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Bad news Quote by Holly Black

“Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a…” quote by Holly Black
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““Girls like her, my grandfather once warned me, girls like her turn into women with eyes like bullet holes and mouths made of knives. They are always restless. They are always hungry. They are bad news. They will drink you down like a shot of whisky. Falling in love with them is like falling down a flight of stairs. What no one told me, with all those warnings, is that even after you’ve fallen, even after you know how painful it is, you’d still get in line to do it again. A girl like that, Grandad said, perfumes herself with ozone and metal filings. She wears trouble like a crown. If she ever falls in love, she’ll fall like a comet, burning the sky as she goes. She was the epic crush of my childhood. She was the tragedy that made me look inside myself and see my corrupt heart. She was my sin and my salvation, come back from the grave to change me forever. Again. Back then, when she sat on my bed and told me she loved me, I wanted her as much as I have ever wanted anything. There are no words for how much I will miss her, but I try to kiss her so that she’ll know. I try to kiss her to tell her the whole story of my love, the way I dreamed of her when she was dead, the way that every other girl seemed like a mirror that showed me her face. The way my skin ached for her. The way that kissing her made me feel like I was drowning and like I was being saved all at the same time. I hope she can taste all that, bittersweet, on my tongue.””

Holly Black

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Darkest Part of the Forest, Holly Black, 2015

Describes a dangerous, alluring love that is both destructive and redemptive, reflecting inner turmoil and obsession.

In simple terms: A toxic love that captivates and harms.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and break harmful cycles.

Themes

love obsession danger self‑reflection

Mood

melancholic intense

Type

literary emotional

When to use this quote

  • literary analysis
  • personal journaling
  • relationship counseling

Key Concepts

toxic relationships passion self‑destruction

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why are we drawn to self‑destructive love?
  • How can we heal after such intensity?
A Different Perspective

Love can be both ruinous and transformative.

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