Cover of School of Shards by Marina Dyachenko

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School of Shards

Marina Dyachenko, Sergey Dyachenko

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Similar in characterization + relationships

These books are ranked using the characterization + relationships labels extracted for School of Shards. Books rank higher when they are close on every selected axis.

Characterization labels used: female protagonist, teacher protagonist, academy administrator, brother character, twins, next generation, morally compromised, controlling, transformative arc, inscrutable protagonist, forceful protagonist

Relationships labels used: teacher student, family duty, siblings, former lovers, parent child, mentor student, peer group, power imbalance, intergenerational

This does not mean the books share the same plot, setting, quality, or difficulty. It means their characterization + relationships embeddings are close.

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Cover of The Inventor's Secret by Chad Morris

The Inventor's Secret

Chad Morris · 2013 · Cragbridge Hall

In a futuristic school where students experience history firsthand, twin siblings race to uncover a family secret.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: twin protagonists · female protagonist · male twin · ordinary heroine · genius student · inventor grandfather · relatable characters · bullied outsider · hidden talents · brilliant students · young students

Relationships labels: siblings · twin siblings · grandparent grandchildren · family bond · friendship · bullying · trust issues · teacher-student tension · mentor figure

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1294

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Cover of Vita Nostra by Marina Dyachenko

Vita Nostra

Marina Dyachenko, Sergey Dyachenko · 2018 · Vita Nostra (English)

A coerced teen enters a terrifying secret school where studying remakes reality, identity, and the self.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teenage protagonist · gifted student · reluctant student · domineering mentor · scary teachers · morally grey characters · isolated protagonist · resilient heroine · authoritarian authority figures

Relationships labels: mother-daughter · mentor-student · teacher-student · peer relationships · coercive relationship · family endangerment · complicated family bond

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1333

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Cover of The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson

The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer

Neal Stephenson · 2000

In a nanotech future, a stolen interactive primer reshapes a poor girl’s life and the society around her.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young girl protagonist · female coming-of-age · brilliant engineer · inventor · guardian figure · mysterious figure · child protagonist · orphans · strong female lead · catalyst protagonist

Relationships labels: father-daughter · mother-daughter · sibling relationship · mentor-student · guardian ward · intergenerational · power imbalance · class divide · community belonging · chosen affiliation

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1415

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Cover of Thief! by Malorie Blackman

Thief!

Malorie Blackman · 2004

After being framed at school, a bullied girl is hurled into a bleak future where her choices have changed everything.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young female protagonist · new girl · little brother · bullied child · likeable protagonist · vulnerable protagonist · framed victim · tyrant · queen bee · heroic child · bitter future self · corrupted future self

Relationships labels: sibling bond · friendship · peer pressure · bullying · school clique · betrayal · family support · friendship fallout · community hostility · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1441

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Cover of Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 5 by Hiromu Arakawa

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 5

Hiromu Arakawa · 2006 · 鋼の錬金術師 [Hagane no Renkinjutsushi]

A detour through automail country leads the brothers into new bonds, hard truths, and the start of a painful origin story.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: brother duo · teen protagonists · strong female characters · mentor figure · mechanic heroine · no-nonsense women · supportive sibling dynamic

Relationships labels: siblings · mentor-student · childhood friends · romantic tension · family bond · chosen family · teacher and students · parent-child

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1444

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Cover of A Wind in the Door by Madeleine L'Engle

A Wind in the Door

Madeleine L'Engle · 1976 · Time Quintet

Meg must help save her gifted, bullied brother by journeying into a strange inner world where love, naming, and evil collide.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: gifted child · bullied child · sick child · protective sibling · intuitive heroine · brilliant child · teacher figure · mentor figure · skeptical protagonist · supportive parent

Relationships labels: sibling bond · friendship · parent-child · mentor-student · bully-victim · teamwork · caregiving · family support

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1462

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Cover of Assassin of Reality by Marina Dyachenko

Assassin of Reality

Marina Dyachenko, Sergey Dyachenko · 2023 · Vita Nostra (English)

A gifted student returns to an eerie magical institute where language shapes reality and failure could remake the world.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: stubborn protagonist · older protagonist · intellectual curiosity · transcendent being · ambitious student · alienated protagonist · dark mentor · fascinating protagonist · humanity vs concept

Relationships labels: student-teacher rivalry · mentor-protégé · romance · pilot love interest · classmate distrust · peer support · familial leverage · protective friends · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1520

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Cover of The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang

The Black Tides of Heaven

Neon Yang · 2017 · Tensorate

Twin heirs of an authoritarian realm grow up under prophecy, rebellion, and a radical system of chosen gender.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: twin protagonists · prophet · rebel · ruler child · authoritarian parent · sibling contrast · nonbinary cast · queer cast · powerful women · morally compromised parent · agency-seeking protagonist

