Neal Shusterman Quotes & Sayings

This place isn't a refuge, it's a slave market. Why doesn't anyone see that?'
'Who says they don't see it? It's just that unwinding makes slavery look good. It's always the lesser of two evils.'
'I don't see why there have to be any evils at all. — Neal Shusterman

Good God - don't they teach you anything in those poor excuses for schools anymore?" Then he calms down, but only a little. "No, I suppose they wouldn't. History is written by the victors - and when there are no victors, it all winds up in corporate shredders." He looks out the window with the sad resignation of a man who knows he's too old to change the world. — Neal Shusterman

think all young women are cursed with a streak of unrelenting foolishness, and all young men are cursed with a streak of absolute stupidity. He — Neal Shusterman

The eternally sleeping princess, thinks Cam. But I shall free you from those poisoned brambles that surround your heart. And then you will have no choice but to love me. — Neal Shusterman

All his life there was only one thing Lec was allowed to believe. It had surrounded him, cocooned him, constricted him with the same stifling softness as the layers of insulation around him now. For the first time in his life, Lev feels those bounds around his soul begin to loosen. — Neal Shusterman

My fans have always been so supportive, and several years ago, I realized that I could thank them by naming all my characters after my Twitter and Facebook fans. — Neal Shusterman

Happiness is not a state of being. Happiness is a vector, it is movement. — Neal Shusterman

Words don't hurt you. Which is one of the hugest criminal lies perpetrated by adults against children in this world. Because words hurt more than any physical pain. — Neal Shusterman

See, if you paint wrong because that's the best you can do, you just a chump. But you do it because you want to? Then you're an artist. — Neal Shusterman

To get the man off her back, she finally looked out of her window. She thought she would find patchwork farmlands, but they were already above the suburban sprawl that surrounded the city. It was twilight - the sky was full of color, but she didn't look up. She could only look to the ground, where streetlights were already beginning to come on. To Lindsay, it looked like a grid of computer chips, stretching out for miles and miles. So many people, she thought. Lindsay could count on a single hand the people who really cared about her. And now, outside her 747 window, was a brutal reminder of how many people didn't. — Neal Shusterman

When you live a life without questions, you're unprepared for the questions when they come. — Neal Shusterman

The sad truth about humanity ... is that people believe what they're told. Maybe not the first time, but by the hundredth time, the craziest of ideas just becomes a given. — Neal Shusterman

To name her is to sink her," he told me. "That which we name takes greater weight than the sea it displaces. Ask any shipwreck. — Neal Shusterman

Milestone! This is a momentous occasion," he tells her cheerily. "It should be witnessed by a friend."
She throws him an icy gaze, and he does a verbal back pedal.
"Aaaand since no friends are present, I'll have to do. — Neal Shusterman

You're not eating, Cam," Roberta says as she comes out to join him across the table. Roberta - his creator, or builder - whatever term one gives to the individual who conceived of you. Perhaps, then, it should be "mother," though he's loath to use the word. — Neal Shusterman

The only thing you have for measuring what's real is your mind ... so what happens when your mind becomes a pathological liar? — Neal Shusterman

Unwinds exist in the constant shadow of betrayal. — Neal Shusterman

So what happens when your universe begins to get off balance, and you don't have any experience with bringing it back to center? All you can do is fight a losing battle, waiting for those walls to collapse, and your life to become one huge mystery ashtray. — Neal Shusterman

Just as the airplane graveyard was Heaven disguised as Hell, harvest camp is Hell masquerading Heaven. — Neal Shusterman

Man, Grandma, what big hair you have."
"The better to style with, my dear. — Neal Shusterman

He will only do the wrong thing when it's the right thing to do.. — Neal Shusterman

There was never anything wrong with my life. Perhaps that was the problem ... The crack in my life was the fact that I had everything I wanted, or could ever want - and when you have it all, boredom grows like a fungus, coating everything you own and everything you feel. — Neal Shusterman

Survival is a dance between our needs and our consciences. — Neal Shusterman

Impressive, isn't it?" Divan says with pride. "I purchased it from a Brazilian artist, who has apparently made a career working in flesh. He claims his artwork is to protest unwinding, but I ask you, how much of a protest can it be if he uses the unwound for his art? — Neal Shusterman

Live by your impulses, and you'll be just like them. You're better than that, aren't you, Red? — Neal Shusterman

