet love interest · supportive aunt · complex side characters
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1327
In a dust-ravaged domed city, a teen girl with dangerous hidden powers must protect her brother and outrun a system built to destroy them.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: orphan protagonist · protective sibling · emotionally volatile heroine · resourceful heroine · morally conflicted protagonist · male love interests · secretive authorities · disabled sibling
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1327
A gay man facing family pressures must come out during a holiday visit in a world where lies make water fall.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: closeted protagonist · gay man · supportive partner · traditional parents · judgmental sibling · family pressure · emotionally nuanced · likable leads · bickering sibling
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1393
A grieving teen joins a Malaysian road trip to find her estranged sister before an unavoidable apocalypse arrives.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: teen protagonist · angry protagonist · grieving protagonist · estranged sister · single mother · supportive boyfriend · boyfriend's parents · loving family · emotionally unavailable mother · deceased father · stray cat
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1417
A post-apocalyptic teen group faces hidden Earthborn enemies, collapsing ship resources, and tangled loyalties in the sequel.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: protective brother · leader figure · angsty teens · secret-keeping · impulsive behavior · survivor mentality · character development
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1439
When giant butterfly-like creatures swarm her town, an anxious teen must help her siblings and friends survive at home.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: anxious protagonist · capable heroine · teen survivors · siblings · toddler caregiver · resourceful teens · capable under pressure · traumatized youth · ordinary teens
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1479
A teen wakes trapped in a mysterious dome with his family, and a later-arriving family turns survival into conflict.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: teen protagonist · anxious planner · blended family · pregnant stepmother · young child · conspiracy theorist father · rival family · stubborn characters
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1527
A frightened linguist heads to Greenland to translate a thawed girl’s unknown language and uncover her brother’s death.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: anxious heroine · introverted protagonist · agoraphobic protagonist · linguist protagonist · scientist · enigmatic man · brilliant but difficult · grieving sibling · protective father · sick child · young girl · unreliable characters
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1535
In 1999, an anxious boy meets a teen time traveler and gets pulled into a race between future knowledge and present life.
Why this is here
Characterization labels: anxious protagonist · shy boy · parentified child · single mother · maintenance man · older babysitter · time traveler · carefree teen · supportive adults · flawed characters · likeable characters · lonely child · socially awkward
Semantic match: ranked by characterization
Distance: 0.1537