Relationships labels: sibling bond · twin bond · parent-child conflict · romance · queer romance · family duty · power imbalance · mentor-student

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1566

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Cover of Before the Incal by Alejandro Jodorowsky

Before the Incal

Alejandro Jodorowsky, Zoran Janjetov · 2013 · The Incal Saga

A young private detective’s early life in a corrupt dystopian megacity leads toward the events of The Incal.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young protagonist · reluctant hero · antihero · private detective · cynical protagonist · proactive protagonist · broken hero · strong-willed character · morally complex characters · strong female characters

Relationships labels: romance · friendship · mentor-protégé · family backstory · parent-child · allies · rival factions · power imbalance · institutional oppression

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1574

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Cover of Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky

Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres and the Methods of Rationality

Eliezer Yudkowsky · 2015 · Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

An alternate-universe Harry Potter uses science and rationality to probe magic, challenge Hogwarts, and remake his fate.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: child prodigy · rationalist · smart protagonist · annoying genius · arrogant protagonist · self-centered protagonist · overly mature child · relatable flaws · dark lord aspiration · logical villain · over-the-top characterization · female characters weak

Relationships labels: friendship · unlikely friendship · mentor-student tension · rivalry · family change · adoptive family · found family · student-teacher conflict · power imbalance · uncertain friendship

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1595

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Cover of Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein

Tunnel in the Sky

Robert A. Heinlein · 2005

A survival exam on a remote planet goes wrong, stranding students who must build order, shelter, and leadership from scratch.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen protagonist · young adults · school students · competent women · strong female characters · flawed hero · young leader · teacher mentor · political rival · coming-of-age protagonist · capable survivors · pragmatic leader

Relationships labels: peer group · teacher-student · sibling support · rivalry · romantic pairing · coalition building · group consensus · community bonds · power struggles · marriage

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1599

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Cover of The Rock Eaters: Stories by Brenda Peynado

The Rock Eaters: Stories

Brenda Peynado · 2021

A debut collection of strange, allegorical stories where speculative twists expose immigration, class, grief, and otherness.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young women · teen protagonists · collective communities · outsiders · immigrant characters · Latina protagonists · marginalized women · strong-willed characters

Relationships labels: family · parent-child · siblings · friendship · romance · same-sex relationship · community tension · cross-cultural relations · class rivalry · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1601

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Cover of City of Golden Shadow by Tad Williams

City of Golden Shadow

Tad Williams · 1996 · Otherland

A South African teacher investigates her brother’s VR coma and uncovers a vast hidden world tied to a deadly conspiracy.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: ensemble cast · strong female lead · female protagonist · young protagonist · teacher protagonist · student sidekick · amnesiac character · disabled character · ordinary people · diverse cast · sympathetic characters · likable protagonists · villain POV · character-driven

Relationships labels: sibling bond · teacher student · friendship · found family · power imbalance · parent child · community · rival factions · betrayal · loyalty

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1605

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Cover of Generation One by Pittacus Lore

Generation One

Pittacus Lore · 2017 · Lorien Legacies Reborn

After an alien war, powered teens are gathered at an academy as new threats and rival factions emerge.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: new protagonists · diverse ensemble · teenagers with powers · leader figure · troubled teen · healer · quiet and strong · brash character · villain POV · mentor figures · character development · distinct voices

Relationships labels: found family · mentor-student · parent-child conflict · team dynamic · romance potential · friendship bonds · community tension · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1612

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Cover of Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 6 by Hiromu Arakawa

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 6

Hiromu Arakawa · 2006 · 鋼の錬金術師 [Hagane no Renkinjutsushi]

A backstory-heavy manga volume tracing the Elric brothers’ origins, training, and the taboo that changed everything.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: brother duo · child protagonists · traumatized protagonists · gifted prodigy · strict teacher · mysterious officer · young recruits · complex female character

Relationships labels: brother bond · teacher-student relationship · mentor relationship · military recruitment · protective bonds · family loss

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1624

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Cover of 暗殺教室 6 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu 6] by Yusei Matsui

暗殺教室 6 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu 6]

Yusei Matsui, 松井優征 · 2013 · 暗殺教室 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu]

Class E uncovers Koro-sensei’s water weakness, then faces exam battles and school rivals with huge stakes.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: mentor figure · class bully · top student · corrupt principal · principal's son · manipulative student · redeemable delinquent · gifted students · caring teacher · morally corrupt antagonist

Relationships labels: teacher-student relationships · class rivalry · mentor-student bond · father-son conflict · friendship issues · peer manipulation · co-dependency · school hierarchy

