Mortal Engines (The Hungry City Chronicles, #1)

by Philip Reeve

old curator of ceramics lay near the door, looking indignant, as if death was a silly modern fad that he rather disapproved of.

“You aren’t a hero, and I’m not beautiful, and we probably won’t live happily ever after,” she said. “But we’re alive, and together, and we’re going to be all right.”