“As the sun lowered into the city's skyline, casting an orange glow over the islands, Jana could feel people's hopes rising.”

“As people's hopes soared, Jana felt a tinge of fear.”

“To Jana's mind everybody seemed happy to see BAbichka and resisted returning her, like a misplaced package sent to the wrong address. It was as if the recipient opened it up, knowing it should be returned, but wondering who long they could legitimately keep it before being changed with theft.”

“Mr Martinek turned back to Jana. 'Thirty-eight per cent alcohol, sixty-two per cent fire - all the way from Karlovy Vary.”

“One word was the method by which the state collected their information. They could reel in the informants and spread them out like tentacles, ready to sting in any direction.”

“I couldn't bring myself to ask Matka why they had taken him. She pretended that he'd gone away on business. I pretended I knew nothing. My brother and sister believed the lie. There were so many lies that we had to live with...and secrets.”

“Don't ever let anyone tell you that things can't be changed, that things can't be done. The can and they will, if we are united in what we believe.”