Pick up any random YA novel and you can play Fantasy Plot Cliché Bingo. It’s a fun game where you spot the clichés in the story. And there are plenty to choose from. Here’s a selection:
Secret Royal Twins
Here’s a triple line prize right off the bat. No one knows these sisters – bona fide twins – are royal princesses. Even better when they don’t know themselves and discover their secret lineage along the way.
With surprise magical powers…
A double bonus prize. Our twins are magical badasses-in-waiting. They hide some minor abilities for fear of being branded witches by the local peasantry. They don’t know how powerful they will become. Especially when they power-up together as sisters. All they need to do is believe…
Hidden on a farm
The twins are disguised as peasant girls, of course. This enables a My Fair Lady, comedy-of-manners sub-plot later on. On reaching the palace, the girls are fishes out of water among the aristocrats. The mean aristos humiliate them while they are disguised as serving girls. They are humiliated again when revealed as princesses for their ignorance of the proper ettiquette. Until they tear down the old social order at the end. The girls’ revenge stops the aristos laughter. Even better if they do it publicly during the girl’s coronation scene.
‘Not like other girls’
This could be anything from unlady-like fiestiness to girlboss fighting skils to… hermaphrodite. Perhaps they have angel blood, demon blood, wings, talons, telepathy. Or extreme craft skills beyond mere mortals in sewing, baking, or talking to animals. More usually it’s the classic emotional baricade that thwarts meaningful relationships. It doesn’t stop them bagging the two hottest guys in the story. One’s a prince, the other’s a ranger, archer, woodsman, wizard’s apprentice or the faithful peasant’s son from their adopted village.