2013/16: The Flowers of Adonis -- Rosemary Sutcliff

The Flowers of Adonis -- Rosemary Sutcliff

...thinking of what might happen if Agis did not come back, thinking of what might happen if he did. The lamp flame burned blue at the heart as a hyacinth flower; the turnover of the wick wa sparked and seeded with red in the way that foretells rain. [p. 104]

( spoilery for ancient history [they all die eventually!] )

2013/17: Feersum Endjinn -- Iain M. Banks

Feersum Endjinn -- Iain M. Banks

To treasure each moment, to savour every experience, to evaluate individually one's multitudinous feeling and sensations with the knowledge lodged within that events were hurrying to a close, that there was no longer a seeming infinitude of time stretching ahead of one: that was truly to live. [p149]

This review is a placeholder. I ... can't write about this book right now. Or the fact that it took me twenty years not to bounce off it. Or the reason why I finally persevered.

2013/18: Advent -- James Treadwell

Advent -- James Treadwell

Terrifying as Holly was, as the hell-dog was, terrifying as was his utter ignorance in the face of whatever he was heading towards, none of them were as frightening as the old habitual fear that he’d accidentally made it all up. [location 7565]

( minor spoilers )

2013/19: Code Name Verity -- Elizabeth Wein

Code Name Verity -- Elizabeth Wein

‘Fräulein Engel, you are not a student of literature,’ he said. ‘The English Flight Officer has studied the craft of the novel. She is making use of suspense and foreshadowing.’ Golly, Engel stared at him. I of course took the opportunity to interpose wi’ pig-headed Wallace pride, ‘I am not English, you ignorant Jerry bastard, I am a SCOT.’ Engel dutifully slapped me into silence and said, ‘She is not writing a novel. She is making a report.’ ‘But she is employing the literary conceits and techniques of a novel. And the meeting you speak of has already occurred – you have been reading it for the past quarter of an hour.’ [loc.839]

( not significantly spoilery )