The Long Game Quotes

“We're all liars sometimes.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“I could see, already, how this was going to end. "You'll have checkmate in three moves... Luckily for me," I told him, my fingers closing around my own queen, "I'll have checkmate in two.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Tell her," I said, "that I am my mother's daughter.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“I lie to her. Because this world is not safe. The people who are supposed to protect us, the people we are supposed to trust -- I know that sometimes they are the ones who do the most harm.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Information is power. You can never know ahead of time which pieces will be worth the most.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Oh God, Tessie... That is my daughter... And the next person who tries to get between my and my daughter is going to rue their existence on this earth... Every secret you've been keeping will find its way out. Every decision you make will be questioned. You will be audited, investigated, and transferred to the most hellish nightmare of a desk job I can find. Now, get out of my way. - Ivy”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“By the time I'm done," I said, "that picture will win you this election."
...
There was a long moment of silence, and then Emilia tossed her ponytail over her shoulders. "There's no way you're that good."
I smiled. "Try me.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Some people do horrible things because of their beliefs, and some people choose beliefs that let them do horrible things.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Is this the part where you suggest a highly inadvisable way of putting people in the mood to talk, in hopes that someone can shed light on who the"--Henry glanced at Vivvie--"hedgehog might be?"
"It's funny," I told Henry... "but the moment you said inadvisable, I had a thought."
...
"The hedgehog?" Emilia asked, wrinkling her brow.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“I took a step forward. Henry caught my elbow. "No bloodshed," he said. "No blackmail. No obstruction of justice."
"You drive a hard bargain," I told him. "What are your thoughts on extortion?" Without waiting for an answer, I headed for Bancroft's car.
Henry and Asher followed on my heels.
"The cat is dancing in the catnip," Asher reported back to Vivvie. "Grumpy lion is grumpy."
"Did you just refer to me as a grumpy lion?" Henry asked Asher.
"Absolutely not," Asher promised. Then he took the phone off speaker and lowered his voice. "Suspicious lion is suspicious," he stage whispered to Vivvie.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“The eagle has landed," Vivvie said from the other end. "The bird is in the bush."
Few things in life gave Vivvie and Asher as much joy as talking in code. I didn't bother translating.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“I was comfortable with silence, comfortable with letting questions go unanswered. Sometimes it was my best tool for making a person say more.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“You owe me a favor. - Emilia”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“As I exited the car, I glanced over at Henry. "Should I call Asher and tell him we won't be needing that getaway distraction?"
Before Henry could reply, pop music reverberated off the building. Asher jogged into the middle of a large crowd and struck a dramatic pose.
"You say distraction," Henry deadpanned, "Asher hears 'flash mob'."
Five seconds later, Vivvie danced wildly past and gave me a questioning look. I nodded.
"The possum has fallen on the nun!" Vivvie called to Asher.
Asher didn't miss a beat of choreography. He shimmied and punched a fist into the air. "Long live the possum!”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Asking for a friend," Asher clarified. Then he nudged his best friend. "Henry, my good man, tell Tess she's pretty as a picture when she's preparing to unleash her wrath on the delightfully unsuspecting father of one of our classmates."
"Kendrick?" Henry Marquette said.
"Yes?" I replied without taking my eyes away from the street.
"You are utterly terrifying when you are plotting something.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Some people weren’t worth the breath it took to shoot them down.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“If it came down to the rest of the world or you, I would pick you every single time.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“I was starting to believe that was what our country ran on—secret upon secret upon secret.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Zeg maar tegen haar dat ik de dochter van mijn moeder ben.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Grief was like a set of stacking dolls, each subsequent trauma encompassing all of those that had come before.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“You say ‘distraction,’” Henry deadpanned, “Asher hears ‘flash mob.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“When I saw a problem, I solved it. I wouldn’t stay powerless for long.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Ik heb nog iets van je tegoed. - Emilia”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Tegen de tijd dat ik klaar ben, heb je het aan die foto te danken dat je de verkiezingen wint.'
...
Het bleef even stil. Daarna zwaaide Emilia haar lange paardenstaart over haar schouder. 'Zo goed ben je nou ook weer niet.'
Ik glimlachte naar haar. 'Moet jij eens opletten.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game

“Ik zag nu al hoe het zou aflopen. 'Over drie zetten zet u me schaakmat.'
...
'Maar gelukkig,' zei ik, terwijl ik mijn eigen koningin van het bord plukte, 'zet ik u in twee zetten schaakmat.”
― Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Long Game