Invisible Life
"My heart knows who I am and who I will turn out to be."
How We Fight for Our Lives
"Our last night in Barcelona, Esther and I went out for dinner. We ordered tapas and giggled every time she said 'sangrita,' even though she already knew it was called 'sangria' ... Holding hands across the table, we took turns letting the words pour out of us ... Our mothers are why we are here" (How We Fight for Our Lives 189)
The One
"Then he stood over her body, lifted his foot and slammed it down on her face. Her nose crumbled like a souffle" (The One 97).
Girl Waits with Gun
"On the way home, I stopped in a bakery and bought a box of macaroons ...We passed a bakery truck headed back to the city after making its deliveries, and I realized quite abruptly that I should have thought to bring home something more substantial for dinner, as we had depleted the last basket from Bessie. We would probably be reduced to eating macaroons and boiled eggs and last summer's pickles" (Girl Waits with Gun 133, 136).
The Family Upstairs
"My mother, being German, knew how to do a good Christmas. It was her specialty. The house was festooned from the beginning of December with homemade decorations made of candied oranges and red gingham and painted pine cones and filled with the aroma of gingerbread, stollen, and mulled wine. No tacky tinsel or paper garlands for her, no tin of Quality Street or Cadbury's selection boxes" (The Family Upstairs 177).
The Starless Sea
"The mug is filled with warm coconut milk with turmeric and black pepper and honey. Beneath the silver dome there are six small, perfectly frosted cupcakes. Thank you, Kitchen" (The Starless Sea 282)."Are you all right Mister Rawlins what is the matter you should be happy you like this story you like us you said you did. 'I did not.' You did you did we gave you cupcakes. Zachary remembers writing his eternal devotion in fountain pen on paper sent down a dumbwaiter that feels long ago and far away" (The Starless Sea 460).
Moonglow
"'Why aren’t you eating?’ my grandfather said. Having only lately consumed an entire tarte tatin was another secret I felt that my grandmother would prefer I didn’t betray. I didn’t answer” (Moonglow 377).
