Lena Coakley > Quotes

“An assassin's first murder is himself. He kills the man he was.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“You can't see the world from somebody else's point of view and not be changed.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“We live between the two great silences: the silence that existed before the world began, and the silence that waits for us at the end of all things.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“If I am to have a life of sorrows, I will not let them conquer me.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“He turned and narrowed his eyes at her. "There is a certain sort of girl who wants the wolf to eat out of her hand. If you are such, I'll warn you, she doesn't keep her fingers long."

Emily met his gaze " Some wolves can be tamed."

"Then we call them lapdogs, my dear- and you'll put no leash on me.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“The present catches up to the future with alarming speed - I had forgotten that.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“Grief is her hobby. She's made a study of it”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“I wonder. If I had you wear that mask today, Anne, would you find the courage to tell me what is troubling you?" 

Anne would very much have liked to confide in her father, but where in the world would she begin? 

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I will tell you a secret, my dear. All of my children are shy. They have simply learned the art of wearing masks.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“Why did people shrink away from winter, he wondered, safe in their blankets, hiding by their fires?
If they knew how beautiful winter really was, they would walk out naked into the snow, walk and walk, until their frozen hearts split open with joy.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“He taught me that the whole world was a holy place. That's why he loved our old farm, loved the dirt under his feet. Everything was magic to him.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“Listen. You will still only love me. And I will only love you. It’s only that we’ll have different names. Sometimes I’ll be Augusta, queen of Gondal, and you’ll be a dangerous highwayman. Sometimes we’ll be Alexander and Zenobia, the young lovers. Sometimes… sometimes we will just be two lonely children roaming the moors together. But the ‘he’ of the story will always be you, and the 'she’ of the story will always be me. Forever.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“It was as if the girl were a puzzle that his mind was trying to solve.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“They were so beautiful in their opposition - like two sides of a coin.
They were... balance.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“The rage inside Charlotte crested to a peak. "I'm angry because Papa and Aunt Branwell never would have sent you here," she shouted. "Not to a charity school. Not the precious boy."

"I know that," Branwell said, his voice ragged. "I've always known that. Don't you think that might be hard to live with?”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“Every once in a while it's as if my mind turns a corner, and then I can see forever. I love that feeling.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“Why did knowing grief himself not make him better at knowing how to help?”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“For the first time he understood what he had always been taught: The world was made of music.”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“I wonder. If I had you wear that mask today, Anne, would you find the courage to tell me what is troubling you?"

Anne would very much have liked to confide in her father, but where in the world would she begin?

He leaned over and whispered in her ear. "I will tell you a secret, my dear. All of my children are shy. They have simply learned the art of wearing masks.”
― Lena Coakley

“If you could choose any mask to wear right now, what would it be?” Anne lay down her yarn. “I suppose if, as you say, I would grow into this mask, then I would make it of my own face . . . but a braver, better version of myself.” “And what would this braver Anne do?” The answer came quickly, as if it had been there all along. I’d save them, she thought.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“Rogue turned to her, his face no longer quite so hard. A curl of smoke rose from the pistol in his hand. Rotten apples fell from the tree, splatting at her feet. "Poor little girlie," he said, and there did seem to be potty in his voice. "I told you you'd get your fingers bit.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“She reminded him of a snowcat - a beautiful, dangerous thing from a cold, high place”
― Lena Coakley, Witchlanders

“Rogue turned to her, his face no longer quite so hard. A curl of smoke rose from the pistol in his hand. Rotten apples fell from the tree, splatting at her feet. "Poor little girlie," he said, and there did seem to be pitty in his voice. "I told you you'd get your fingers bit.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“We are so isolated here in Haworth, with no one of our own age to befriend, and the men and women of Verdopolis are real, in a way. It wouldn't seem strange to me if... Someone... Might even fall in love with one of them.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“You would rather die than be a governess? It’s not prostitution, for heaven’s sake!” Charlotte gaped, and Emily, pale and stricken as she was, stifled a giggle. “I shudder to think where you learned of such things,” Charlotte said, standing. “The Bible,” Anne snapped. “Allow me to recommend it to you.” Good”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“there is no shortage of reading material in this house. Charlotte is an excellent writer, but Mr. Shakespeare is better, and if it’s Branwell’s wickedness you like, Papa says we may read Lord Byron in moderation.” Emily”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“Wait," Charlotte said. "I'd like to say something, if I may, Papa." He nodded, and Charlotte stood. Her siblings were still looking very grave. She hoped they were in the proper frame of mind to hear what she had to say, especially Branwell. "I have been thinking a great deal about ... My stories." She nodded significantly to them, willing them to understand that she was not talking about writing so much as about crossing over. "Papa was very wise when he called my writing a childish habit, and I think he understands that, for me, its a dangerous one as well."

The small square of paper that had caused such consternation lay in front of her on the table. Now she took it up and held it out, looking at each if her siblings in turn. "Emily. Anne. Branwell." She ripped the paper in half. Emily gasped. " I am renouncing my invented worlds and all who live there. If any of you are in the grip if a similar childish habit"- she raised an eyebrow at her brother - "I challenge you to do the same.”
― Lena Coakley, Worlds of Ink and Shadow

“Maria raised herself with difficulty. "Hush. I'm getting up. See?" She sat perched on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily. "And you will have my porridge thus morning. If you share it with Emil.”
― Lena Coakley