Flora > Flora's Quotes

“At night, she whispered into the pipes: I hate it here. Please take me away, let me be something other than Marya, something magical, with a round belly. Frighten me, make me cry, only come back.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“Morality is more dependent on the state of one's stomach than of one's nation.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“What mirrors we are, set to face each other, reflecting desire.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“After that, Marya Morevna understood that she belonged to her secret and it belonged to her. They had struck a bloody bargain between them. Keep me and obey me, the secret said to her, for I am your husband and I can destroy you.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“There is no better teacher of rough necessity than bad luck, and you will have great use of me, I promise.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“Men, they feel nothing like what we must endure. You have to make room in yourself for him, and that is the same in a house as in a body. See that you keep some rooms in yourself, locked up tight.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“If a bird or any other beast comes out of that uncanny republic where husbands are grown, I will see him with his skin off before I agree to fall in love.”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“She passed a hand over her eyes. A year and more now, that she had needed glasses.
'Look', those glasses said from her desk. 'Look how much you are not like the others. You grow older and your eyes wear out. In case you could ever mistake yourself for belonging'.
Marya supposed this was why no one asked after stolen fairy tale girls. What embarassment they turn out to be. They grow tempers; they join the army; they need glasses. Who wants them?”
― Catherynne M. Valente, Deathless

“What could I become if I stopped worrying about death, about pain, about anything? If I stopped trying to belong? Instead of being afraid, I could become something to fear.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“Show your power by appearing powerless.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“I get why he chose her. I just wish she had chosen me.”
― Holly Black, The Cruel Prince

“mom says where did anxiety come from?
anxiety is the cousin visiting from out of town
depression felt obliged to bring to the party.
mom, i am the party.
only, i am a party i don't want to be at.”
― Sabrina Benaim, Depression & Other Magic Tricks

“sure, i make plans. i make plans but i don't want to go. i make plans because i know i should want to go, i know at some point i would have wanted to go, it's just not that much fun having fun when you don't want to have fun.”
― Sabrina Benaim, Depression & Other Magic Tricks

“She asks me to kill the spider.
Instead, I get the most
peaceful weapons I can find.

I take a cup and a napkin.
I catch the spider, put it outside
and allow it to walk away.

If I am ever caught in the wrong place
at the wrong time, just being alive
and not bothering anyone,

I hope I am greeted
with the same kind
of mercy.”
― Rudy Francisco, Helium

“you wouldn't let me
love both of us
at the same time”
― Rudy Francisco, Helium

“My soul is a hidden orchestra; I know not what instruments with fiddle-strings & harps, drums & tambourines, I sound & clash inside myself. All I hear is the symphony.”
― Fernando Pessoa

“The devil doesn't come to you with a red face and horns, he comes to you disguised as everything you've ever wanted.”
― Oscar Auliq-Ice

“To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me. But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nature and Selected Essays