Kindred Spirits Quotes

“And the thing about nerd culture being mainstream culture now means that there's no place to just be a nerd among other nerds - without being reminded that you're the nerd.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“If you broke Elena's heart, Star Wars would spill out. This was a holy day for her -- it was a cosmic event. This was her planets lining up. (Tatooine, Coruscant, Hoth.)”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Extroverts were nothing if not dependable.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“People who are jerks don't get to decide whether they're jerks. It's left up to a jury of their peers.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“How could you possibly have a dark secret involving the Star Wars prequels? Are you responsible for Jar Jar Binks?”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“It’s so warm,” he said. “I love inside.”
“Inside is the best,” Elena said. “Let’s never go outside again.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“I was born at the wrong time," she said. "And in the wrong climate. It should be 1983, and I should be sitting outside Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Gabe?" she said.
"What?"
"I can't sleep."
"Why not?"
"Star Wars!”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“I saw the prequels in the theater," Gabe said. "When I was a kid. I thought they were awesome"
"And now?" she asked.
"They're my first love," he said. "I can't be objective.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“What were they thinking when they scheduled this movie for December?" Troy said. "They weren't thinking of us, I can tell you. May," he said, shaking his head. "May is when you release a Star Wars movie. If this movie were a May movie, the line would already be around the block.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“It was a pretty good strategy for most social situations: show up, fall back, let somebody else break the ice and take the spotlight. Somebody else always would. Extroverts were nothing if not dependable.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“You have friends. You have a clique. You walk down the hall like you own the place.”

“You seem to have mistaken me for the movie Mean Girls”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“She’d made it. She was here. It was happening.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Elena bounced up and down, pointing from side to side.
“What’s that?” Gabe asked.
“It’s my Star Wars dance,” she said, bouncing and pointing.
After a few seconds, he joined her. Then Troy’s friends picked it up. The dance traveled down the line. From the street, they must have looked like the Peanuts characters dancing.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Troy and Sandra and Gabe acted out a lightsaber battle that brought tears to Elena’s eyes, probably because they were all three singing the John Williams music.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“What's your favorite Star Wars movie?" Gabe asked. Uncharacteristically. Elena looked over at him.
"You might as well ask me who my favorite child is," Troy said.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Usually when her mom gave her warnings like this, Elena would just give her a thumbs up. Like, No prob, Bob.

Because it really wasn’t a problem. Avoid men? Done! This had literally never been an issue for her. When other girls complained about how to deal with unwanted male attention, Elena wouldn’t feel jealous exactly, but she would feel curious—how does one go about attracting such attention? And is it impossible to attract just some of it? Just a small, manageable amount? Or was attention from boys all or nothing, like a tap that, once you’d found it, you could never turn off?”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“If I have to pee during the movie, I’m using this cup.”
“It’s what you do best,” Gabe said.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“There are already people in line over there,” he said. “Have you seen them? Just three miserable dorks sitting on the sidewalk.”
Elena smiled brightly. “That’s us!”
“What?”
“We’re the three dorks—well, two of the three.”
The barista was mortified; he gave them their coffee for free. “May the Force be with you!” Elena said.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“By Tuesday evening, deep malaise had set in. Luke-staring-into-both-suns-of-Tatooine malaise.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Learn from my mistakes,” she said.
Learn what? Elena wondered. Avoid men? Avoid love? Avoid radiologists who buy movie-replica lightsabers?”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Don’t worry about her!” Troy shouted from behind her. “She’s in good hands!”
Elena’s mom looked aghast. But she still drove away.
“I’m sorry,” Troy said. “Did I make that worse? I meant the hands of the line.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“If you broke Elena’s heart, Star Wars would spill out.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Everybody likes Star Wars,” he said. “Everybody likes everything these days. The whole world is a nerd.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“I don’t think George Lucas would want you to do this,” her mom said. “I didn’t know you knew who George Lucas was.” “Please. I was watching Star Wars movies before you were born. Your dad and I saw Empire Strikes Back five times in the theater.” “Lucky,” Elena said. “George Lucas is a father of daughters,” her mother said. “He wouldn’t want young girls freezing to death to prove their loyalty.” “This isn’t about George Lucas,” Elena said. “He isn’t even that involved in the sequels.” “Come home,” her mom said. “We’ll watch Empire Strikes Back and I’ll make hot cocoa.” “I can’t,” Elena said. “I’ll lose my place in line.” “I think it will still be there for you in the morning.” “Goodnight, Mom.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Her dad wouldn’t even let her see the prequels. He said she was too young. And then, when she grew up, he said they were too terrible. “They’ll just corrupt your love of Star Wars,” he said. “I wish I could unsee them.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“I don’t know very many people.”

“Why should you?” he said. “You’ve got your clique.”

That was true, but not the way he was saying it. “We’re not a clique,” she said.

“Gang, then.”

“Gabe.”

“Army?”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Excuse me,” someone said, interrupting a lively discussion about whom they’d each buy a drink for in the cantina.

The whole line looked up. There were two women standing on the sidewalk with bakery boxes. One of them cleared her throat. “We heard that people were camping out for Star Wars . . .”

“That’s us!” Troy said, only slightly less enthusiastically than he’d said it yesterday.

“Where’s everybody else?” she asked. “Are they around the back? Do you do this in shifts?”

“It’s just us,” Elena said.

“We’re the Cupcake Gals,” the other woman said. “We thought we’d bring Star Wars cupcakes? For the line?”

“Great!” Troy said.

The Cupcake Gals held on tight to their boxes.

“It’s just . . .” the first woman said, “we were going to take a photo of the whole line, and post it on Instagram . . .”

“I can help you there!” Elena said. Those cupcakes were not going to just walk away. Not on Elena’s watch.

Elena took a selfie of their line, the Cupcake Gals and a theater employee all holding Star Wars cupcakes—it looked like a snapshot from a crowd— and promised to post it across all her channels. The lighting was perfect. Magic hour, no filter necessary. #CupcakeGals #TheForceACAKEns #SalaciousCrumbs

The Gals were completely satisfied and left both boxes of cupcakes.

“This is the first time I’ve been happy that there were only three of us,” Elena said, helping herself to a second cupcake. It was frosted to look like Chewbacca.

“You saved these cupcakes,” Gabe said. “Those women were going to walk away with them.”

“I know,” Elena said. “I could see it in their eyes. I would’ve stopped at nothing to change their minds.”

“Thank God they were satisfied by a selfie then,” Gabe said. His cupcake looked like Darth Vader, and his tongue was black.

“I’m really good at selfies,” Elena said. “Especially for someone with short arms.”

“Great job,” Troy said. “You’ll make someone a great provider someday.”

“That day is today,” Elena said, leaning back against the theater wall. “You’re both welcome.”

“Errrggh,” Troy said, kicking his feet out. “Cupcake coma.”

“How many did you eat?” Gabe asked.

“Four,” Troy said. “I took down the Jedi Council. Time for a little midday siesta—the Force asleepens.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“Is your leg asleep again?” Troy said. “I’m worried about your circulation.”

“It’s fine,” Elena said, stamping her foot.

She’d only been sitting for two hours, but she was so bored she could hardly stand it. She could literally hardly stand; even her blood vessels were bored.”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits

“God, Elena missed her friends. (Not that Troy and Gabe weren’t great. She’d definitely miss them.) (Even Gabe.) (Especially Gabe.)”
― Rainbow Rowell, Kindred Spirits