ni

“Fathers leave in all sorts of ways. Some of them leave in the dark. Some leave only in their heads, while their bodies remain, staring at the world around them forever distantly. Others fade out over time, like an old photo rubbed raw. Many, gone in an instant.”
― Simon Jimenez, The Spear Cuts Through Water

“You humans always think you’re destined for things, for tragedy or for greatness. Destiny is a myth. Destiny is the only myth. The gods choose nothing. You chose.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War

“Our family didn’t apologize with words. We were blunt about everything else, but apologies felt stilted, strange. We showed remorse through kindness, a favor, a small gift. Sometimes we continued like normal, as though there had been no fight.”
― Catherine Dang, What Hunger

“I have become something wonderful, she thought. I have become something terrible. Was she now a goddess or a monster? Perhaps neither. Perhaps both.”
― R.F. Kuang, The Poppy War