--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever…" description: "\"“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion that the world might prove, in the end, to h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg" --- # Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was… ![“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion that the world might prove, in the end, to have been either a mirage or a particularly elaborate hoax.” quote by Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg) > ““Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion that the world might prove, in the end, to have been either a mirage or a particularly elaborate hoax. ”” [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Two characters share a wary bond, questioning whether reality is genuine or an elaborate illusion, reflecting deep existential doubt. **In simple terms:** They wonder if the world is real or a hoax. Key Takeaway Question the nature of reality. Themes trust existentialism illusion Mood thoughtful melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - post‑apocalyptic survival - friendship - search for meaning Key Concepts skepticism human connection Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would convince you reality is authentic? - How does shared suspicion affect relationships? A Different Perspective It may assume a pessimistic view, ignoring possibilities of hope. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“I remember walking past church services and wondering if it was all an elaborate hoax that everyone was in on but me.  It felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-lugeons/i-remember-walking-past-church-services-and-wondering-if-it-was-all/) [Noah Lugeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-lugeons/) > [“You should never have suspicion about anyone in this world; not even if it is true. It is a terrible offence to have suspicion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/you-should-never-have-suspicion-about-anyone-in-this-world-not-even/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [There are some things I don't like, about which I think, well, that's me. 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I’m here waiting for you to realize that helping you, listening to you, sitting in silence with you, holding you while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-felix/i-m-here-corinne-i-m-here-waiting-for-you-to-realize-that-helping-you/) [Lila Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lila-felix/) > [“Those two spots are among the darkest of our whole civilization--pardon me, our whole culture (an important distinction, I've heard)--which might sound like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/those-two-spots-are-among-the-darkest-of-our-whole-civilization/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [The 'Fake News Alert' Chrome extension, created by 'New York Magazine' journalist Brian Feldman, identifies hoax news articles. However, cutting out fake news source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabrizio-moreira/the-fake-news-alert-chrome-extension-created-by-new-york-magazine/) [Fabrizio Moreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabrizio-moreira/) > [In a secular age, an authentic miracle must purport to be a hoax, in order to gain credit in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/in-a-secular-age-an-authentic-miracle-must-purport-to-be-a-hoax-in/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/president-obama-is-the-greatest-hoax-ever-perpetrated-on-the-american/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [“No one can know, of course, accurate population figures from an era before there was a census, but many officials on the ground at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/no-one-can-know-of-course-accurate-population-figures-from-an-era/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) ## More by Emily St. John Mandel > [“He wished he could somehow go back and find the iPhone people whom he'd jostled on the sidewalk earlier, apologize to them - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/he-wished-he-could-somehow-go-back-and-find-the-iphone-people-whom-he/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“All those people,” Clark said to Imaginary Robert, but Imaginary Robert didn’t reply.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/all-those-people-clark-said-to-imaginary-robert-but-imaginary-robert/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“... every time someone dies you start counting how much time has passed since they've been gone. First you count it in minutes, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/every-time-someone-dies-you-start-counting-how-much-time-has-passed/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“I've been thinking lately about immortality. What it means to be remembered, what I want to be remembered for, certain questions concerning memory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/i-ve-been-thinking-lately-about-immortality-what-it-means-to-be/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“She slipped so easily into the folds of his life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/she-slipped-so-easily-into-the-folds-of-his-life/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [What I mean to say is, the more you remember, the more you’ve lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/what-i-mean-to-say-is-the-more-you-remember-the-more-you-ve-lost/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [There are certain qualities of light that blur the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/there-are-certain-qualities-of-light-that-blur-the-years/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“All three caravans of the Travelling Symphony are labelled as such, THE TRAVELLING SYMPHONY lettered in white on both sides, but the lead caravan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/all-three-caravans-of-the-travelling-symphony-are-labelled-as-such/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“A fragment for my friend-- If your soul left this earth I would follow and find you Silent, my starship suspended in night”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/a-fragment-for-my-friend-if-your-soul-left-this-earth-i-would-follow/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [Hell is the absence of the people you long for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/hell-is-the-absence-of-the-people-you-long-for/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“You remembered.” “Of course,” Clark said. “That’s one thing I like about birthdays, they stay in one place. Same spot on the calendar, year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/you-remembered-of-course-clark-said-that-s-one-thing-i-like-about/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Why did we always say we were going to shoot emails?” “I don’t know. I’ve wondered that too.” “Why couldn’t we just say we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/why-did-we-always-say-we-were-going-to-shoot-emails-i-don-t-know-i-ve/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“They’ve done what’s expected of them. They want to do something different but it’s impossible now, there’s a mortgage, kids, whatever, they’re trapped.