The Return Quotes

“They wound their way through a labyrinth of streets, partly following their noses, partly the orientation of the map. Jardines, Mirasol, Cruz, Puentezuelas, Capuchinas...
Each word held its magic. They were like brushstrokes painting the landscape of the city, each one helping to build up a picture of the whole.”
― Victoria Hislop, The Return

“Dance halls were where young men and women conducted their courtships, and most had one clear objective: to find a spouse. Mercedes was an exception. The last thing on her mind was to find a soulmate.... When she went out on a Friday and Saturday night she had no desire for anything beyond the life-enhancing thrill of the dance.”
― Victoria Hislop, The Return

“Once she was face to face with the people who led the way their silence was unnerving. No one seemed to speak. They looked right through her as though she didn't exist. They were like sleepwalkers. She stood aside to let them pass. One by one they went by, old, young, the lame, the wounded, children, pregnant women, eyes staring ahead or fixed to the ground. One thing they all shred, apart from a look of fear, was a sense of resignation. There was vacancy in their expression, as though all emotion had been wiped out of them.”
― Victoria Hislop, The Return

“Being passive doesn't mean being subservient. Her power lay in how well she chose to respond. There was no subservience involved.”
― Victoria Hislop, The Return