Quotes from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Keep at it, Junebug—someday, you’ll shake the Republic to its very core. You’ll be absolutely unforgettable. I know it.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“When you’ve been poor all your life, you never really think it could be any other way. And sometimes you’re even happy, because at least you’ve got your family and your health and your arms and legs and a roof over your head.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“The things that make you special will give you all kinds of advantages in life, but they will also hold you back and expose your weaknesses.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Everything good about me, I learned from you,” I whisper. “You’re giving me too much credit. We got it from our parents.” Metias chuckles a little. It’s a sad sound. There’s another long, ten-second pause before he goes on. “You’ll find your tribe,” he says. “We all do. Someday, someone out there will see you for the girl you really are. Someday, you’ll find someone who understands you.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“At least you understand me.” He raises an eyebrow again. “Sometimes.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“I bet the Republic hasn't seen the last of you.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Someday, someone out there will see you for the girl you really are. Someday, you’ll find someone who understands you.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Poor Metias. He’s not supposed to be a father. He’s supposed to be out on his own, independent and free to concentrate on his job as a young captain. But somebody has to take care of me, and I make his life so much harder than it needs to be. I wonder what things must have been like for him back when our parents were still alive, when I was a toddler and Metias was a teenager and he could focus on growing up instead of helping someone else grow up. Still, Metias hasn’t complained once. Not a single time. And even though I wish our parents were here, sometimes I’m really happy that this is our little family unit, just me and my brother, each watching out for no one but the other. We do the best we can.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“My brother reaches out and taps my forehead gently. "Behind that brain of yours is a good heart, Junebug. I see it every day.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the great Republic of America, to our Elector Primo, to our glorious states, to unity against the Colonies, to our impending victory!”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Ugh,” I snort in disgust. No doubt that girl’s some goddy rich trot living the sweet life farther inland, in one of LA’s upper-class sectors. Who cares what she scored on her Trial? The whole test is rigged in favor of the wealthy kids, anyway, and she’s probably just someone with average smarts who bought her high score.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Thank you,” she says. “You’re a good kid. I bet the Republic hasn’t seen the last of you.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Love you too. Keep at it, Junebug—someday, you’ll shake the Republic to its very core. You’ll be absolutely unforgettable. I know it.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“TWELVE-YEAR-OLD TRIAL PRODIGY JUNE IPARIS BECOMES YOUNGEST STUDENT EVER ADMITTED TO DRAKE UNIVERSITY, TO BE OFFICIALLY INDUCTED NEXT WEEK.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“Your strengths might make you hard to approach, and might make your words sound uglier than what you actually mean, but they also make people look up to you.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

“WHAT’S WITH ALL THIS TRAFFIC?” I ASK MY BROTHER. Metias leans forward in the driver’s seat and cranes his neck.”
― Marie Lu, quote from Life Before Legend: Stories of the Criminal and the Prodigy

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“Derken, müritlerden biri "Yalnızım Üstat," dedi, "saatlerin nalları göğsümü ezip duruyor."

El Mustafa ayağa kalktı ve ortalarında durdu; şiddetli bir rüzgârın sesine benzeyen bir sesle konuştu: "Yalnız! Ne var ki bunda? Yalnız geldin ve yalnız kaybolacaksın sis içinde.

İç öyleyse kadehinden yalnız ve sessizce. Güz günleri başka dudaklara başka kadehler verdi, acı ve tatlı şarap doldurdu kadehlerine, tıpkı senin kadehini doldurduğu gibi.

İç şarabını yalnız, kanının ve gözyaşlarının tadında olsa da; sana susuzluğu bağışladığı için hayata şükret. Çünkü susuzluk olmasa, yüreğin kurumuş bir denizin kıyısı olurdu ancak, şarkıdan ve meddücezirden yoksun.

İç şarabını yalnız, cezbe ve çoşkuyla iç!

Yukarı, başının üstüne kaldır kadehini, sonuna kadar, senin gibi yalnız içenlerin şerefine iç!

Bir gün, insanlarla arkadaşlığı aradım ve onların şölen sofralarına oturdum, yavaş yavaş içtim onlarla; ama şarapları başımı döndürmedi, bağrımı da yakmadı. Sadece ayaklarıma indi. Bilgeliğim susuz, kalbim kilitli ve mühürlü kaldı. Yalnız ayaklarım onların bulanık fikirleriyle arkadaş oldu.

Ve başka insanların arkadaşlığını aradım bir daha, ne de sofralarında onlarla şarap içtim.

Bunun için sana diyorum, saatlerin nalları göğsünü ezip dursa da, ne önemi var! Hüznünün kadehinden yalnız içmen iyidir, neşenin kadehinden de yalnız içeceksin.”
― Kahlil Gibran, quote from The Garden of The Prophet

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