‘No,’ said Luke, grinning at her. ‘You're not dull enough! […] What about the kid's clothes? I don't suppose they were anything to write home about, but didn't you keep anything? A bootee or a bit of embroidery or anything at all?’

But they are much better at ratness or guineapigness or monkey business than we are because of other things we have that thicken the plot: like capacities for wonder and conscience and compassion. These tend to bring us into conflict with our ratness or guineapigness or monkey shines.

I wish to acknowledge my supervisors (including my unofficial supervisors) who I have leaned on greatly to create a thesis (hopefully) worth reading.

this mental phantasmagoria