The Island Mother Quotes

“a bit like camp counselors; you’re thrown into a job looking after what essentially amounts to a bunch of rich kids. You’re isolated from the world, and the only people you can relate to are the other counselors. Add in a romantic Hawaiian backdrop, and it’s like getting thrown into an emotional blender.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“You’ll even get a chance to feed and pet them if you like. Interested?”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“Ohana means family. Family means fishing a dead rat out of a pool to keep things running smoothly for everyone else.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“I can’t help it, but the more anxious I get about my choices, the more desperately I want to lie back and curl into Kai’s warm body. Jesus, I can’t even panic about my codependency issues without being codependent.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“I squint at its features and vaguely recognize its face, even though it’s distorted and deformed beyond human proportions. Its jaw opens, revealing an overstuffed mouth lined with long, thin teeth, curving like the ribs of the dead whale. Without moving its lips, it whispers a message. ‘It’s you.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“I reach back into my bag, fumbling around for anything I can use as a weapon. My fingers find purchase on the paper-wrapped base of a snow globe, and a white-hot surge of energy pours into me. I hold my family memory tightly as I smash it into Ricky’s temple.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“I move a little closer to get a better look at the dead whale. The entire flank of the behemoth has been eaten away. Its guts splay out across the beach, presented like a buffet for maggots.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“First of all, this is not a hotel. This is an exclusive resort for members and their guests only. Anyone you see on this property not wearing an orange shirt is not just rich—they’re obscenely rich.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother

“There's some catharsis in just going through the motions—loading up everything I own into one bag and pretending like that’s all it takes to leave. Most times, it’s enough to soothe the itch for a while, like a cortisone cream for the soul.”
― Jon Cohn, The Island Mother