Julia

“What a mess they have made, he thinks, yes, both of them. An impossible situation. Which they both have colluded to draw out and prolong over how many years. With what aim, with what end in mind, neither he supposes ever knew. Their love for one another, yes: which has survived its own death.”
― Sally Rooney, Intermezzo

“You can do whatever you want with me. And he has, that is exactly what he has done, whatever he wanted. As if attempting to reach the end of his desires, to find out what is there at the end. Discovering instead with horror that his desires even when instantly and gorgeously gratified only make him increasingly unhappy and insane. Wanting too much. To love, to be loved. By her, yes, but not only.”
― Sally Rooney, Intermezzo

“You believe there is something? she asks.
I try to, yeah, Ivan answers. Some kind of order in the universe, at least. I do feel that sometimes. Listening to certain music, or looking at art. Even playing chess, although that might sound weird. It's like the order if so deep, and it's so beautiful, I feel there must be something underneath it all. And at other times, I think it's just chaos, and there's nothing. Maybe the whole idea of order just comes from some evolutionary advantage, whatever it is. We recognise patterns when there are no patterns. I don't know. I'm not explaining myself very well. But when I experience that sense of beauty, it does make me believe in God. Like there's meaning to everything.”
― Sally Rooney, Intermezzo

“How do we move through all this beauty without destroying it?”
― Kaveh Akbar, Martyr!