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Quote by Claire Messud

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This Strange Eventful History

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Author

Claire Messud
Claire Messud

Claire Messud is an American novelist known for her profound psychological portrayals and complex character development. Her works often explore the lives, emotions, and identities of modern women. more

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“I don’t mean to scare you,” Claire says, “but you could have half-siblings you know nothing about. Who’s to say they wouldn’t know about you? As far as your daddy goes, you never knew what to expect from him. Why should you know now? You have created such a beautiful life for your family, and your children are obviously so proud of you. I don’t think anything you could tell them would ever change that. But something you haven’t told them might.”

FamilyAbuseSecretsEscape
Book:Escaping Hell
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“Maternal love is an instinctive and natural impulse, and animals possess it in a degree as high as that of human beings. This alone is enough to show that it is not true love, that it is not of moral origin ; for all morality proceeds from the intelligible character which animals, having no free will, do not possess. The ethical imperative can be heard only by a rational creature ; there is no such thing as natural morality, for all morality must be self-conscious.”

FamilyBloodMothersKinshipMaternal LoveHigher LovePlatonism
Book:Sex and Character: An Investigation of Fundamental Principles
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“For a moment, there was silence. That is, if you don't count Xemerius, who was killing himself with laughter as he swung from the chandelier. I couldn't say a word, because I was busy getting that piece of quiche down. Nick giggled, my mum looked from Gideon to me and back again several times, Aunt Glenda got red marks on her throat, and the way Lady Arista looked at Gideon you might have thought he was an orange begonia.”

HumorRomanceFamilyTime TravelAwkwardDinners
Book:Smaragdgrün
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