But still," Ayumi said, "it seems to me that this world has a serious shortage of both logic and kindness." "You may be right," Aomame said, "But it's too late to trade it in for another one.

It's a terrible thing when a person dies, whatever the circumstances. A hole opens up in the world, and we need to pay the proper respects. If we don't, the hole will never be filled in again.

I always write my novels with music (I don't listened to the music seriously.) Music seems to encourage me.

Where there is light, there must be shadow, where there is shadow there must be light. There is no shadow without light and no light without shadow.... We do not know if the so-called Little People are good or evil. This is, in a sense, something that surpasses our understanding and our definitions. We have lived with them since long, long ago-- from a time before good and evil even existed, when people's minds were still benighted.

I used to think the years would go by in order, that you get older one year at a time. But it's not like that. It happens overnight.

No matter what they wish for, no matter how far they go, people can never be anything but themselves. That's all.

Reality was utterly coolheaded and utterly lonely.