This wasn't just one of those things.
-- Malia (chapter 1)

Importance: Malia says this when recalling the day Noa was delivered by the sharks. Her words speak to her belief that the incident was a sign of Noa's connection to the gods. So profoundly moved by her son's deliverance, Malia interprets the episode as evidence of the spiritual world.

...I was invisible besides.
-- Kaui (chapter 3)

Importance: Kaui has this thought as a young girl regarding how she feels within her family. So frustrated by her parents' constant preoccupation with Noa's spiritual gift, she believes they do not see her at all. As a result, she begins hiding herself in her work, a defense mechanism against grief and invisibility she uses for years to come.

Hate to break it to you, but I don't fit in second place.
-- Dean (chapter 6)

Importance: Dean has this thought shortly after arriving in Spokane for college. He is convinced his basketball scholarship and new life...