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The House of the Scorpion

Nancy Farmer

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Similar in characterization + relationships

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

Characterization labels used: clone protagonist, child protagonist, coming of age, isolated child, sympathetic protagonist, morally complex characters, villainous ruler, caretaker figure, bodyguard mentor, love interest, antagonistic family

Relationships labels used: found family, caretaker bond, mentor relationship, guardian relationship, romantic tension, power imbalance, loyalty conflict, betrayal, parent-child dynamic, friendship

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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A Hero For WondLa

Tony DiTerlizzi · 2012 · The Search for WondLa

Eva travels to a human city that should be home, only to uncover hidden truths and a bigger fight ahead.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: young heroine · coming-of-age · naive protagonist · empathetic protagonist · alien guide · robot caregiver · rebellious sister · antagonistic ruler · complex characters · character growth · morally driven

Relationships labels: found family · father-daughter dynamic · sibling relationship · friendship · mentor-protector · betrayal · trust issues · interdependence

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1221

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The Lord of Opium

Nancy Farmer · 2013 · Matteo Alacran

A cloned teen inherits a drug empire and must choose between preserving power and transforming a damaged world.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen leader · clone identity · socially isolated · morally conflicted · flawed protagonist · young ruler · scientists · drug lords · microchipped workers · bodyguard · surrogate mother · love interest · precocious child · dangerous ally · caretaker figure

Relationships labels: mentor bond · surrogate family · love interest · parent-child tension · trust issues · political alliance · power imbalance · friendship · romantic tension · loyalty conflict

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1264

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La Reine solitaire

Robin Hobb · 2000 · L'Assassin royal

A battered royal outsider and his companions race through a magical kingdom toward a final reckoning with power, loyalty, and dragons.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: imperfect hero · anti-hero · touching protagonist · complex characters · morally gray characters · passive protagonist · self-sacrificing character · maturing protagonist · emotionally burdened hero · found family

Relationships labels: found family · mentor-student · loyalty conflict · friendship · romantic tension · family betrayal · parent-child · bond with animal companion · rivalry

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1311

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Warchild

Karin Lowachee · 2002 · Warchild

A traumatized war orphan is forced through pirates, aliens, and espionage to choose who he can trust.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: traumatized child · war orphan · angry protagonist · isolated protagonist · conflicted protagonist · sympathetic protagonist · spy protagonist · assassin protagonist · mentor figure · abusive villain · pirate captain · alien sympathizer · resourceful young adult · emotionally guarded

Relationships labels: guardian-child relationship · mentor-mentee relationship · found family · betrayal · loyalty conflict · power imbalance · abusive relationship · male bonding · camaraderie · parent-child loss · friendship under pressure

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1362

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The Goblin Emperor

Katherine Addison · 2014 · The Chronicles of Osreth

An exiled half-goblin heir is thrust onto an imperial throne and must survive court intrigue, grief, and succession politics.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: kindhearted protagonist · naive protagonist · socially awkward · shy protagonist · isolated upbringing · abused child · unprepared ruler · good ruler ideal · sensitive protagonist · compassionate protagonist · competent potential · outsider protagonist · reluctant leader · moral protagonist

Relationships labels: father-son conflict · mother-son bond · abusive guardian · court alliances · friendship seeking · arranged marriage · romance subplot · mentor-ward tension · found family · rival courtiers · class hierarchy · political dependency

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1378

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Acorna: The Unicorn Girl

Anne McCaffrey, Margaret Ball · 2022 · Acorna

A unicorn-like alien girl is raised by space miners and drawn into a fight against child slavery on a distant world.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: strong heroine · gifted child · rapid maturation · protective guardians · found family · shallow characters · one-note characters · character growth · impulsive heroine · morally good protagonists · powerful allies

Relationships labels: found family · guardian child · adoptive fathers · protective companionship · romance · implied romance · friendship · mentorship · community care · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1429

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Dark Blue Rising

Teri Terry · 2020 · The Circle Trilogy

A secluded teen’s world collapses when she learns her mother was lying about everything, and the sea may hold the answers.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen protagonist · naive protagonist · mistrustful protagonist · isolated protagonist · sympathetic protagonist · resourceful heroine · protective caregiver · mysterious caregiver · messed-up family dynamics · emotionally vulnerable · identity formation · development arc

Relationships labels: mother-daughter · found family · kidnapping · betrayal · trust issues · dependency · friendship · romantic tension · family reunion · authority conflict

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1439

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The Trials of Koli

M.R. Carey · 2020 · Rampart Trilogy

Exiled from his village, Koli travels through a deadly future England while a second narrator reveals what’s unfolding back home.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: naive protagonist · coming-of-age · sensitive protagonist · skeptical companion · trans girl · healer · sentient AI · mature female narrator · found family group · mismatched companions

Relationships labels: found family · romantic interest · former love interest · childhood friend · companionship · mentor relationship · trust issues · marriage · community conflict · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1444

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The Epiphany Machine

David Burr Gerrard · 2017

A young New Yorker becomes tied to a tattoo machine that exposes hidden truths, then faces its fallout over decades.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: flawed protagonist · unlikable protagonist · passive protagonist · miserable protagonist · self-loathing · self-absorbed · moral ambiguity · cult leader · enigmatic mentor · protégé · writer protagonist · artists · young adult protagonist · coming-of-age · controversial adults

Relationships labels: parent-child conflict · abandoned child · mentor-protégé · best friends · romantic relationship · marriage · family estrangement · cultish dependency · power imbalance · betrayal · loyalty

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1450

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Asfixia

Alex Mírez · 2016

After a toxic air catastrophe kills nearly everyone, one immune survivor uncovers hidden factions and a buried truth.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: imperfect protagonist · resourceful survivor · isolated heroine · immune heroine · curious protagonist · strong-willed · impulsive · morally ambiguous cast · brooding commander · comic relief · scientist · soldier · enigmatic character · supportive friend

Relationships labels: found family · friendship · mentor dynamic · romantic tension · unresolved romance · rival factions · friendship-bond · protective relationship · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1459

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More Than Human

Theodore Sturgeon · 1979

Misfit children with psychic gifts form a shared consciousness and must decide what power, identity, and humanity mean.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: outcasts · misfits · children · young adults · disabled characters · psychic characters · genius child · simpleton · caregiver figure · morally compromised character · damaged characters · lonely characters · abused children · gifted outsiders · sympathetic antagonists

Relationships labels: found family · group bonding · dependency · psychic link · parent-child conflict · caretaking · community formation · collective identity · betrayal · power imbalance

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1465

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Perilous Waif

E. William Brown · 2017 · Alice Long

An unusually gifted orphan flees a controlled upbringing and finds herself pulled into a dangerous far-future crew.

Why this is here

Characterization labels: teen heroine · overpowered protagonist · gifted child · badass girl · naive heroine · loyal protagonist · shy protagonist · resourceful survivor · superhuman growth · young soldier · transhuman protagonist

Relationships labels: found family · friend loyalty · mentor dynamic · crew bonds · protective relationships · romantic tension · bisexual attraction · subordinate power dynamic · female friendship · human-AI bonds

Semantic match: ranked by characterization + relationships

Distance: 0.1475

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