I just finished "The Chilbury Ladies' Choir" by Jennifer Ryan, and highlighted some of my fave lines. The book takes place in England in 1940, as World War II is heating up. Before I return the e-copy back to the library, I thought I'd post them.
"But, Mrs. B.," David said with a smirk. "We always leave it up to you to make a stink about everything. You usually do."
Mrs. B. is a bossy, bitchy, has-to-be-in-charge character. This is just the line I would like to say to certain people, and a line that I hope no one ever wants to say to me. Although, if I am completely honest with myself....
"Another life just begun and already over. A faraway star glows brighter and then disappears into the void. What an insignificant, unprepared army of souls we are."
This was the reflection of a nurse as she sat with a young soldier as he died.
"The malevolence and pride of these people is ruthless, clinging to their advantage in the face of our total annihilation. Human nature defeats me sometimes, how greed and spite can lurk so divisively around the upmost courage and sacrifice."
That same nurse went to the home of the young soldier's love, who happened to be another soldier and the son of a wealthy and powerful viscount. Ashamed of his son's sexuality, he was verbally abusive to the visiting nurse as she was delivering the terrible news of the death of his son's beloved.
And, quite possibly my favorite of all:
"But if we don't think of our death until we die, how can we decide how we want to live?"
This is that same nurse, upon reflection when she and her companion are barely missed by an enemy bomb. He tells her to not think about their close call, and this very wise sentiment was her reply.
I will post my review on the www.BubblyBibbly.com reviews page soon.
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