Dana > Dana's Quotes

“War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who remains.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War

“Enemies-to-lovers—it’s our trope, Buxbaum.”
― Lynn Painter, Better Than the Movies

“Children ceased to be children when you put a sword in their hands. When you taught them to fight a war, then you armed them and put them on the front lines, they were not children anymore. They were soldiers.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War

“They were monsters!" Rin shrieked. "They were not human!"

"Have you ever considered" he said slowly "that that was exactly what they thought of us?”
― R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War

“You look best when you're you.”
― Lynn Painter, Better Than the Movies

“Sometimes we get so tied up in our idea of what we think we want that we miss out on the amazingness of what we could actually have.”
― Lynn Painter, Better Than the Movies

“But eventually, you'll have to ask yourself precisely what you're fighting for. And you'll have to find a reason to live past vengeance.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Dragon Republic

“I mean, if that ship were a person, I would fuck that ship,” said Baji.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Dragon Republic

“—and I don’t care if you’re pissed, you can’t throw food at the Dragon Warlord, said Nezha.
Kitay’s face was purple with anger. If he was at all relieved to see Nezha alive, he didn’t show it. “Your men tried to blow up my house!”
“They tend to do that,” Rin said.
“I was still in it!” Kitay cried. “And so we’re my ledgers!”
Nezha looked amazed. “Who gives a shit about your ledgers?”
“I was doing the city’s taxes.”
“What?”
Kitay stuck his lower lip out. “And I was almost done.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Dragon Republic

“Ruin me, ruin us, and I’ll let you.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“Oh, but history moved in such vicious circles.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“Take what you want. I’ll hate you for it. But I’ll love you forever. I can’t help but love you.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“You can’t do this for me,” he said. “I won’t let you.”
“It’s not for you. It’s not a favor. It’s the cruelest thing I could do.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“The point of revenge wasn’t to heal. The point was that the exhilaration, however temporary, drowned out the hurt.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“She recognized the way he was looking at her. It was how she’d once looked at Altan. It was the way she’d seen Daji look at Riga—that look of wretched, desperate, and reproachful loyalty. It said, Do it. Take what you want, it said. I’ll hate you for it. But I’ll love you forever. I can’t help but love you. Ruin me, ruin us, and I’ll let you.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God

“Come back down,” he said, his expression suddenly grim. His fingers clenched tight around hers. “Listen, Rin. I don’t care what else happens up there. But you come back to me.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Burning God