When she needed help most, she was abandoned--and only when she offered help to others was she beloved.
Matthew QuickAfter I returned to New Jersey, I thought I was safe, because I did not think Kenny G could leave the bad place, which I realize is silly now - because Kenny G is extremely talented and resourceful and a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Matthew QuickShe looks sad. She looks angry. She looks different from everyone else I knowโshe cannot put on that happy face others wear when they know they are being watched. She doesnโt put on a face for me, which makes me trust her somehow.
Matthew QuickWhen I run, I always pretend I am running toward Nikki, and it makes me feel like I am decreasing the amount of time I have to wait until I see her again.
Matthew QuickInstead he thinks up the worst ending imaginable: Hemingway has Catherine die from hemorrhaging after their child is stillborn. It is the most torturous ending I have ever experienced and probably will ever experience in literature, movies, or even television. I am crying so hard at the end, partly for the characters, yes, but also because Nikki actually teaches this book to children. I cannot imagine why anyone would want to expose impressionable teenagers to such a horrible ending. Why not just tell high school students that their struggle to improve themselves is all for nothing?
Matthew Quick