And that's the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.

Perspective [is] a luxury when your head [is] constantly buzzing with a swarm of demons.

Boys, Laila came to see, treated friendship the way they treated the sun: its existence undisputed; its radiance best enjoyed, not beheld directly.

I entered the literary world, really, from outside. My entire background has been in sciences; I was a biology major in college, then went to medical school. I've never had any formal training in writing. So what I know about writing, I know from my own instincts, and whatever the narrative voice is in my own head.

My own background is fairly liberal and so this notion of 'protecting women from outside intrusion' is not in my nature, nor in my upbringing.

I wished I could be alone in my room, with my books, away from these people.

The Chinese say it's better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one.