Gracie

“I am inclined to pray, but on principle, I don't. God is not for women. He is for the fruit. He makes you want and he makes you wicked, and while you sleep, he plants a seed in your womb that will be born to die.”
― Raven Leilani, Luster

“When Korea was divided, we were still nationals of a unified Korea. It was called Choson. At separation, the Japanese government gave us permission to keep our Korean identity, but we had to choose between North and South. Many people chose the North, because of their family or because they considered the North more in line with our country’s traditions. There was no way of knowing how things would turn out. Your grandmother and I chose the South because we were from Seoul. That was the only reason. We knew nothing about any of the rest of it. Political questions meant nothing to us, the Cold War, Russia, the United States. Koreans who live in Japan have never known North and South Korea. We are all people of Choson. People from a country that no longer exists.”
― Elisa Shua Dusapin, The Pachinko Parlour

“I was also ashamed. I hated myself for trying to impress you. It didn’t feel as if I’d hustled you to get on in life. Instead, it felt as if I’d betrayed and fetishized myself to be appealing to you. Even the way you called me “smart” stung. I hated that I’d used the things I loved to win your attention.”
― Emily Ratajkowski, My Body

“I couldn’t tell if I liked being alone, or if I only endured it”
― Raven Leilani, Luster