Varian Johnson > Quotes

“Wait -- you kissed a girl you didn't like, tried to make me jealous, and almost got kicked out of school -- and you still didn't learn how to dance?' She looked at the ceiling. 'Why are boys so stupid?”
― Varian Johnson, The Great Greene Heist

“Just because you don't see the path, doesn't mean it's not there.”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“Just because he doesn't want to hear it doesn't mean you shouldn't say it.”
― Varian Johnson, Saving Maddie

“I don’t care how many courses you take or how many books you read. You’ll never understand what it means to be a Negro. You’ll never face the discrimination they see every day. You’ll never struggle the way they do. Now, enough talking. Here comes Dub.”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“I unscrewed the cap and brought the purple-lined rim to my mouth. Then I almost hacked up a lung. Madeline remained motionless as I struggled for breath.
'So what part of this is supposed to be fun?' I asked.
'Just relax,' she said. 'You can't rush the feeling. It takes a few minutes for the alcohol to take effect.' [...] She sat up and picked up the bottle. 'You having fun yet?'
'Of course. Can't you tell from my labored breathing and the look of pain on my face?”
― Varian Johnson, Saving Maddie

“Madeline, I know we can be a little conservative-'

'Conservative? How about down right mean?' She pointed at me, hard and angry. 'You people are quick to ask forgiveness, but won't think twice about condemning others for the same mistakes.' She shook her head. 'If I was God, I'd be pretty damn ashamed of how fucked up church has gotten.”
― Varian Johnson, Saving Maddie

“Good luck, my lor—uh, Devin—I mean, Worthy.”
― Varian Johnson, The Wildcat's Claw

“Look alive, Greencloaks,” Abeke said, reloading her bow. “We’re under attack.”
― Varian Johnson, The Wildcat's Claw

“There's nothing wrong with being a feminist," Grandma said. "Don't you two want women to have the same rights as men?"
Both Myron and I nodded.
"Good, then you're feminists.”
― Varian Johnson, Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

“Brandon said. “I guess I like boy books.” What does that even mean? Candice wanted to ask. Books about guns and war? Books that only contain boys?”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“Have I ever let you down?"
Charlie crossed his arms.
"Don't look at me like that. Your eyebrows grew back. Eventually.”
― Varian Johnson, The Great Greene Heist

“Likewise, she figured that the large, flat end of the paddle would be adequate enough to propel them through the water. She would have preferred a sail to navigate the underground winds, but that would have been difficult to make in such limited time, with such threadbare supplies. “It looks good,” she said, handing it back. Then, after a moment, she added, “Thank you.” Takoda looked at the gourd. “I guess we should start packing up the boat.” She heard the sadness in his voice. “Do you want eat first, and then go? We can take a few more minutes—” “No,” he replied. “It would better if we ate while we traveled. No point in wasting any more time.” He walked off toward the boat. Meilin let him go. Takoda was struggling enough with Xanthe’s disappearance as it was, and Meilin didn’t think she had the words to comfort him.”
― Varian Johnson, The Return

“Maybe that doesn’t make her a failure in our eyes, but the world doesn’t always see people in the way we want.”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“off the first time,”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel

“Just because you don’t see the path doesn’t mean it’s not there.”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“sweet in the world. His”
― Varian Johnson, The Great Greene Heist

“You know, you can invite him over. I don't bite."
"Daddy, the last time he was here, you started cleaning your hunting knife."
"It was a joke," he said. "Jackson was supposed to laugh, not run for the door.”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat

“presidents have heard anything. Or I could —”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel

“Abeke shook her head. “Was there not another way? I don’t like intimidating people with violence.” “Says the girl who met me with a bow in her hand,” Dante replied.”
― Varian Johnson, The Return

“died”
― Varian Johnson, The Wildcat's Claw

“That man’s gonna make us his slaves, one way or another.”
― Varian Johnson, The Parker Inheritance

“Yuck,” Conor said from up ahead. “I walked right into a spiderweb.” Then a second later, he added, “Sorry Meilin. I meant to say a mouse web.”
― Varian Johnson, The Wildcat's Claw

“her head. “Can you believe it? We might actually get on TV! We’ll be famous.” Dr. Kelsey rounded the corner toward the security room. When he had contacted the superintendent last week about a replacement hard drive for the security system, all he had received was a tongue-lashing about the damaged floors. Of course, considering that Katie Accord had transferred from Maplewood to Riggins last summer, Dr. Kelsey shouldn’t have been surprised that”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel

“risks.”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel

“Kirat shook his head. “Why should I put my animal in danger? We wouldn’t be in this mess if she had shot him like I demanded.”
― Varian Johnson, The Return

“He kissed another girl, Mom."
"Well, yes. But as I understand it, it was just a slight --”
― Varian Johnson, The Great Greene Heist

“If I'm being totally honest, I didn't pick the lock." She spun the lock around her index finger. "I guessed the combination."
Jackson swallowed what felt like sand. The combination was her birthday.
"That's what I get for being predictable.”
― Varian Johnson, The Great Greene Heist

“betting against”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel

“There is never any harm in asking a question. You just have to be prepared to hear the answer.”
― Varian Johnson, The Return

“afternoon, Mr. James zipped around the school in his golf cart and sped toward the back of the building. In the fourteen years that he’d been working at Maplewood, it had become a tradition for him to see off the athletic teams when they had away games. And even though he was supposed to be monitoring the front exits, there was no way he was going to tempt fate by skipping the send-off. This game was too important.”
― Varian Johnson, To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel