How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
The sound made Miri's heart feel squeezed between two stones. It was a unifying song and one that she was not invited to join. (1.11)
Poor Miri feels eternally left out because she doesn't work in the quarries with everyone else. Not only is she missing out on being a part of the village's productivity, but she's also missing out on the special communication that the quarry workers share.
Quote #2
Had Gerti heard quarry-speech? she wondered. Can it work outside the quarry after all? Just the possibility was as enticing as the smell of honey cakes baking next door. (7.11)
Finally Miri is privy to the secret language all the other villagers have been using. She can now talk to her fellow villagers without actually speaking aloud—how very cool and exciting. This brings endless possibilities.
Quote #3
Olana interrupted the practice to croon on about Conversation, the importance of repeating the name and title, asking questions, and always bringing the conversation around to the other person. (8.24)
The lowlanders may think that their form of conversation is more proper, but it seems boring, doesn't it? It'd be pretty hard to connect and share with other people if all you did was talk about titles and make polite chitchat.
Quote #4
She continued to pose questions, using his name, making eye contact, making sure her mannerisms showed she was wholly focused on him. After a time, his responses got longer. (11.29)
We guess those Conversation skills came in use after all to pull Peder out of his shell. They may have been friends since childhood, but now that they're older and crushing on each other, Miri and Peder need to learn how to talk comfortably again.
Quote #5
Miri and Steffan strolled the quiet corridors, conversing much as they had while dancing. The principles of Conversation did not work as well with the prince as they had with Peder at spring holiday. (18.44)
Miri's use of Conversation may have helped Peder to emerge from his shell, but it doesn't seem to help warm up the prince at all—he's one cold customer. How is he even supposed to get to know the girls if he won't talk to them?
Quote #6
Dan rushed across the pallets and lifted Esa from the ground with just one hand around her neck. He spoke so close to her face, she flinched from the spittle flying from his mouth. "You talk again, I make sure you can't talk at all." (21.10)
Yikes. Dan the bandit is not joking around when he says that he doesn't want the girls to talk to each other, and he's convinced that by keeping them silent, he'll be able to control them. Too bad he hasn't heard of quarry-speech…
Quote #7
She supposed the story did take some liberties, because the mountain could not really speak to them. Yet the kernel of the idea was true—quarry-speech allowed the villagers to talk through the mountain, to send their song down into the linder so another could hear. (21.74)
All seems lost until Miri remembers that Mount Eskel's residents don't need to just rely on their voices to be heard—there's still a way to call for help without alerting the bandits. She just needs to find a way to reach all the way home.
Quote #8
She quarry-spoke until her thoughts felt rough and grating, her mind as hoarse as her throat would be after hours of yelling. Peder did not speak back again. (21.91)
Quarry-speech may be all through the mind and heart, but that doesn't mean that it's not just as exhausting as yelling at the top of your lungs. Miri spends hours trying to get through to Peder; we hope it works out for her…
Quote #9
With her eyebrows raised as if she posted a question, Miri pointed at each girl and waited until she nodded agreement. To her relief, even Bena did not hesitate. (22.18)
Way to throw Miri under the bus last time she engineered an escape, Bena. At least this time all the girls recognize the gravity of the situation—if they don't get out together now, they might be utterly doomed.
Quote #10
Peder shook his head as if giving up on words, reached out, and took her hand. Miri bit her lip to keep herself from pulling away. She was certain he could feel her heartbeat in her fingers and would know that inside she was trembling and sighing. (25.158)
Sometimes you don't need words to tell someone how you really feel. Peder doesn't need to say something long and convoluted to get his point across; he just has to reach over and take Miri's hand. That says everything.