297 Quotes by Naomi Novik

I held that last gown of plain undyed wool in my hands, feeling like it was a rope I was clinging to, and then in a burst of defiance I left it on my bead, and pulled myself in the green-and-russet gown.I couldn't fasten the buttons in the back, so I took the long veil from the headdress, wound it twice around my waist and made a knot, just barely good enough to keep the whole thing from falling off me, and marched downstairs to the kitchens. I didn't even try to keep myself clean this time.

He obviously wanted to leave on a snappy comeback, but couldn’t think of one. I suppose he wasn’t ever called on to produce them in the ordinary course of things. After a moment of struggle, he just scowled and stalked out. I’m delighted to report my repaired door slammed shut on his heels beautifully.

Крадецът, който е откраднал нож и се е порязал на него, не може да обвинява домакинята, че го е държала остър.

Those men want to take Laurence from me, and put him in prison, and execute him, and I will not let them, ever, and I do not care if Laurence tells me not to squash you," he added, fiercely, to Lord Barham.— Temeraire

Justice is expensive. That is why there is so little of it, and it is reserved for those few with enough money and influence to afford it.

Because that’s what the story’s really about: getting out of paying your debts.

I’d chosen- not the lesser evil, but the less immediate one.

She says it’s too easy to call people evil instead of their choices, and that lets people justify making evil choices, because they convince themselves that it’s okay because they’re still good people overall, inside their own heads.

I didn’t know how to answer anything so brazen; the only thing I could have managed would have been an inarticulate hiss.