The Invasion of the Tearling Quotes

“When it fails, they do call it madness, Lazarus. But when it succeeds, they call it genius.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Corruption begins with a single moment of weakness.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“This, I think, is the crux of evil in this world, Majesty: those who feel entitled to whatever they want, whatever they can grab. Such people never ask themselves if they have the right. They consider no cost to anyone but themselves.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Even small gestures of kindness have the potential to reap enormous rewards. Only the shortsighted man believes otherwise.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“And Kelsea wondered suddenly whether humanity ever actually changed. Did people grow and learn at all as the centuries past? Or was humanity merely like the tide, enlightenment advancing and then retreating as circumstances shifted? The most defining characteristic of the species might be lapse.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Pain only disables the weak.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Always, we think we know what courage means. If I were called upon, we say, I would answer the call. I would not hesitate. Until the moment is upon us, and then we realize that the demands of true courage are very different from what we had envisioned, long ago on that bright morning when we felt brave.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Pen?”
“Lady?”
“You think I’m pretty.”
He blinked in surprise. “I always found you so, Lady. But it’s true that your face has changed.”
“You always found me pretty?”
Pen shrugged. “It doesn’t matter, Lady. Some women are defined by their appearance, but you have never been one of them.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Whenever she had a problem to consider, she invariably found herself in the library, for it was easier to think when she was surrounded by books.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Love was a real thing, Aisa thought, but secondary. Certainly love was not as real as her sword.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Names made a thing real.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“There's a better world out there, so close we can almost touch it.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“This is a fool’s errand,” Mace grumbled.
“You think all of my errands are foolish, Lazarus. I’m not impressed.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“If we could be better people,” she would say, “if we could care about each other as much as we do about ourselves, think about it, Lily! Think what the world would be!”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Anger was the indulgence of a child, not a queen.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Selfishness and self-destruction, riding hand in hand, as they so often did.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Only a fool blames the dealer”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Do you always eat with so many of your Guard, Majesty?”
“Usually.”
“Are security concerns so great?”
“Not at all. I prefer to eat with my Guard.”
“Perhaps when you begin a family, that will change.”
Kelsea narrowed her eyes as Milla began to ladle soup into her bowl. “My Guard are my family.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“The problems of the past.
How the problems of the past, uncorrected, inevitably became the problems of the future.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“It’s just … difficult.”
“You’ve noticed the change in her, then.”
“I never cared which face she wore.”
“Ah. So this isn’t new.”
“No.”
“That makes it worse, I think.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“You can defend your kingdom, or you can defend your people, Majesty. You don’t have the manpower to do both at once.”
“People are more important than land.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Sometime in the last forty-eight hours, Lily had discovered the great secret of pain: it thrived on the unknown, on the knowledge that there was a greater pain out there, something more excruciating that might yet be breached. The body was constantly waiting. When you took away the uncertainty, when you controlled the pain yourself, it was definitely easier to bear,...”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“I don’t want to die, Arlen, but I would lay down my life for any of these men, or they for me. That’s a real thing, sacrifice, but you will never understand it.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“The King of Cadare cannot have an alliance on an equal footing with a woman. Marriage ensures that Your Majesty is seen to submit her will to my master in all things.”
Mace moved in sharply, blocking off Kelsea’s right side. She blinked in surprise, for she had sensed no threat from the ambassador or his guards. It took a few moments for her to see it: Mace had actually moved to protect the ambassador. Some of Kelsea’s anger ebbed away then; she smiled at Mace, and felt a rush of affection when he smiled back.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“I know all about the wildness of youth, believe me. But regret has a terrible ability to follow you, long after youth has vanished”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“The wrongs of the past are not less significant, they’re just harder to fix. And the longer you ignore them in favor of more pressing issues, the worse the harm, until the problems of the past actually create the problems of the future.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“It didn’t matter then, anyway. Elyssa had about as much use for books as a cat has for a riding crop. But now …”
Tyler heard the Mace’s unspoken thought easily. Queen Elyssa may not have cared about illiteracy, but Queen Kelsea would care, very much. “But the Queen would never kick you out of the Guard.”
“Of course she wouldn’t. I just don’t want her to know.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“I’m sober.”
“That’s not my concern. I know you’ll never make that mistake again.”
“Then what’s your concern?” the younger man asked, his tone aggressive.
“You and her.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“We have trust, Lady, you and I?”
“I trust you with my life, Andalie.”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling

“Always, we think we know what courage means. If I were called upon, we say, I would answer the call. I would not hesitate. Until the moment is upon us, and then we realize that the demands of true courage are very different from what we had envisioned, long ago on that bright morning when we felt brave. –Father”
― Erika Johansen, The Invasion of the Tearling