"From now on - no matter what - you've got to be the world's toughest fifteen-year-old. That's the only way you're going to survive."
The Boy Named Crow, p. 5

"Naturally, I have zero friends. I've built a wall around myself, never letting anybody inside and trying not to venture outside myself. Who could like somebody like that? They all keep an eye on me, from a distance. They might hate me, or even be afraid of me, but I'm just glad they don't bother me."
Chapter 1, p. 9

"What I think is this: you should give up looking for lost cats and start searching for the other half of your shadow."
Nakata tugged a few times at the bill of his hat in his hands. "To tell the truth, Nakata's had that feeling before. That my shadow is weak. Other people might not notice, but I do."
Chapter 6, p...