“The circus had been unlike anything I could ever imagine and I could not walk away. I wanted to be a part of the magic, create it and wield it with such skill that it looked effortless. I wanted to fly.”

“The circus collects the outsiders like a flame tempts moths.”

“They say love and hate are closely tied, that they can turn at a moment’s notice.”

“Love? Love is like holding water in your hands. You might have it for a time, but it escapes, leaving you with nothing.”

“I found I could only glance at him for tiny moments and then I had to look away. He was perfect enough to hurt my feelings for a long time, and I wanted to let him.”

“He knew it even before he could fully articulate it: between East and West lay a terrain that needed to be charted by stories, fused by his new eyes and imagination, and he needed to tell those stories if he ever hoped to be whole again.”

“...You deserve to be happy. What can I do?"Don't send me away, I thought.He looked at me again. "What do you want?""I want to taste an apple," I said. And your lips, I thought.”