A Shadow Bright and Burning Quotes

“Knowledge is as powerful as fire. The brighter it burns, the more it devours.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“It's easy to poke fun at the world and think yourself clever, but it's much harder to stand silent and endure.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I have always been uncomfortable with fragile things, like feelings and confessions. Butterflies, too.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I find a dash of insolence to be quite enjoyable from time to time.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Your stupidity is terrifying.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I didn't know how lonely I was," he said as we bowed, "until I had you on my side.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Don’t remind me of that,” Blackwood snapped. “I’m not in love with her, but I can see her value.”
“Always about value with you, isn’t it? Why don’t you grow a personality? You’re like a shambling ghost, curdling everyone’s blood whenever you walk into a room.”
“At least I don’t spend my time seducing innocent young women.”
“Someone’s been reading novels again. What’s the title of this one? The Poxy Lordling and the Aggressive Milkmaid?” Magnus sighed. “I tried to leave her alone, but I can’t help myself. She teases me in just the right way—”
Blackwood made a disgusted noise. “I don’t care. Unless you want an enemy, Magnus, leave her alone.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“It sometimes feels as though young women are trained from birth never to contribute anything original to a conversation.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“You don’t have to teach me how to do what you do. Just teach me—”
“How I do what I do, but not how to do what I do? What if what I do has to do with my knowledge of what to do, and doing requires only the knowledge of doing? What would you do then?”
I blinked. “I believe you hurt my brain.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“There is no winner till the race is run.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I am not interested in what is pleasant. I'm interested in what's useful.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“You’re a cuckoo in the nest. If they learn the truth, they’ll push you out and break your neck.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“There are other sorcerer women in history you might admire,” Agrippa said. “Hypatia of Alexandria, the teacher. Much like you.” He smiled. “Hatshepsut, deemed by many as the greatest pharaoh in Egypt’s long history.” It struck me as odd that most sorcerer women belonged solely to antiquity, as if the glory of female magic were some crumbling myth to be debated by scholars.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Corsets were not designed for battling monsters.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“If you're so certain," I said, my voice rocky and low, "that the poor are born inferior, then all the shame in the world on you for not protecting them. If people are born generation after generation into poverty and deprivation, it is your duty to look after them, not sacrifice their lives to save your own!”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Those,” he said, slipping the knife into the folds of his coat, “are the sorts of questions you can’t ask.” “You don’t have to teach me how to do what you do. Just teach me—” “How I do what I do, but not how to do what I do? What if what I do has to do with my knowledge of what to do, and doing requires only the knowledge of doing? What would you do then?” I blinked. “I believe you hurt my brain.” “It’s a good brain, all things considered. Listen, my adorable bonfire, I cannot teach you much. Our safety requires it. But I suppose a little magic never did a body a great deal of harm. Unless it was the magical art of rearranging bones. Or turning flesh inside out. Or—never mind. Really, I’d forgotten how much I missed being collegial with my own kind. A magician without an apprentice is like a dog without a bark.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Real magic,” Hargrove said, waving his hand again and returning the beetle to half a gold piece, “is about pushing the limits of what can and cannot be imagined. But I expect you’re all still content with starting fires and making it rain.” He swept the cards back into the pack and slid it into his purple-orange-red coat. “At least our magic is perfectly natural,” I muttered, stung by his rudeness.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“As I rose, Dee said, “You really should name your stave, you know. Names give one a bit more control over something.” Bemused, I picked up my stave as I put my spoon back in my empty bowl. “Perhaps Porridge?” I said, grinning. To my surprise, the carvings glowed with blue light. “Oh no!” Dee said. “You should’ve given it a grand name. What’ll it say in the history books? Miss Henrietta Howel, the savior of England, and her stave, Porridge?” I felt the pulse again, almost like a heartbeat. Somehow I knew the stave was pleased. “I think it’ll look quite nice in the books, actually. Porridge it is,” I said, and left with Blackwood for my first lesson. We”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Are you ready?” he whispered.
“Yes.” I made my voice as stiff as I could.
“For God’s sake, I’m sorry. Can’t you forgive me?”
“No,” I said.
If I counted to ten, I could avoid getting angry. He gripped me tighter about the waist and pressed me as close as he might dare while we danced. We applauded the musicians when the waltz ended.
“I don’t imagine that you want any refreshment,” Magnus muttered.
“No.”
“I must say, it’s staggeringly mature of you to answer me with one word at all times. ‘Do you agree, Miss Howel, with Plato’s concept of knowledge as recollection?’ Yes. ‘And how would you go about describing it?’ No. ‘What is your favorite color?’ Maybe.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Ever since Cellini’s attack, Blackwood and the others had taken extra care of me. Lambe and Wolff showed me new strategies for chess. Dee tried especially hard not to step on my feet during dance practice.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I’ll never marry. No man could want me in battle, and I wouldn’t want anyone who might keep me away from my duty.”
“Don’t be so hasty to rule out gentlemen’s understanding,” Magnus said. “There are some who admire a capable girl. One of them might be closer than you think, if you’d take the time to notice what’s before you.” He leaned closer. For a second, I didn’t dare breathe. Since our moment in the library, Magnus had returned to his old, harmless flirtation. I’d half hoped it would stay that way. He sighed gently and said, “Can’t you see the way Palehook looks at you?”
He laughed. I was so relieved that I joined him.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“I'm a mix of both races, but I was born a magician. You have to know the truth." My heart pounded as I waited for his reply.

He was silent a moment. Then he said, "We need you. That's what is important. The rest is titles." Gently, he took my hand in his own. It wasn't a romantic gesture; it was deeper than that. We sat side by side, our burdens eased, if not lifted.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Flibberty bop, to the top, allons-y, charge.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Affection pulsed through me. “If there’s one thing I took from those Sundays in church, it’s that we’re called to love the lowest.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“Ladies are so much cleverer than gentlemen. They enjoy good conversation and great fun, two things without which I cannot live.” “Life truly is just a game to you, isn’t it?” I said, almost impressed.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“We might cause a scandal, a young lady and a gentleman going to the kitchen without an escort. We should shock them by baking something together.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“He was silent a moment. Then he said, “We need you. That’s what’s important. The rest is titles.” Gently, he took my hand in his own. It wasn’t a romantic gesture; it was deeper than that. We”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“What was I doing considering any of this?”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“What about Rook?”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning

“We must blame the accursed Howard Mickelmas, my dear girl. He’s the one who thought it such fun to rip a hole in time and space, to summon those evil Ancients from some far, distant world. He’s to blame, along with that witch, that Mary Willoughby. They ruined it for the rest of us.” He sighed. “Did you know that magicians flourished back in the Golden Age, when good Queen Elizabeth was alive? We were the most learned, the most ambitious. We were the future.”
― Jessica Cluess, A Shadow Bright and Burning