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1625

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Cover of 17 juni by Alex Schulman

17 juni

Alex Schulman · 2025

A suspended teacher calls a lost family number and reaches his dead father, then a single childhood day in 1986.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teacher protagonist · unreliable narrator · antihero · traumatized adult · damaged child · socially isolated · obsessive · irrational behavior · emotionally immature parents · fragile protagonist

Relationships labels: parent-child · siblings · family system · dysfunctional family · student-teacher · sibling absence · attachment · betrayal · dependence · protective care

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1635

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Cover of Smoke by Dan Vyleta

Smoke

Dan Vyleta · 2016 · Smoke

In an alternate Victorian England, two schoolboys uncover a secret behind the smoke that marks sin, class, and power.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen protagonists · aristocratic youth · working class contrast · bully · good friend · compassionate friend · angry protagonist · loyal companion · moral outsider · female scientist · sinful heir · villainous prefect · secretive family · rebellious daughter · naive youths

Relationships labels: male friendship · love triangle · class rivalry · mentor control · parent-child conflict · romantic entanglement · bullying · betrayal · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1636

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Cover of Chosen by Shade Owens

Chosen

Shade Owens · 2022 · The Immortal Ones

A teen in a brutal future lottery is sent to the elite city, where immortality hides a darker truth.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: female protagonist · teen protagonist · rebellious heroine · strong moral compass · naive heroine · clueless protagonist · stubborn heroine · feisty protagonist · relatable heroine · strong female lead · brave protagonist · selfless heroine · annoying protagonist · character growth

Relationships labels: family loyalty · mother-daughter · grandmother-granddaughter · found family · female friendship · roommates · class conflict · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1638

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Cover of The Wind Singer by William Nicholson

The Wind Singer

William Nicholson · 2002 · The Wind on Fire Trilogy

In a color-coded test-rigged city, a rebellious twin and her family seek a lost voice that could free everyone.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: twin protagonists · rebellious heroine · sensitive brother · supportive parents · comic relief companion · misfit child · tyrannical authority · child protagonist · empathetic sibling

Relationships labels: sibling bond · twin bond · familial love · parent-child support · friendship trio · community oppression · rebellion against authority · family solidarity

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1642

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Cover of The Thief and the Sword by Mike Maihack

The Thief and the Sword

Mike Maihack · 2015 · Cleopatra in Space

A future-school thief, a stolen sword, and a prophecy push Cleopatra into a fast-paced space quest.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: female protagonist · fierce heroine · celebrity student · stubborn protagonist · reckless heroine · mysterious thief · rival character · supportive friends · talking cat teacher · mysterious antagonist · character development · realistic characters

Relationships labels: friendship · roommate relationship · school peer dynamics · student-teacher conflict · possible romance · rivalry · group teamwork · family-like friends · jealousy

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1645

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Cover of 暗殺教室 13 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu 13] by Yusei Matsui

暗殺教室 13 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu 13]

Yusei Matsui, 松井優征 · 2015 · 暗殺教室 [Ansatsu Kyōshitsu]

As a deadly school deadline nears, Class E faces career counseling, class rivalry, and a student’s painful home life.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: student growth · mentor figure · abusive parent · controlling parent · talented student · feminine boy · professional assassin · student development · teacher as counselor · villain depth

Relationships labels: teacher-student bond · student-teacher trust · parent-child conflict · mother-son conflict · class rivalry · rival classmates · protective mentorship · forgiveness arc

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1646

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Cover of Sleepwalk by John Saul

Sleepwalk

John Saul · 1990

In a declining New Mexico town, a teacher uncovers a conspiracy linking flu shots, mind control, and a refinery takeover.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teacher protagonist · troubled teen · outsider · widower father · teenage boy · maternal figure · community outsider · spiritual mentor · burned-out teacher · corporate antagonist

Relationships labels: teacher-student bond · father-son tension · family estrangement · cross-cultural family · romantic subplot · guardian role · community mistrust · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1660

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Cover of The Book That Wouldn't Burn by Mark Lawrence

The Book That Wouldn't Burn

Mark Lawrence · 2023 · The Library Trilogy

A girl from the Dust and a boy trapped in a vast library uncover secrets that bend time, knowledge, and identity.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: curious heroine · clever protagonist · determined protagonist · precocious child · trapped protagonist · found family · adopted siblings · librarian protagonist · outsider protagonist · young adult lead · humorous characters · mysterious assistants · robotic caretakers · monstrous antagonists · intellectual protagonist

Relationships labels: found family · sibling group · forbidden love · romantic undercurrent · cross-time connection · friendship · caregiver dynamic · community bonds · power imbalance · class conflict

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1661

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