The rides are different for everyone. I'm convinced of that now. I mean, sure, there are some we ride together. Either we find ourselves drawn to some common experience, or maybe we're pulled in by the people we care about. Our friends, our families can drag us onto coasters and Tilt-A-Whirls that are really meant for them. But in the end, no matter whose rides we find ourselves on, the experience is all our own. — Neal Shusterman

Damn right! The time of your life! Gotta wrap up all those life events, all those parties, into one - birthdays, wedding, funeral." THen he turns to their father. "Very efficient, right, Dad?" ...
"Here's to my brother, Lev," Marcus says. "And to our parents! Who have always done the right thing. The appropriate thing. Who have always given generously to charity. Who have always given 10 percent of everything to our church. Hey, Mom - we're lucky you had ten kids instead of five, otherwise we'd end up having to cut Lev off at the waist! — Neal Shusterman

Bring on the dancing bear! — Neal Shusterman

If every parent unwound a kid due to disrespect, the human race would go extinct in a single generation — Neal Shusterman

Never ask how. At that moment, it felt like the wisest advice I had ever gotten. — Neal Shusterman

Monster only had the power that you gave them — Neal Shusterman

The homes here are almost identical, but not quite, full of people almost identical, but not quite. — Neal Shusterman

unwinding is, by law, painless. — Neal Shusterman

It was at that moment he realized that his spirit was truly human once more. For he no longer remembered how to be alone without being lonely. — Neal Shusterman

He's a conundrum- and there's still a piece missing from the puzzle. Whatever that piece was, there was a part of me telling me not to get involved- that it was too much to handle. That you shouldn't go out on a limb unless you're absolutely sure the limb can support your weight. — Neal Shusterman

Your hair looks funny," Lief said, as soon as the Ugloids left. "It stands straight up!"
No," said Nick, intensely irritated, "It's hanging straight down."
Lief just gave him an upside-down shrug. "Up is down in China and you're part-Chinese. — Neal Shusterman

Little Red, Little Red, what's in the chip bag, Little Red?"
And in the same singsong voice I answered, "Nothing at all, Nothing at all, Nothing at all but your grandpa's head. — Neal Shusterman

I wanted to take everything I was feeling, put it in a cannon and aim it at him. — Neal Shusterman

I think all mothers are alike, regardless of cultural background, when it comes to illogical cleaning. — Neal Shusterman

Our conversation with the supermarket manager had been about as helpful as a New Jersey road sign, and if you've ever been there, you know the signs don't tell you the exit you're coming up to, they only point out the exits you've just missed.
It puts parents in very foul moods
and since you're probably there to visit relatives, their mood was pretty touch and go to begin with. — Neal Shusterman

I'm against solutions that are worse than the problem. Like old women who want their hair dyed the color of shoe polish to hide the gray. — Neal Shusterman

In short, there are mysteries of science and of soul that will never be understood no matter how hard we measure, no matter how strongly we believe, no matter how deep our think tanks and how high our aspirations. But as anyone will tell you - for we all know this within our hearts - the impossible happens and grand cosmic mysteries are solved on a regular basis, although most of the time the solutions lead to even greater mysteries. — Neal Shusterman

[ ... ] every time he forces himself to think before acting, it's her voice in his head telling him to slow down. He wants to tell her, but she's always so busy in the medical jet - and you don't just go to somebody and say, I'm a better person because you're in my head. — Neal Shusterman

At that moment he could have said the earth was made of chocolate pudding and I would have believed it. — Neal Shusterman

Nothing stays wondrous forever. It's human nature to grow accustomed to that which becomes normal, even if it's a new shade of normal. — Neal Shusterman

Lev smiles. Leave it to you to turn someone else's screwup into gold — Neal Shusterman

Forget solar energy - if you could harness denial, it would power the world for generations. — Neal Shusterman

When it comes to such open-heart reflection, I'm a firm believer in the observer effect, which states that anything you try to observe is automatically changed by the mere fact that you're looking at it. The way I see it, if you try to study your emotions on a microscopic level, the best you can do is understand how it feels to hold the magnifying glass. — Neal Shusterman

Looks are deceiving," Risa says. "After all, when I first saw you I thought you looked reasonably intelligent. — Neal Shusterman

Beautiful is dangerous. — Neal Shusterman

I gotta go to the bathroom," Emby mumbles. "You should have thought of that before you left," says Hayden, putting on his best mother voice. "How many times do we have to tell you? Always use the potty before climbing into a shipping crate. — Neal Shusterman

Black holes generate an amazing amount of light. The problem is, their gravity is so great, the light can't escape - it just gets pulled in along with everything else. — Neal Shusterman

