“Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an umbrella.”

“People who are different are considered ineffective. People who can’t hide their shortcomings are not considered a threat. A lot of spies rely on being unobtrusive, but we flat out flaunt the fact that we’re different, and those we try to get information from put us on an even lower level than the ones they don’t notice. They don’t believe we’re even capable of being a threat, and they misstep more than they might with someone they simply don’t know.”

“Being shaken to death by a Hawaiian tourist look-alike was not how Arena imagined her death.”

“I like weird. Conformity bores but is inescapable for the most part. We all follow something, even if it is following the goal of wanting to stand apart. We are a sea of ordinary people; it is always the quirk, the flaw or the ingenuity that stands out.”

“She soon decided that she disliked the south, everything except for the humongous manor house. She did adore that. And perhaps, maybe Warren, since he came with the house.”

“Her voice sounded like a symphony after years of being denied any music”

“Dreams aren't deferred. They don't just get deferred, either. Someone defers them. You defer them. You make a choice and put off something you dream of doing. "A dream deferred" is a copout, an escape from blame.”