Diana Hyde Quotes

“CATHERINE: I can’t write from Diana’s point of view.

MARY: Of course you can. You’re a writer; you can write anything. Just find your inner Diana.

CATHERINE: I don’t have an inner Diana.

DIANA: Ha! You wish. Everyone has an inner Diana.”
― Theodora Goss, The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter

“MARY: My wrath! When do I ever get wrathful?

CATHERINE: It’s your particular kind of wrath. You don’t shout—you just get precise and icy.

MARY: That’s not wrath. I don’t think that counts as wrath.

DIANA: It’s Mary wrath. Your particular kind, as Cat said. Not that I’m scared of it, mind you. But it’s worse than being shouted at.

MARY: I have no idea what either of you are talking about. Alice, am I ever wrathful?

ALICE: Well, yes, actually. If you don’t mind my saying so, miss. When you learned what the Order of the Golden Dawn had done to me and Mr. Holmes—

CATHERINE: Oh no, you don’t! We have chapters to go before you can talk about that. Really, not one of you has any idea of narrative timing.”
― Theodora Goss, The Sinister Mystery of the Mesmerizing Girl

“Irene took a sip of coffee. “Ahhh!” she said, almost involuntarily. “I really, really needed that.” She turned back to Lucinda. “All right, tell me about your father. Your earthly father.”

“I have no father anymore,” said Lucinda. “He has sinned, grievously he has sinned. He has consorted with demons, and surely the Lord will send him down to perdition.”
“What the hell does that mean?” asked Diana.

“Hush,” said Mary. “You haven’t even finished what’s on your plate. Are you Diana, or some sort of doppelgänger? Because the Diana I know doesn’t leave food uneaten.”

“Go to hell,” said Diana, but she said it under her breath and stuffed her mouth with a poppy-seed roll.”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

“DIANA: You never appreciate me, even when I’m being nice!

MARY: It was nice of you to defend me like that, Diana. I did appreciate it, you know. I do appreciate it, even now.

DIANA: Well, you’re my sister. I mean, you’re annoying, and you have a stick up your—Catherine doesn’t want me to say that word anymore—but you’re still my sister.

MRS. POOLE: That may be the most affectionate thing I’ve heard you say, Miss Scamp.

DIANA: Go back to your kitchen, you old (unprintable).”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

“MARY: It’s called a Schloss. That’s what small castles are called in Styria, Laura told me.

CATHERINE: Yes, but do you think our English readers are going to know that? Or our American readers? I’m hoping for some American sales, if the deal with Collier & Son comes through, and there are no Schlosses in America—just teepees and department stores.

BEATRICE: The slaughter of the native population is a shameful stain on American history. Clarence says—

CATHERINE: For goodness’ sake, how are we going to sell to readers in the United States if you go on about the slaughter of the native Americans? Who’s going to want to read about that?

BEATRICE: Those who do not want to read about it are exactly those who should be made aware, Catherine. This may be a story of our adventures, but we must not shy away from confronting the difficult issues of the times. Literature exists to educate as well as entertain, after all.

DIANA: You all went from Schlosses to teepees to a political discussion, and you think I ramble?”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

“BEATRICE: Laura told me it might help if I read aloud. Mina had given us a book of fairy tales. Blue Fairy Tales? Blue Book of Fairy Tales? I do not remember the exact title. I was never given fairy tales to read as a child, only scientific treatises. How I would have enjoyed them! Although I do not understand how a shoe could fit only one woman in an entire kingdom.

DIANA: It was a magical shoe.

BEATRICE: Still, that is not logical. I can accept pumpkins turning into coaches, and lizards into footmen, but a shoe will fit many women of the same size. How could the prince know he was choosing the right one?”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

“All right,” said Mary. “When do you want us to leave?”

“As soon as Diana changes back into women’s clothes,” said Irene.

“Why?” asked Diana, outraged. “I don’t want to.”

“Because you’re supposed to be neurasthenic and hysterical. No one will question that diagnosis in a girl going through puberty.”

“Puberty yourself!” said Diana, then whispered to Hannah, “That’s a dirty word, isn’t it? I’m pretty sure that’s a dirty word.”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman

“Well, there’s one thing that gives me hope.”

“What’s that?” asked Beatrice, shaking out one of the blankets and wrapping it around herself.

Catherine smiled. It was a grim smile. “Diana’s with them. There is no situation so well-planned that Diana can’t introduce chaos into it. Whoever is holding them, wherever they’re being held, is going to regret it.”
― Theodora Goss, European Travel for the Monstrous Gentlewoman