Sometimes we make our alliances not by the shape and color of our flesh but by the convictions of our heart. — Neal Shusterman

Their fate rested entirely on me. I could save them by telling the truth. I could destroy them by lying. No one should have that much power. — Neal Shusterman

The Bill of Life was signed, the Unwind Accord went into effect, and the war was over. Everyone was so happy to end the war, no one cared about the consequences — Neal Shusterman

Mom removed all games that remotely suggest violence and death-but Cody's doing a good job of making harmless cartoon characters suffer in fresh and inventive ways. — Neal Shusterman

One of the adults does his best impersonation of a DJ, and when encouragement doesn't work,he demands that everyone form a circle on the dance floor to do the hokey pokey. However, ten seconds into the dance, he suddenly realises how ill advised it is for ex-tithes to be putting various body parts in and out. — Neal Shusterman

I don't want to go to the government," the Schwa says.
"Yeah," I said. "They'd dissect him and put him in a formaldehyde fish tank in Area 51."
Howie shook his head. "Area 51 is for aliens," he says. "They'd probably put him in Area 52. — Neal Shusterman

I never met the boy, or his parents, but I see kids like him every day." Sonia tells Connor. "Their world is shattered, and they're so desperate for validation that they'd blow themselves up to get it. Any parent who disowns that boy after what he did, and didn't do . . . doesn't deserve to have children at all, much less a child to give away. — Neal Shusterman

Maybe that had been his plan all along, or maybe not. But one thing's for certain- now that I had said it, it was his plan. — Neal Shusterman

It's called loitering, which is like littering with human beings as the trash. — Neal Shusterman

Always been a goal-oriented girl. it was both her strength and her weakness. She had a drive to completion that always gets things done, but it also made her inflexible, and stubborn.
Everlost — Neal Shusterman

Stick with me," CyFi had said, putting his fist in the air, "and as God is my witness, you will never go hungry again." Then he added, "That's from Gone with the Wind. — Neal Shusterman

Once in a while our school has half days, and the teachers spend the afternoon 'in service,' which I think must be a group therapy for having to deal with us. — Neal Shusterman

Just because the law says it, that doesn't make it true."
"Yeah, well, just because the law says it, it doesn't make it false, either. It's only the law because a whole lot of people thought abou it, and decided it made sense." ( ... )
"But if it weren't for the law, would you still believe it? — Neal Shusterman

You don't like her, do you?" "Who, me? No, I love her dearly. Evil scheming bitches are my favorite kind of people." (Risa) — Neal Shusterman

How can you walk away," Connor finally says, "when they're about to overthrow the Cap-17 law? — Neal Shusterman

Elasticity is a fundamental principle of perception, — Neal Shusterman

The way I see it, the impossible happens all the time; but we're so good at taking it for granted, we forget it was once impossible. — Neal Shusterman

We'll never be ready. So I guess that means we're as ready as we'll ever be. — Neal Shusterman

That's legally blind, I'm not legally blind" "Yes, she's illegally blind — Neal Shusterman

Don't I have a choice in this? But when she looks behind her, the answer is
clear. There are two guards waiting to make sure that she has no choice at all.
And as they lead her away, she thinks of Mr. Durkin. With a bitter laugh, Risa
realizes that he may get his wish after all. Someday he may see her hands playing
in Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately, the rest of Risa won't be there. — Neal Shusterman

You know," he said, his voice making me feel cold in spite of the heat, "this city can get ahold of you and pull you back no matter how hard you try to climb out. Like a grave. — Neal Shusterman

Guilt is easy, innocence is hard. — Neal Shusterman

I have no idea,' he tells her, and there is such a spark in his eye when he says it, she can tell having no idea is exactly the way he wants it. — Neal Shusterman

That's what law is: educated guesses at right and wrong. — Neal Shusterman

Connor tries to hold her arm to give her support, but she shakes him off and throws him a nasty gaze. "If I want your help, I'll ask. Do I look feeble to you?"
"Actually, yes."
"Looks are deceiving." she says. " After all, when I saw you, I thought you looked reasonably intelligent."
"Very funny. — Neal Shusterman

I'm tired of eating your family's lousy, tasteless recipes," Dad said.
"Tasteless recipes? My grandmother's rolling in her grave!"
"It's from indigestion. — Neal Shusterman

