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Marked

by P.C. Cast

"Marked" is the first novel in the House of Night series by the mother-daughter writing team P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is unexpectedly "Marked" by a Tracker as a fledgling vampyre, forcing her… more

First published 2007 · 306 pages · English

26 quotes ★ 3.82 (527,476) Fantasy

Quotes from the Book

Actually, since I'm gay I think I should count for two guys instead of just one. I mean, in me you get the male point of view and you don't have to worry about me wanting to touch your boobies.
Don't you think baby corns are scary? There's just something wrong about their midget bodies.
Before I could cry or scream I whirled around and stalked to my bedroom,slamming the door behind me. I hope they all drown. "Zoey your mother and I need to speak with you." Great. Clearly they didn't drown.
Nice dress Zoey. It looks just like mine. Oh, wait! It used to be mine. Aphrodite laughed a throaty, I'm-so-grown-and-you're-just-a-kid laugh. I really hate it when girls do that.I mean, yes, she's older, but I have boobs, too.
If I died, would it get me out of my geometry test tomorrow? One could only hope.
I've found that the way a person feels about cats-and the way they feel about him or her in return-is usually an excellent gauge by which to measure a person's character
He's not the brightest crayola in the pack.
You are old beyond your years Zoeybird. Believe in yourself and you will find a way. But remember darkness does not always equate to evil just like light does not always bring good.
...Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; harken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night.
I'm going to remember this, I told myself sternly. I'm going to remember how awful they made me feel today. So when I'm scared and alone and whatever else is going to happen to me starts to happen, I'm going to remember that nothing about be as bad as being stuck here.Nothing.
The problem, of course, was that turning into a monster was the brighter of my two choices. Choice Number 1: I turn into a vampyre, which equals a monster in just about any human’s mind. Choice Number 2: My body rejects the Change and I die. Forever. So the good news is that I wouldn’t have to take the geometry test tomorrow.
Kayla Robinson, if you don't shut up I'll fly down there and suck every last bit of blood from your stupid cheating cow body!
Do vampyres play chess? Were there vampyre dorks? How about Barbie-like vampyre cheerleaders? Did any vampyres play in the band? Were there vampyre Emos with their guy-wearing-girl’s-pants weirdness and those awful bangs that cover half their faces? Or were they all those freaky Goth kids who didn’t like to bathe much? Was I going to turn into a Goth kid? Or worse, an Emo? I didn’t particularly like wearing black, at least not exclusively, and I wasn’t feeling a sudden and unfortunate aversion to soap and water, nor did I have an obsessive desire to change my hairstyle and wear too much eyeliner.
If I died, would it get me out of my geometry test tomorrow? One could only hope." - Zoey Mongomery (Redbird)
And kissing him is like sucking on alcohol-soaked feet.
no matter what bullshit you heard, hes still mine! he'll always be mine
Bask in your uniqueness, revel in your strenght. We stand separate from the world because of our gifts. never forget that, because you may be sure the world never will
And then something truly bizarre happened. I could feel his touch through our eyes. I couldn't look away from him. The girl in front of him seemed to disappear, and all there was in the hallway was him and the sweet, beautiful smell of his blood.
Darkness does not always equal bad and Light does not always mean good.
Beautiful, see the cloud, the cloud appear. Beautiful, see the rain, the rain draw near...
Clearly, the Goddess has a sense of humor.
You are special. Accept that about yourself, and you will begin to understand there is true power in your uniqueness.
I’ve found that the way a person feels about cats—and the way they feel about him or her in return—is usually an excellent gauge by which to measure a person’s character.
I want you to live as you would be remembered if you would die tomorrow,
She wasn't thin like the freak girls who puked and starved themselves into what they thought was Paris Hilton chic. ("That's hott." Yeah, okay, whatever, Paris.)
I clamped down on the sick, hurt feeling inside that threatened to make me burst into tears. My eyes dried instantly. I was good at hiding tears. I should be; I'd had three years to get good at it.

Did you know?

  • "Marked" is the first book in the House of Night series.
  • It was co-written by P.C. Cast and her daughter Kristin Cast.
  • The story is set at a fictional vampyre boarding school called the House of Night in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  • Protagonist Zoey Redbird has an affinity for all five elements-air, fire, water, earth, and spirit.
  • The series draws on Cherokee heritage and Goddess-centered mythology through the vampyre goddess Nyx.
  • The House of Night series eventually grew to twelve core novels plus a four-book Other World continuation.

About P.C. Cast

P.C. Cast is an American author best known for the House of Night series, which she co-wrote with her daughter Kristin Cast; a former high-school teacher, she has written across fantasy, paranormal, and romance.

More about the author →

About the book

"Marked" is the first novel in the House of Night series by the mother-daughter writing team P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird is unexpectedly "Marked" by a Tracker as a fledgling vampyre, forcing her to leave her old life and enroll at the House of Night, a boarding school in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where marked teens must complete a transformation into full vampyres or die. Zoey soon discovers that her Mark is unusually filled in, a sign of special favor from Nyx, the vampyre goddess.

At the school Zoey learns she has an affinity for all five elements-air, fire, water, earth, and spirit-a power no fledgling has ever possessed. As she navigates new friendships, first romances, and the politics of the school's elite group the Dark Daughters, she comes into conflict with the group's cruel leader and begins to sense that not everyone at the House of Night can be trusted. The book blends coming-of-age drama with vampire mythology, drawing on Cherokee and Goddess-centered spiritual elements.

Published in 2007, "Marked" launched a hugely popular young-adult paranormal franchise that grew to twelve core novels and a follow-up "Other World" quartet, spending many weeks on bestseller lists. Its themes of identity, belonging, faith, and the idea that "Darkness does not always equate to evil" resonated with the teen paranormal-romance wave of the late 2000s alongside titles like Twilight and Vampire Academy.

Key characters

  • Zoey RedbirdSixteen-year-old protagonist, a specially favored fledgling vampyre
  • NeferetHigh Priestess and mentor at the House of Night who proves to be an antagonist
  • Stevie Rae JohnsonZoey's roommate and loyal best friend
  • Erik NightTalented older fledgling and Zoey's love interest
  • Aphrodite LaFontLeader of the Dark Daughters and Zoey's rival
  • NyxThe vampyre goddess who marks and favors Zoey

Book details

First published
2007
Length
306 pages
Reading time
5 hours
Author
P.C. Cast
Genre
Fantasy
Goodreads rating
3.82 (527k ratings)

Series & reading order

  1. 1 Marked
  2. 2 Betrayed
  3. 3 Chosen
  4. 4 Untamed
  5. 5 Hunted
  6. 6 Tempted
  7. 7 Burned
  8. 8 Awakened
  9. 9 Destined
  10. 10 Hidden
  11. 11 Revealed
  12. 12 Redeemed

If you liked this, read…

  1. 1
    Vampire AcademyAnother late-2000s YA series set at a boarding school for young vampires
  2. 2
    TwilightDefining teen paranormal romance of the same era
  3. 3
    EvernightYA vampire romance centered on a mysterious boarding school

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