Diana Wynne Jones Quotes

I think my moment of revelation came when I saw this young man come on court in the most flamboyant clothes. He had a sweet smile and questionably blonde hair and a generally chirpy glamour that in fact concealed huge skill. When he was interviewed he confessed to hating to get angry and it was also said that he slithered out of winning when it came to the big matches. And I thought, My God! This Andre Agassi is the image of Howl in my book HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE!

It does not seem to me that I have the right to foist a story on people, most of whom are children who should be learning all the time, unless I am learning from it too.

Every man in Ingary is scared stiff of her. You ought to know how that feels, Sophie dear.

If you must know, I-I had never in my life kissed a young lady, and you are far too beautiful to me to want to get it wrong!

No I am not all right!” Chrestomanci said, after five minutes of this. “I have worldwide blisters. I need a shave. I’m tired out and I haven’t had anything to eat since breakfast yesterday. Would you feel alright in my position?

In the land of Ingary where such things as seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, it is quite a misfortune to be born the eldest of the three. Everyone knows you are the one who will fail first, and worst, if the three of you set out to seek your fortunes.

Happiness isn't a thing. You can't go out and get it like a cup of tea. It's the way you feel about things.

It was a perfectly normal May Day, but Sophie was scared of that too. And when a young man in a fantastical blue-and-silver costume spotted Sophie and decided to accost her as well, Sophie shrank into a shop doorway and tried to hide. The young man looked at her in surprise. "It's all right, you little gray mouse," he said laughing rather pityingly. "I only want to buy you a drink. Don't look so scared.

Sophie did not care to think how Howl might react if Fanny woke him by stabbing him with her parasol.

You cannot rob robbers with a kitten in your hat!

What a strange family you are! Is your name Lettie too?

Typical! I break my neck trying to get here, and I find you peacefully tidying up!

I can't abide people who go soft over animals and then cheat every human they come across!

...if the spell was off, I’d have my heart eaten before I could turn around.” “Don’t you want your heart eaten?” asked the fire. [...] “Naturally I don’t,” Sophie answered.

Only thin, weak thinkers despise fairy stories. Each one has a true, strange fact hidden in it, you know, which you can find if you look.

I am a believer in free will. If my dog chooses to hate the whole human race except myself, it must be free to do so.

I’m beginning to think I’ve led a much too sheltered life.

Settle for what you can get, but first ask for the World.

...don't spoil my learning process!

Interesting things did seem to happen, but always to somebody else.

Then watch out. I warn you!" "That is very considerate of you," said Chrestomanci. "I like to be warned.

You've probably all had those kinds of dreams that are like usual life, except that a lot of things are not the same, and you seem to know the future in them. Well, this is because these other worlds where two things can happen spread out from our world like rainbows, and sort of flow into one another-

Nobody gets praised for the right reasons.

I don’t think I will get married,” Polly said as she stood up. “I’m going to train to be a hero instead.

You must admit I have a right to live in a pigsty if I want.

Small Man can be a very funny or a very tiresome Tour Companion, depending on how this kind of thing grabs you. He gambles, he drinks too much and he always runs away. Since the Rules allow him to make Jokes, he will excuse his behaviour in a variety of comical ways. Physically he is stunted and not at all handsome, although he usually dresses flamboyantly. He tends to wear hats with feathers in. You will discover he is very vain. But, if you can avoid smacking him, you will come to tolerate if not love him. He will contrive, in some cowardly way, to play a major part in saving the world.

Pray use both cats as sponges if it pleases you, infatuated infantryman.

Being a hero means ignoring how silly you feel.

Can't you treat yourself with a bit more consideration?' 'Why should I?' Mordion said, hugging the duvet round himself. 'Because you're a person, of course!' Ann snapped at him. 'One person ought to treat another person properly even if the person's himself!

Beauty isn't made of sugar.

Fantasy for me as a kid was real, and I had a fantasy about what life was, whether it was sort of wicked and dire, or wholly normal, or whatever. Anything really close to home is not, it seems to me, what a good book should be about.

I seem to have excalibured this knife.

If I give you a hint and tell you it's a hint, it will be information.

One person ought to treat another person properly, even if the person's himself.

It's a lucky child that knows that they're a genius, unaimed and all that.

It does seem that a fantasy, working out in its own terms, stretching you beyond the normal concerns of your own life, gains you a peculiar charge of energy which inexplicably enriches you. At least, this is my ideal of a fantasy, and I am always trying to write it.

I'll show you how," Peter said. "Stop hiding behind your ignorance.

But Sophie and Howl were holding one another's hand and smiling and smiling, quite unable to stop. "Don't bother me know," said Howl. "I only did it for the money." "Liar!"said Sophie. "I said," Michael said, "that Calcifer's come back!" That did get Howl's attention and Sophie's too.

A fickle heart is the only constant in this world

Doras II was a somewhat absentminded king, It is said, when Death came to summon him, Doras granted Death the usual formal audience and then dismissed him from his presence. Death was too embarrassed to return until many years later- Ka'a Orto'o, Gnomic Utterances

You have no right to make jigsaws of people.

He scarcely saw his parents. When Christopher was small, he was terrified that he would meet Papa out walking in the Park one day and not recognize him.

I've seen golems. They don't behave like a real person.

I'm delirious. Spots are crawling before my eyes." "Those are spiders.

And it's a pity too that I've no right to open your letters. I hope you don't get many, or my conscience will give me no peace.

I feel ill," [Howl] announced. "I'm going to bed, where I may die.

Howl has been very kind to me." And this was true, Sophie realized. Howl showed his kindness rather strangely, but, considering all Sophie did to annoy him, he had been very good to her indeed. "Do listen. He's not wicked at all!" There was a bit of a fizz from the grate at this, where Calcifer was watching with some interest. " He isn't!" Sophie said, to Calcifer as much as to Fanny.

Theseus made unscrupulous use of Ariadne (whom he left on an island where Bacchus later found her-I always think that really meant she took to drink, poor girl).