How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Long, bluish-white forms rose over both shoulders. For a moment Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—almost too beautiful for words. (5.8)
There are lots of little hints that Laurel isn't a normal human, but when the blossom sprouts from her back, it confirms that something out of the ordinary is going on with her. There could still be a scientific explanation for it… maybe… but if your mind went straight to magic, then you're on the right track.
Quote #2
Laurel could only nod. Her mind felt fuzzy, and although somewhere in the back of her consciousness she suspected she should be bothered by all of this, it somehow didn't seem important. The only thing that mattered was following the guy with the alluring smile. (8.50)
This is what it feels like to be enticed, or to have Spring faerie magic used on you. Laurel's mind takes a mini-vacation while she follows Tamani deeper into the woods on her parents' land. Luckily, the magical equivalent of slipping someone a roofie doesn't last for very long, and doesn't seem to have any bad side effects (other than confusion, and getting kind of upset if you find out that's what happened to you).
Quote #3
"If I had to pick one person who I thought reminded me of a faerie, it would be you." (9.72)
David has an easier time accepting Laurel's faerie nature than she does, at least at first, and it helps that he already kind of thinks of her as special. And obviously she likes being out in nature and stuff. Still, we can see why Laurel's a little upset at him agreeing so easily that she could very well be a faerie. Learning that you're not human, but rather a magical creature, would probably turn most people's worlds upside-down.
Quote #4
"Back in the Dark Ages, people used to think anything bad that happened was caused by faeries," Chelsea continued, not seeming to notice that Laurel still hadn't said a word. "Of course, they also blamed anything good that happened on faeries too, so I guess it evens out… So why were you looking up faeries?" (11.116)
Chelsea, like most humans, seems to accept that faeries are magical beings. She went through a faerie phase so she's pretty knowledgeable about them—or at least, she thinks she is. We wonder what she'd think of real faerie magic if she ever encountered one. We're guessing that faeries in the Dark Ages had better things to do than pester humans with their magic.
Quote #5
"Something changed tonight, David. For a few hours I liked the flower. Really, really liked it. It felt special and magical." (12.118)
Laurel hasn't dealt with the revelation that she's not human very well, and on top of it, having to hide her blossom has been a huge pain in the butt. So when David helps her craft a costume that hides her blossom in plain sight, she gets to finally experience her flower as a positive, beautiful thing in her life. Magical, even.
Quote #6
"I can do magic?"
"Absolutely. You can do very powerful magic. You're a Fall faerie." (13.102-103)
Laurel is pretty amazed to hear that she can do magic. You would be, too, if you'd spent your whole life thinking you were just another human. While we don't get to see Laurel do much magic in this book, we're betting that in the sequels to Wings, she explores and develops her powers.
Quote #7
Tamani shook his head. "You don't understand. It's not a matter of simply mixing things together—otherwise everyone could do it. Fall faeries have a magical sense for plants and can use them for the realm's benefit. Give me every book ever written on tonics and I still couldn't even make a mixture to stop mold. It's magic, even if it seems sensible." (13.121)
Tamani's statement makes us think about cooking in a whole new light (except that cooking isn't really magic, as much as we wish it were otherwise). Maybe one person's magic is another person's science? Or maybe Tamani is right, and Fall faerie magic is its own special thing that you have to be a Fall faerie to do. Hopefully we get to hear more about this in sequels.
Quote #8
"So… what? You threw faerie dust in my eyes?"
"No, that's ridiculous," Tamani said. "I told you—faerie magic isn't quite what you're thinking. There's no pixie dust to make you fly, no waving magic wands, no puffs of smoke. It's just things we can do that help us in our roles in life." (14.11-12)
Thanks for simplifying things, Tamani. Why didn't you just say so in the first place? "Hey, btw, everything you humans ever thought you knew about faerie magic is wrong. Kthxbai."
Quote #9
"Unfortunately, they have their successes as well as failures; trolls like Barnes who can blend into the human world. Some can even exercise a degree of control over humans. We have no idea how many, but they could be everywhere […] Trolls simply don't respond to our magic." (21.22-24)
Tamani's little speech on trolls is actually pretty scary, since he's implying that trolls might have their own version of magic, which allows them to control humans. Maybe it's not real magic, like maybe it's closer to hypnosis or something, but it's still a frightening thought given that trolls seem pretty bloodthirsty and cruel. And it's a bummer that faerie magic doesn't seem to work on trolls, either. What's a faerie to do?
Quote #10
"This is a rare elixir one of our Fall faeries made many years ago. We create very few potions that can help humans these days, but you need it now, and you may need it again in the future. Two drops in the mouth should be sufficient." (23.85)
The potion that Jamison gives Laurel is pretty darn potent. It's able to bring her father back from the brink of death, where herbal remedies and modern medicine both failed to do anything for him. We're starting to wonder if faerie magic would work on other human ailments like AIDS or cancer…