The Last Kids on Earth and the Nightmare King

“I know a good amount about buddies, ‘cause I have the best buddies, and I’m quite sure they don’t like being knocked out.”

The narrative emphasizes the importance of friendship. Jack’s friends are the most important thing in the world to him. All he ever talks about is his friends, and all he ever thinks about is making them happy and keeping them safe.

Jack’s voice can also be sarcastic. This brings a lighter, humorous tone to a story with dark and painful undertones.

“I hear a swirling, deafening thunderclap, followed by the sound of walloping wings and crumbling brick.”

Brallier uses sensory detail in this case sound, to create tension. He uses the word “swirling” to describe a sound, even though it would typically evoke a visual element. This creates a sense of disjointedness.

“The King Wretch gives me a final look—a once-over—and then shoots into the sky with a burst of beating wings. His tail snaps the pavement as he rockets away, winging, curving, and slicing into the distance.”

Here, four different verbs describe the King Wretch as it flies away—"rockets,” “winging,” “curving,” and “slicing.” This shows the beast’s agility and power. The language suggests that the King Wretch is the key antagonist in the story.