Hugh and Fiona stood off to one side, their hands linked and foreheads touching, saying goodbye in their own quiet way. Finally, we'd all finished with Claire and were ready to go, but no one wanted to disturb them, so we stood watching as Fiona pulled away from Hugh, shook a few seeds from her nest of wild hair, and grew a rose bush heavy with red flowers right where they stood. Hugh's bees rushed to pollinate it, and while they were occupied– as if she'd done it just so they could have a moment to themselves– Fiona embraced him and whispered something in his ear, and Hugh nodded and whispered.

— Ransom Riggs

I cried harder. I didn't want to, but I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't stop myself, so I thought about all the bad things and I fed it and fed it until I was crying so hard I had to gasp for breath between sobs.

— Ransom Riggs

I didn’t know what to call it, what was happening between us, but I liked it. It felt silly and fragile and good.

— Ransom Riggs

I'd never asked what year it was here-1492? 1750?-though to the animals I guess it hardly mattered. This was a safe place apart from the world of people, and only in the world of people did the year make any difference.

— Ransom Riggs

If I never went home, what exactly would I be missing? I pictured my cold cavernous house, my friendless town full of bad memories, the utterly unremarkable life that had been mapped out for me. It had never once occurred to me, I realized, to refuse it.

— Ransom Riggs

I knew there was something peculiar about you," she said. "And I mean that as the highest compliment." I'd always known I was strange. I never dreamed I was peculiar.

— Ransom Riggs

I'll never understand ninety-nine percent of humanity. - Enoch

— Ransom Riggs

I love you too, I wanted to say with as much hurtful sarcasm as I could muster, but she hadn't seen me, and I kept quiet. I did love her, of course, but mostly just because loving your mother is mandatory, not because she's someone I think I'd like very much if I met her walking down the street. Which she wouldn't be anyway; walking is for poor people

— Ransom Riggs

Is anything illegal here?' Addison asked.' Library late fines are stiff. Ten lashes a day, and that's just for paperbacks.' There's a library?'' Two. Though one won't lend because all the books are bound in human skin and quite valuable.

— Ransom Riggs

I slammed out of the Priest Hole and started walking, heading nowhere in particular. Sometimes you just need to go through a door.

— Ransom Riggs