297 Quotes by Naomi Novik

Would you believe it’s harder to find a virgin than a unicorn in New York?

A robber who steals a knife and cuts himself cannot cry out against the woman who kept it sharp.

My mother had enough magic to give me three blessings before she died,” I said, and he instinctively bent in to hear it. “The first was wit; the second beauty, and the third – that fools should recognize neither.” Irina.

But he wasn’t going for the sake of corruption or the kingdom. His tower was broken, he’d drunk Spindle-water, and he’d held my hand. So now he was going to run away as quick as he could, and find himself some new stone walls to hide behind. He’d keep himself locked away for ten years this time, until he withered his own roots, and didn’t feel the lack of them anymore.

We’re cannon fodder, and human shields, and useful new blood, and minions, and janitors and maids, and thanks to all the work the losers in here do trying to get into an alliance and an enclave after, the enclave kids get extra sleep and extra food and extra help, more than if it was only them in here. And we all get the illusion of a chance. But the only chance they’re really giving us is the chance to be useful to them.

There was a song in this forest, too, but it was a savage song, whispering of madness and tearing and rage.

If I were very offensive, do you suppose they would go away now?

That is all we can do for each other in the world, to keep the wolf away.

Do you think I will be able to breathe fire or spit poison?” Temeraire asked. “I am not sure how I could tell; I tried, but I only blew air.