College wasn't like the real world. In the real world people dropped names based on their renown. In college, people dropped names based on their obscurity.

The more she thought about it, the more Madeleine understood that extreme solitude didn't just describe the way she was feeling about Leonard. It explained how she'd always felt when she was in love. It explained what love was like and, just maybe, what was wrong with it.

I know that attaching memories to books may be going out of the world, but while it lasts, it's a strong record of your life.

The lover`s discourse was of an extreme solitude. The solitude was extreme because it wasn`t physical. It was extreme because you felt it while in the company of the person you loved. It was extreme because it was in your head, the most solitary of places.

girls forbidden to dance would only attract husbands with bad complexions and sunken chests.

Sourmelina's secret (as Aunt Zo put it): 'Lina was one of those women they named the island after.

I had a briefcase at one point, but it was a kind of 1980s New Wave briefcase. It was made of some kind of cardboard and it had metal hinges. It was kind of faux industrial looking, and I used to carry my books in it rather than a backpack. I didn't want to have normal student accoutrements.