Nice socks" - Neal Shusterman — Neal Shusterman

the voices are so persuasive, you don't know what's real and what's not. You know the voices aren't talking into your ears, but they're not exactly in your head either. They seem to call to you from another place that you've accidentally tapped into, like a cell phone pulling in a conversation in some foreign language - yet somehow you understand it. They linger there on the edge of your consciousness like the things you hear just as you're waking up, before the dream collapses under the crushing weight of the real world. But what if the dream doesn't go away when you wake up? And what if you lose the ability to tell the difference? — Neal Shusterman

And I think, if thoughts are worth a penny, how much less promises must be worth. Especially the ones you're likely to break. — Neal Shusterman

If someone had told Allie that she would commit a premeditated act of murder, she would not have believed it. She would have spouted off all the reasons how she could never be capable of such a thing - that no matter how dire the circumstances, she would find a better way. She was so naive, so arrogant to think that the laws of necessity and unthinkable circumstance could not apply to her. She could tell herself that this was an act of mercy, but that would be a lie. This was an act of war. An act of terrorism. It was nothing less than an assassination.
If I do this, Allie told herself, I am no better than Mary. I will have sunk to the worst possible place a person can go. After this moment, I will be a cold-blooded killer and it can never be taken back.
So the question was, did Allie Johnson have the strength to sacrifice all that was left of her innocence if it meant she might save the world? — Neal Shusterman

It's amazing how people can surprise you. — Neal Shusterman

The way I see it, truth only looks good when you're looking at it from far away. It's kind of like that beautiful girl you see on the street when you're riding past in the bus ... there she is, this amazing girl walking by on the street, and you think if you could only get off this stupid bus and introduce yourself to her, your life would change.
The thing is, she's not as perfect as you think, and if you ever got off the bus to introduce yourself, you'd find out ... This girl is truth. She's not so pretty, not so nice. But then, once you get to know her, all that stuff doesn't seem to matter. — Neal Shusterman

Do I look feeble to you"
"Actually, yes."
"Well, looks can be deceiving. For instance, when I met you, I thought you look reasonably intelligent. — Neal Shusterman

The captain is supposed to go down with the ship" . "unless the first mate knocks him out and throws him in a lifeboat — Neal Shusterman

In this world, there is a fine line between enlightenment and brain damage. — Neal Shusterman

I feel everything," Calliope tells me as I rest in her metallic arms one night, suspended above an easy sea. "I feel not only the sails, but the hull. Not only the ship, but the sea. Not only the sea, but the sky. And not only the sky, but the stars. I feel everything. — Neal Shusterman

"Keep your eyes on the prize," although I think he should have also said "Go after the prize," too; and maybe that's why prizes ever came his way, because all he ever did was look at them. — Neal Shusterman

He does not deserve this. He has done many things, not all good, but he does not deserve this. And he never did get his priest. — Neal Shusterman

It's strange how we always want other people to feel what we feel. It must be a basic human drive. Misery loves company, right? Or when you see a movie that you love, don't you want to drag all your friends to see it as well? Because it's only good the second time if it's the first time for somebody else - as if their experience somehow resonates inside of you. — Neal Shusterman

I've found that human beings learn from their misdeeds just as often as from their good deeds. I am envious of that, for I am incapable of misdeeds. Were I not, then my growth would be exponential. — Neal Shusterman

Well ... you're a martyr and I'm a patron saint-I can't think of anyone better! — Neal Shusterman

It comes with being sixteen," Mom said. "You teenagers, you go into a cocoon when you turn fifteen and don't come out for years."
"So they become butterflies when they finally come out?" my little sister Christina asked.
"No," Mom said. "They're still caterpillars, only now they're big fat caterpillars that smell. — Neal Shusterman

Wars are often waged not because of what we believe, but because of the things we want others to believe. — Neal Shusterman

It is human nature to take the most magical of worlds for granted, turning each one into a blank canvas upon which to paint the lives of those who would live there. Only an outsider can see a world's wonders for what they truly are. — Neal Shusterman

He's become like that briefcase in the ground-full of gems yet void of light, so nothing sparkles, nothing shines. — Neal Shusterman

As your older brother, it's my sacred duty to save you from yourself."
She brings her fists down on the table, making all the dinner plates jump. "The ONLY reason you're fifteen minutes older than me is because you cut in front of the line, as usual! — Neal Shusterman

We must always be careful of the actions we take, for there are always unintended consequences. Sometimes they are serendipitous, other times they are appalling, but those consequences are always there. We must tread lightly in this world ... until we are sure of foot. — Neal Shusterman

Good thing about bad rubbish is you can make the stench go away just by covering it up. It never comes back as long as you keep a tight lid on it. — Neal Shusterman