“She was the only person in the house, of either sex, who did not seem to have a heart pierced by the sorrow of thwarted love.”

“It seemed to Coraline that it was crouching, and staring down at her, as if it were not really a house but only the idea of a house—and the person who had had the idea, she was certain, was not a good person.”

“People are people,"..."You can fall in love with either sex- it's the *person* who makes the difference. His or her spectacular insides.”

“She did not want to talk of her sorrow, but with that sorrow in her heart she could not talk of outside matters.”

“I don't know what sex appeal is. I don't think you can have sex appeal knowingly. The people who seduce me personally are the people who seem not to know they're seductive, and not to know they have sex appeal.”

“Outside, the world had become a formless, swirling mist with noshapes or shadows behind it, while the house itself seemed tohave twisted and stretched. It appeared to Coraline that it wascrouching and staring down at her, as if it were not really ahouse but only the idea of a house—and the person who hadhad the idea, she was certain, was not a good person.”