The Book That Broke the World (The Library Trilogy, #2)

by Mark Lawrence

One of the worst things about humans is everything. But I’ll tell you what’s ten times worse than a human…two humans. And what’s ten times worse than two humans? You’ve guessed it: one child.

A story is how you tell yourself truths you’re not brave enough to hear.

“People don’t choose sides up here.” He tapped his head. “That’s where they think up the reasons for the choice after they’ve made it. The reasons they’re going to tell everyone. But the truth is that they made the choice here.” He slapped his chest. “We fight for the people we love. We fight for the ideas we want to be true, whether they are or not. It’s a bit like this fucking pond. You just jump in with both feet.”

There are few journeys more painful than going back to a place you haven’t seen in many years. If you are lucky, it will have changed beyond recognition and, by having done so, will allow you to ignore the still larger changes in yourself.

What was life if not a song sung to the music of the past for the future to hear?

No one treads lightly enough to leave no tracks in this world. Others might see our trail as bruised hearts and broken promises, or perhaps saved souls and conjured smiles. But not one of us looks back at our own path without seeing disappointment in every step.

Livira was never sure when it was that Malar died, only that her hands were on him and that he was not alone.

Please fuck off

The bonds between parent and child were, he said, as dangerous as they were wonderful, as full of darkness and terror as they were of joy and light.

The wait for the world to tell you that you’re special can be a long and lonely one. Better to get off your arse and let it know that you are.

Many books are taken from the shelves. None are ever entirely returned to them.