My God, Mae thought. It’s heaven.
-- Narrator (Book 1 paragraph Page 1)

Importance: The opening line of the book is incredibly important to the novel because it is ironic. Paying careful attention to it reveals that Mae equates the Circle with Heaven, and such a rash judgment is never correct. All things fall short of Heaven. Indeed, Mae’s arrival at the Circle portends her descent into Hell.

I’ll be watching you watch her.
-- Annie (Book I paragraph Page 46)

Importance: In a seemingly lighthearted moment, Annie tells Dan she’ll be watching him watching Mae. In reality, this isn’t merely friendly first-day banter. The joke is laced with iron, with seriousness: Mae will be watched like a hawk, and those watching Mae will also be watched like a hawk. Everything that Mae does from here on in will be watched, studied, and critiqued, from her actual activities through her online social presence.

All that happens must be known.
-- Eamon Bailey (Book I paragraph Page 68)

Importance: In a...