They say all the magic is gone out of this place.
-- Mama (Chapter 1 paragraph 1)

Importance: When Felicity arrives in Midnight Gulch, her mother explains to her that all of the magic has gone out of the place. Mama explains that the town had to be kept secret since the people who lived there had magic in their veins, but no longer. This creates a setting from which Felicity will seek to restore the magic to Midnight Gulch, and creates the course the novel’s plot will follow.

Anything can happen in a town like this.
-- Mama (Chapter 2 paragraph 5)

Importance: On their first day of school, Felicity and Frannie Jo are nervous. Their mother tells them not to be nervous because anything can happen in a town like Midnight Gulch. The girls, used to traveling a lot, hope this means that they will be able to stay in Midnight Gulch for a while. This demonstrates just how much the...