How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
He shivered uncontrollably, but Narnie held him close. "Narnie," he sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
"Shhh, Fitz."
"Forgive me, please. Please. Please. Please. Please."
The words were pouring out of him, soaked with tears and phlegm and spit and blood, as she continued rocking him, while Jude held onto them both. (19.66-69)
Whoa. There's a lot about this devastating scene we could look at, but perhaps the most powerful thing is that Narnie chooses to show compassion on Fitz when she learns the news of Webb's death. Rather then cast him out and rebuke him, though, she and Jude hold him and grieve with him.
Quote #2
He told me it was one of the best days of his life and then he took out his gun. A .22 rifle. And he leaned forward and whispered, "Forgive me, Taylor Markham." Before I could ask him how he knew my name and what I was to forgive him for, he said, "Take care of my little girl." (19.74)
While a lot of characters in this book are dealing with forgiveness of others, Fitz seems to struggle with being able to forgive himself for Webb's death. It's possible that he was able to forget the pain for a while when his wife was alive, but her absence probably gives him too much time to think about things. Think about this: Fitz's grief and self-loathing were so great that he killed himself even though it meant leaving his own daughter. Now that's serious suffering.
Quote #3
"Do you want to know the worst part?" he asks. I can tell this is so hard for him because he won't look at us. "Sometimes I forget just how bad he was, so all I can remember is that he's dead because of me." (21.42)
We totally get that Jonah has mixed emotions about his dad being gone. On one hand, the guy was abusive and a real creep, but in Jonah's eyes, it's still his fault his dad's dead. The grief of losing a parent combined with the guilt and knowledge that he's responsible has to just make things worse for Jonah.
Quote #4
"Wherever we go or whoever we meet, promise me you won't judge my mother." […]
"I can't," he says, not only irritated, but dismissive. "Don't ask me to do that."
"That's cold."
"Fine. Call it cold. But you've told me too many things that I'll never forgive her for." (22.36-41)
It's interesting that Taylor was the direct victim of Tate's neglect, but she feels very little anger toward her. Jonah, on the other hand, has never met Tate and has more of an impulse to not forgive.
Quote #5
Then when it was over, she gathered him into her arms. And told him the terrible irony of her life.
That she had wanted to be dead all those years while her brother was alive. That had been her sin.
And this was her penance.
Wanting to live when everyone else seemed dead. (22.87-90)
Part of Narnie's issue is with herself for being too fragile and retreating inward after her parents' death rather than embracing the relationships in front of her. Now, with her brother gone, she understands the value of relationships and longs to have them.
Quote #6
"I had this dream. That someone—actually it was my father—spoke to me and he said, 'Jonah, if you go any farther, you will never come back,' and although I've been told a million times during counseling that I don't need his forgiveness, I just thought it was the closest thing to it. That maybe he was protecting me from something out there and that the warning was his way of saying he forgave me. (23.99)
It turns out Jonah's dad actually was protecting him from something—the serial killer he and Taylor crossed paths with in Yass. Still, Jonah sees the dream as an offering of forgiveness from beyond the grave—his dad helping spare Jonah's life even though Jonah didn't spare his.
Quote #7
It was Webb he was speaking to. All this time, I thought that Webb was bringing him along into my dream but now I realize that I was bringing him along to Webb's. All he wanted was forgiveness and Webb said, "Tell him there's nothing to forgive." (25.86)
So as it turns out, Taylor's dreams have been this nexus for Webb and Fitz to meet up and come to terms with the past. In spite of the guilt Fitz held in life, Webb seems to hold nothing against him.
Quote #8
Just say she never gets to hear me say that I always knew she was something special and that's why I was so horrible to her. Because people with that much spirit frighten the hell out of me. They make me want to be a better person when I know it's not possible. (25.126)
Like Narnie, Taylor has her own bout of lack of self-forgiveness when Jessa goes missing in the fire. Okay, so the kid was kind of creepy and annoying—but that doesn't mean Taylor was right to treat her badly. Luckily Taylor gets another chance to turn things around with Jessa.
Quote #9
"Hannah, Jude and you don't have a bond because you're the only survivors. Jude and you have a problem because you're the survivors. It's like you can't forgive each other. How come you can forgive Tate for what she did and Webb for dying? And Fitz! How come you can forgive him? He killed your brother! He shot him out of a tree! You can forgive all of them, but you can't forgive you and Jude for living." (26.31)
Way to go, Taylor. In just a few sentences, she sums up Hannah and Jude's problem: They can't forgive each other for being the ones who lived. Rather than just getting married already, they're too haunted by the past to let it go and have a relationship in the present.
Quote #10
I watch them both and for the first time it occurs to me that I'm no longer flying solo and that I have no intention of pretending that I am. I have an aunt and I have a Griggs and this is what it's like to have connections with people.
"Do you know what?" I ask both of them. "If you don't build a bridge and get over it, I'll never forgive either of you." (26.8-9)
While Jonah and Hannah argue about which one of them did the most damage to Taylor, she steps in and tactfully demands they lay the whole issue to rest. After all, they're both in her life now and are going to be for quite some time. The last thing they need is a family feud.