How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
But now… well, let's just say that for someone who has no friends going to school is like dangling a piece of bacon in front of a dog's face—pure and utter torture. I hated watching everyone walk around in their little cliques while I stood on the sidelines alone. (2.15)
When she feels no emotions, going to school without friends is no big deal to Gemma. But as soon as she starts to actually feel like a normal teenager, her self-imposed isolation becomes painful.
Quote #2
Since then, our already strained relationship has worsened. We barely talk to each other, which I guess isn't that big of a change since we barely talked before. (2.22)
Marco and Sophia have always put a roof over Gemma's head, but they've pretty much abandoned her emotionally. They don't even ask her what's wrong when she starts to cry and stuff—they just get mad at her for showing emotion.
Quote #3
Her eyes widened. "I don't." She pushed past me and marched up the stairs, calling over her shoulder, "In fact, I don't care what you do at all."
Her words hurt me like a knife to the heart. I mean, I always assumed she never liked me very much, but now that she put it out there… I felt like I might cry. They didn't care about me. (7.185-186)
Wow, Sophia really isn't the kind of grandmother who makes Gemma cookies and tucks her in at night. She basically tells her that she's on her own emotionally, and that she doesn't care what happens to her.
Quote #4
Growing up with Marco and Sophia—the two most unaffectionate people ever—I never came close to even getting a pat on the back. So Alex touching me like that felt very strange. Yet somehow, at the same time, it felt very familiar. (13.75)
Gemma is so starved for affection and physical contact that she totally reacts in a positive way when Alex touches her, even though she finds him infuriating. After all, she's spent her entire life without being touched by other people—even her supposed grandparents.
Quote #5
"Yeah, but I haven't seen them in a really long time." He stared off in the distance, looking like he was lost in a painful memory. "I haven't seen any of the Keepers since…" He trailed off and looked at me. "Alex told you what I was, didn't he?" (15.81)
Poor Laylen. He's a good guy and has tried to help out the Keepers his whole life, but since he's become a vampire they've pretty much all turned their backs on him. Aislin is the only exception—and that's just because she's in love with him.
Quote #6
"Go ahead, honey," her mother urged in a soothing voice. "It's alright. I'll be okay."
It took the girl a second, but she finally walked away, casting one last glance back at her mother before starting up the hill toward the castle. (21.64-65)
Gemma's mom may leave her behind when she follows Stephan into the lake, but she certainly doesn't want to. She'd rather stay around and take care of her little girl forever, especially because Gemma is so special.
Quote #7
My heart broke for the little girl and the mother. Somehow—and I don't know how—I knew it would be the last time they would see each other. She would grow up motherless, perhaps even hating the people who would be chosen to raise her. There would forever be an empty hole resting in her heart. (21.66)
As Gemma watches the vision, she feels for the little girl and her loneliness even without knowing that the girl is her younger self. She can so relate to the feeling of being left alone in the world with no one to love her.
Quote #8
"[…] So what is it? What's your big backup plan? Are you going to put me up in some super-secret chamber and lock me away from everyone and everything until the only emotion I can feel is loneliness?" (22.73)
Gemma thinks it's pretty messed up that the Keepers all want her to be this emotionless zombie, and she's not afraid to voice her opinions on the matter. They can't just leave her alone without human contact—that's so wrong.
Quote #9
"I didn't realize how bad things were for you," Laylen continued. "You know, what I find strange is that Stephan made this big plan to seclude you from everyone to keep you from feeling, but I never thought the plan would actually work. I mean, how can you force a person to become emotionally detached?" (23.100)
Laylen is the only person who tells Gemma that he feels sorry for her and that he wishes he could've stopped the Keepers from taking away her emotions. He knows what it's like to feel alone in the world, after all.
Quote #10
Vomit burned at the back of my throat. And even though I didn't want to, I started to cry hysterically. My tears had no effect on Stephan whatsoever, which I assumed as much. But I caught a glimpse of guilt on Alex's face. (36.48)
Alex feels pretty badly about letting Stephan take away Gemma's soul and all of her thoughts, but that doesn't mean he's going to stop it. He's turning his back on her here because he believes it's the "right" thing to do.