But the uproar this caused was nothing compared with the uproar when Katronia noticed [Rosie] had also cut her eyelashes. Various negotiations (including, finally, such desperate measures as "supposing you ever want to eat again") eventually produced the grudging promise that, in return for Katronia keeping her hair cut short, she would leave her eyelashes alone.

it goes something like 'There are a lot of ways to be yourself.

Your attitude is perhaps a little unnecessarily rigorous," suggested Jack.

My capacity for invention is flash hot stark, I thought. Sucker sunshade. Disembodied radar-reconnaissance. Not to mention Bitter Chocolate Death and Killer Zebras. Pity about the rest of me.

But it was equally clear to her that this was her fate, that she had called its name and it had come to her, and she could do nothing now but own it.

I get a little cranky with the whole business about kids not having attention spans. This reminds me of the usual business of thinking that the next generation is hopeless. Every generation has said that about every younger generation.

He didn't look insane or inhuman. He did look uncooperative.