How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
He shifted in his seat and smiled secretly. The pleasure of self-discovery. (1.7)
We're only seven paragraphs in, and already we're getting a hint that Jacob is about to discover himself, plus he's already musing on how to find himself. When he first sees Ton, Jacob gets one answer to the question of his identity, but it's not the only answer.
Quote #2
Remembering home he suddenly became inward and didn't want to say any more about all that. He dabbed flakes of croissant on to a finger-end and licked them away. (4.41)
It's as if Jacob doesn't want to come clean about who he is and why he's in Amsterdam—he doesn't want his grandpa's legacy to dictate who he is. And you know what? We get that. The only problem is that Jacob doesn't seem to be sure who he's gonna be without it.
Quote #3
Never had I uttered such a speech before. Never had I thought myself capable of it. Never have I made such a speech again. Because, perhaps, never did such anger seize me as possessed me that day. Upstairs in the ruins of my home foreign soldiers were fighting for my country. Here in the cellar I was fighting for myself. (7.40)
Geertrui stands up for Jacob to her family. We love a headstrong heroine in any book, but we can't help but notice that this speech is more about her finding herself and her real feelings for Jacob than it is about anything else. And we can get behind that too.