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/they-ve-done-what-s-expected-of-them-they-want-to-do-something/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [“Forever is the most dizzying word in the English language. The idea of staying in one place forever was like standing at the border…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/forever-is-the-most-dizzying-word-in-the-english-language-the-idea-of/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) > [No one ever thinks they’re awful, even people who really actually are. It’s some sort of survival mechanism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/no-one-ever-thinks-they-re-awful-even-people-who-really-actually-are/) [Emily St. John Mandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) [Explore all 30 Emily St. John Mandel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/) ## More Hoax quotes > [“No one can know, of course, accurate population figures from an era before there was a census, but many officials on the ground at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hochschild/no-one-can-know-of-course-accurate-population-figures-from-an-era/) [Adam Hochschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hochschild/) > [President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/president-obama-is-the-greatest-hoax-ever-perpetrated-on-the-american/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [In a secular age, an authentic miracle must purport to be a hoax, in order to gain credit in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/in-a-secular-age-an-authentic-miracle-must-purport-to-be-a-hoax-in/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [The 'Fake News Alert' Chrome extension, created by 'New York Magazine' journalist Brian Feldman, identifies hoax news articles. However, cutting out fake news source…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabrizio-moreira/the-fake-news-alert-chrome-extension-created-by-new-york-magazine/) [Fabrizio Moreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabrizio-moreira/) > [“Those two spots are among the darkest of our whole civilization--pardon me, our whole culture (an important distinction, I've heard)--which might sound like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-ellison/those-two-spots-are-among-the-darkest-of-our-whole-civilization/) [Ralph Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-ellison/) > [“I’m here Corinne. I’m here waiting for you to realize that helping you, listening to you, sitting in silence with you, holding you while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-felix/i-m-here-corinne-i-m-here-waiting-for-you-to-realize-that-helping-you/) [Lila Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lila-felix/) > [ “I just wish this social institution \[religion\] wasn't based on what appears to me to be a monumental hoax built on an accumulation of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-just-wish-this-social-institution-religion-wasn-t-based-on-what/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [I keep hearing from readers who say 'Hoax' helps them understand their own family a little bit better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stelter/i-keep-hearing-from-readers-who-say-hoax-helps-them-understand-their/) [Brian Stelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stelter/) > [“Science Class Would you invent some irrational explanation for we lost souls that the glaciers aren’t really melting at all, that they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-of-mayberry/science-class-would-you-invent-some-irrational-explanation-for-we/) Diogenes of Mayberry > [As is so often the case with pieces that appear in the 'Onion,' I honestly could not decide whether this was a clever hoax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/as-is-so-often-the-case-with-pieces-that-appear-in-the-onion-i/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Trying to teach creativity is the major hoax of our time along with the Iraq war and plastic surgery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harrison/trying-to-teach-creativity-is-the-major-hoax-of-our-time-along-with/) [Jim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harrison/) > [“Oh, I don't know. Is it that we collectively thought Steve Jobs was a great man, even when we knew he made billions off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-esmail/oh-i-don-t-know-is-it-that-we-collectively-thought-steve-jobs-was-a/) [Sam Esmail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-esmail/) > [There are some things I don't like, about which I think, well, that's me. But coriander is a giant hoax perpetrated by a perverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/there-are-some-things-i-don-t-like-about-which-i-think-well-that-s-me/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [We all have a right to know, and if the government has been suppressing information about other life forms, that's the cruelest hoax of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-schultz/we-all-have-a-right-to-know-and-if-the-government-has-been/) [Dwight Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-schultz/) > [“Hoax needed to complete the premises of truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/hoax-needed-to-complete-the-premises-of-truth/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) Browse all 77 Hoax quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion that the world might prove, in the end, to have been either a mirage or a particularly elaborate hoax. ”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily St. John Mandel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trusted-but-there-was-a-certain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hoax" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trusted-but-there-was-a-certain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d68/emily-st-john-mandel-20783_quote_michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trust_1714294.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted, but there was a certain kinship; she shared Lilia's suspicion…” — Emily St. John Mandel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily St. John Mandel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-st-john-mandel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Michaela wasn't someone Lilia ever trusted,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trusted-but-there-was-a-certain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-st-john-mandel/michaela-wasn-t-someone-lilia-ever-trusted-but-there-was-a-certain/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```