She would solve this with cleverness and bravery -- not with the sale of herself as a bride.
-- Cordelia Carstairs. (Chapter 1: "Better Angels")

Importance: This quote reveals much of Cordelia's mentality upon her arrival in London: she is highly self-conscious about her family's predicament but is confident that she alone can pull them out of it, and she refuses to sell any piece of herself to get it but rather wants to put her brain to work. Cordelia values her inner strength much more than her outer beauty, as evidenced by this line.

Too much dancing always made him feel as if he was being disloyal to Grace.
-- James Herondale (Chapter 3: "This Living Hand")

Importance: This quote reveals James' toxic attachment to Grace Blackthorn which verges on the self-destructive. Even when at his family's ball to welcome his close friend Cordelia to London, James is unable to feel completely free. Even the simple pleasure of dancing is marred for him by Grace's absence...