How we cite our quotes: (Page number)
Quote #1
"My parents are immigrants. They moved to this country for a better life. They work all the time so my brother and I can have the American Dream. Nowhere in the American Dream does it say you can skip college and become a starving artist."
"It says whatever you want it to."
I snort. "Not in my family it doesn't." (291)
Daniel knows his family’s version of the American Dream means financial stability and success, not actually pursuing your dreams. He’s a good kid and he wants to make his parents proud, so he was on board with their plan, even if he wasn’t that excited about it. Then he met Natasha.
Quote #2
Sometimes, though, he still catches a glimpse of the old Natasha. She'll give him a look like she used to when she was younger. It's a look that wants something from him. A look that wants him to be more, do more, and love more. He resents it. Sometimes he resents her. Hasn't he done enough already? She's his first child. He's already given up all his dreams for her. (210)
Add “Father of the Year” to the list of awards Samuel Kingsley won’t be winning any time soon. Seriously though, it can be a tough transition for some parents to realize having kids means putting their needs before yours―but he’s had 17 years to get used to the idea, so our sympathies are limited.
Quote #3
In Korea, the family name came first and told the entire history of your ancestry. In America, the family name is called the last name. Dae Hyun said it showed that Americans think the individual is more important than the family. (15)
This quote juxtaposes the way two cultures view the role of a family. Some modern parents take pride in giving their children individual names that stand out from the crowd, like this lady who named her kid Abcde (yes, really). Korean parents are more proud to pass on their family’s legacy.
Quote #4
I'm laughing even though I know I shouldn't. That was the most perfectly awful experience. Poor Daniel. Observable Fact: Families are the worst. (143)
Daniel’s dad made a judgmental, racist comment about Natasha’s hair, and his brother joked about Daniel’s anatomy, so “perfectly awful” is a pretty spot-on description. Natasha deserves some serious brownie points for laughing it off.
Quote #5
For most of his childhood, there was never any doubt in Dae Hyun's mind that he would eventually take over the business. He was the eldest of three sons. It was his place. Family is destiny. (238)
Interestingly, Dae Hyun didn’t end up taking over the family business: He got married, moved to America, and started his Black Hair Care store. He conveniently forgets all this when he’s angry with Daniel for wanting to strike out on his own.
Quote #6
Red Tie gets even louder. "This is an independent record store. That means it's family-owned. You're stealing from real people. Do you know how hard it is for small businesses to survive when people like you just take stuff?" (54)
Red Tie (a.k.a. Daniel) often goes out of his way to support small businesses. Later in the book, he’ll bring Natasha to an independent coffee shop over Dunkin’ Donuts, despite the latter’s crazy deals on Munchkins. In any case, he’s sensitive to small business owners’ struggles thanks to his own parents, so he’s in no mood to watch Rob and Kelly pull a smooch-and-steal.
Quote #7
I missed the days when I thought the world of him, and thought he could do no wrong. I used to believe that all it took to make him happy was us, his family. There are pictures of me from when I was three wearing a MY DAD IS THE COOLEST T-shirt. On it there was a father penguin and a daughter penguin holding hands, surrounded by icy blue hearts. I wish I still felt that way. Growing up and seeing your parents' flaws is like losing your religion. I don't believe in God anymore. I don't believe in my father either. (215)
In just one quote, Nicola Yoon instantly shows readers how close Natasha and her dad used to be. We’re willing to bet Natasha’s not the only one with a picture of her younger self in a shirt that pays tribute to their parents. Navigating the transition between being a kid who thinks Mom and Dad are superheroes to becoming an adult who knows they’re mere mortals is tough for everyone involved.
Quote #8
I groan and rub the back of my neck. "We should all be born with a family Do-Over card. At sixteen, you get a chance to evaluate your situation and then you can choose to stay in your current family or start over with a new one...Maybe they just forget you ever existed. Anyway, I don't think many people would switch." (315)
Given everything Daniel’s family has put him through in this 24-hour period, it’s refreshing to hear him say he wouldn’t trade them away—but he still wishes he could kick Charlie to the curb.
Quote #9
"Do you think it's funny that both of our favorite memories are about the people we like the least now?" I ask. "Maybe that's why we dislike them," she says. "The distance between who they were and who they are is so wide, we have no hope of getting them back." (278)
Natasha’s favorite memory is when her dad let her have chocolate ice cream in a cone instead of a cup, and Daniel’s is when Charlie shared his popcorn after Daniel volunteered to ride Space Mountain with him. It’s kind of a bummer that both of their former role models have fallen so far in their eyes.
Quote #10
"When we get to Jamaica, you have to at least try. Go on auditions. And be better to Mom. She's done everything, and she's tired, and you owe it to us. You don't get to live in your head anymore." (328)
Natasha really shouldn’t be responsible for telling her dad how to be a good member of their family, but Samuel needs to hear her message from somebody. In the final non-epilogue chapter, we learn that Samuel did some community theater after Patricia died. Hopefully that means he stopped living in his head and tried to provide for the family while she was still alive, but our hopes aren’t too high.