“Eve didn't choose to eat the apple. She was tempted by the serpent.""Yes," I argue, thoughts coming out half-formed. "But...she didn't have to take a bite. She chose to.”

“In them, she saw the sham of her life laid out like a book, the foolish belief that she, that anyone, could escape the consequences of this world, could flee from death. That was the deceit. The true serpent in the garden.”

“I had thought Felicity dangerous a moment ago, when she felt powerful. I was wrong. Wounded and powerless, she is more dangerous than I could imagine.”

“Why do girls always feel like they have to apologize for giving an opinion or taking up space in the world? Have you ever noticed that?" Nicole asked. "You go on websites and some girl leaves a post and if it's longer than three sentences or she's expressing her thoughts about some topic, she usually ends with, 'Sorry for the rant' or 'That may be dumb, but that's what I think.”

“Beggin' your pardon, miss, but I was told you be the one to help me cross on to the next world.""Who told you this?"His eyes widen. "A fearsome creature with a head full of snakes!""You musn't fear her," I say, taking the man's hand and leading his toward the river. "She's as tame as a pussycat. She'd probably lick your hand given the chance.""Didn't seem harmless," he whispers, shuddering."Yes, well, things are not always as they appear, sir, and we must learn to judge for ourselves.”

“I think that the lady dies not because she leaves the tower for the outside world but because she lets herself float through the world pulled by the current after a dream. Do you mean she should of paddled Cecily asks. Miss Moore laughs. In a manner of speaking yes. Ann stops drumming. But it wouldn't matter whether she paddled or not. She's cursed. No matter what she does she'll die. And she'll die if she stays in the tower too. Perhaps not for a long time but she will die. We all will. Miss Moore says softly.”

“What happens if your choice is misguided?' I ask, softly.Miss Moore takes a pear from the bowl and offers us the grapes to devour. 'You must try to correct it.''But what if it’s too late? What if you can’t?'There's a sad sympathy in Miss Moore's catlike eyes as she regards my painting again. She paints the thinnest sliver of shadow along the bottom of the apple, bringing it fully to life.'Then you must find a way to live with it.”