“Here, then, is the answer. A degree of cruelty is necessary because Garth, like most men, can only deposit his needs at her feet, can only declare his love—that romantic hallucination, which would begin to fade as soon as she said yes—can only say, Here is my desire, here is my loneliness, what are you going to do about it?” LoveDesireUnrequited Love Book:Day Source: Day
“He needs a looser association. He needs something that implies a man who wants the ice shard to remain in his chest, who's learned to love the sensation of being pierced.” LovePainDeathSufferingLossSorrowHeartacheMourning Book:The Snow Queen Source: The Snow Queen
“Eventually, decades later, when the king was dying, the queen gently ushered everybody out into the corridor, closed the door to the royal bedchamber, and got into bed with her husband. She started singing to him. They laughed. He was short of breath, but he could still laugh. They asked each other, Is this silly? Is this...pretentious? But they both knew that everything there was to say had been said already, over and over, across the years. And so the king, relieved, released, free to be silly, asked her to sing him a song from his childhood. He didn't need to be regal anymore, he didn't need to seem commanding or dignified, not with her. They were, in their way, dying together, and they both knew it. It wasn't happening only to him. So she started singing. They shared one last laugh - they agreed that the cat had a better voice than she did. Still, she sang him out of the world.” LoveDeathDeath Of A Loved One Book:A Wild Swan: And Other Tales Source: A Wild Swan: And Other Tales
“Barrett is a bigger guy, not fat (not yet) but ursine, crimson of eye and lip; ginger-furred, possessed (he likes to think) of an enchanted sensual slyness, the prince transformed into wolf or lion, all slumbering large-pawed docility, awaiting, with avid yellow eyes, love’s first kiss.” LoveKissSensual Book:The Snow Queen Source: The Snow Queen
“Buongiorno, microbo,” dice a Richie. “Sto mangiando i cereali,” dice lui. E ridacchia. Si potrebbe quasi dire che le lancia uno sguardo malizioso. È palesemente infatuato di lei; è comico e tragico nel suo amore disperato. La fa pensare ogni tanto a un topo che canta serenate d’amore sotto la finestra di una gigantessa.” LoveChildrenAmoreBambini Book:The Hours Source: The Hours
“Per un momento sono semplicemente e completamente felici. Ci sono, proprio adesso, e sono riuscite, in qualche modo, nel corso di diciotto anni, a continuare ad amarsi. È abbastanza. In questo momento è abbastanza.” LoveRelationshipsAmoreRelazioni Book:The Hours Source: The Hours
“But you find—surprise—that you like this capitulation from her, this helpless acceding, from the most recent embodiment of all the girls over all the years who've given you nothing, not even a curious glance. Welcome to the darker side of love.” LoveDarkCapitulation Book:A Wild Swan: And Other Tales Source: A Wild Swan: And Other Tales