I don’t need to play sexist caveman games with the boys to do my job.
-- Montserrat (Ch. 1-5)

Importance: This blunt declaration of indifference to the sexist policies of her boss announces Montserrat's personality in the early stages of the novel: she is unafraid to speak her mind. Furthermore, it underscores directly the sense in which Montserrat feels oppressed by the men in her work environment, a recurring theme in the novel.

I’m not sure what I’d do without you. I’d probably go mad.
-- Montserrat (Ch. 1-5)

Importance: This quote brings out the depth of the love between Montserrat and Tristán; they are not merely friends, but instead find their identities completely wrapped up in one another. Its inclusion is significant because it foreshadows Tristán's later rescue of Montserrat from Ediciones B, and serves to explain the value of the friendship to both of the people involved in spite of their frequent...