Even with everything broken and decided inside her she couldn't quite allow herself to disappear for good.

By the power of the superglue beer sword, I designate you my driver!

Do you ever wonder whether people would like you more or less if they could see inside you? But I always wonder about that. If people could see me the way I see myself—if they could live in my memories—would anyone, anyone, love me?

Did I help you to a fate you didn't want?

The easiest way to solve a mystery is to decide that there is no mystery to solve.

You can’t know, sweetie, because you’ve never had a baby become a brilliant young reader with a side interest in horrible television shows, but the joy you bring us is so much greater than the sadness we feel about your illness.

Throughout the book, she refers to herself as "the side effect," which is just totally correct. Cancer kids are essentially side effects of the relentless mutation that made the diversity of life on earth possible.