The problem with people who say monsters don't really exist is that they're almost never saying it to the monsters." —Alice Healy

— Seanan McGuire

There is no fighting in the Library. Anyone who starts a fight or responds to a challenge will be thrown out. You may think you can take me. You're probably right. But none of you can take the Library.

— Seanan McGuire

There's always time for tea.

— Seanan McGuire

There was still something unfinished around her eyes; she wasn’t done yet. She was a story, not an epilogue. And if she chose to narrate her own life one word at a time as she descended the stairs to meet her newest arrival, that wasn’t hurting anyone. Narration was a hard habit to break, after all. Sometimes it was all a body had.

— Seanan McGuire

This isn't an army marching on the Mists. This isn't a case you have to solve. It's just a bunch of nobles coming to puff their chests out at each other a try to look important. Do what I do. Bring popcorn.

— Seanan McGuire

This isn't a place for lies or pretending everything's all right. We know everything is not all right. If it were, you wouldn't be here. Now. Where did you go?

— Seanan McGuire

Time resumed. Time had a way of doing that.

— Seanan McGuire

We hated each other so well and loved each other so badly...

— Seanan McGuire

When Rome burned, the emperor's cats still expected to be fed on time.

— Seanan McGuire

When the Root and Branch were young, when the Rose still grew unlocked upon the tree; when all our lands were new and green, and we danced without care, then, we were immortal... We left those lands for the world where time dwells, dancing, that we might see the passage of the sun and the growing of the world. Here we may die, and where we can fall, and here King ___ has stopped his dancing.

— Seanan McGuire