--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He must have been handsome when he was…" description: "\"He must have been handsome when he was alive and was handsome still, although made monstrous by his pallor and her awareness of what he was. His mouth ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/holly-black-329_alive_he-must-have-been-handsome-when-he-was-a_1061466.jpg" --- # He must have been handsome when he was alive and was… ![“He must have been handsome when he was alive and was handsome still, although made monstrous by his pallor and her awareness of what he was. His mouth looked soft, his cheekbones as sharp as blades, and his jaw curved, giving him an off-kilter beauty. His black hair a mad forest of dirty curls.” quote by Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/holly-black-329_alive_he-must-have-been-handsome-when-he-was-a_1061466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/holly-black-329_alive_he-must-have-been-handsome-when-he-was-a_1061466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d77/holly-black-329_alive_he-must-have-been-handsome-when-he-was-a_1061466.jpg) > “He must have been handsome when he was alive and was handsome still, although made monstrous by his pallor and her awareness of what he was. His mouth looked soft, his cheekbones as sharp as blades, and his jaw curved, giving him an off-kilter beauty. His black hair a mad forest of dirty curls.” [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical beauty can mask inner monstrosity; perception is deceptive. **In simple terms:** Beauty may hide darkness. Key Takeaway Look beyond appearances. Themes appearance duality beauty monstrosity perception Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary analytical When to use this quote - literary critique - psychological analysis - character study - art criticism - storytelling Key Concepts psychology mythology character analysis social perception identity Questions to Reflect On - How do we judge others based on looks? - What reveals true character? A Different Perspective Beauty can be superficial; inner truth may be unsettling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awareness/) [Forests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forests/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair/) ## Related quotes > [“His face was a ghost story: graveyard eyes, cheekbones as sharp as urban legends, a sealed-coffin mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyse-near/his-face-was-a-ghost-story-graveyard-eyes-cheekbones-as-sharp-as/) [Allyse Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyse-near/) > [“He hadn't expected anyone so pretty, and it threw him. Tina had the Faye Dunaway thing. Faye before the surgery, when her cheekbones were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-stahl/he-hadn-t-expected-anyone-so-pretty-and-it-threw-him-tina-had-the/) [Jerry Stahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-stahl/) > [“He came to me in pieces, like a painting in the works. His gray-blue eyes were the first to pop out from behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/he-came-to-me-in-pieces-like-a-painting-in-the-works-his-gray-blue/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [My mother, at sixty, is one of those classic beauties: all neck and cheekbones, sharp lines that hide her wrinkles from a distance. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/my-mother-at-sixty-is-one-of-those-classic-beauties-all-neck-and/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [“Her hair falls loose in a cascade of black curls, caught in a crown of magenta bougainvillea.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/her-hair-falls-loose-in-a-cascade-of-black-curls-caught-in-a-crown-of/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“So,” I said. “Not ready to settle down, then?” “Definitely not.” His smile pulled up one corner of his mouth and he looked completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/so-i-said-not-ready-to-settle-down-then-definitely-not-his-smile/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [“But all this was nothing compared to the face which I regret to say vaguely resembled my own, less the refinement of course, same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/but-all-this-was-nothing-compared-to-the-face-which-i-regret-to-say/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [“True, at first sight, Grand manifested both the outward signs and typical manner of a humble employee in the local administration. Tall and thin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/true-at-first-sight-grand-manifested-both-the-outward-signs-and/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“He leaned forward and bit her bottom lip. It was just the right size. He hated women with thin, judgmental lips. Smeared with dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penny-watson/he-leaned-forward-and-bit-her-bottom-lip-it-was-just-the-right-size/) [Penny Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penny-watson/) > [“His eyes looked cruel, piercing, almost like those of a wolf seeking his prey, and his mouth looked thinner, more sinister than it had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-valentino/his-eyes-looked-cruel-piercing-almost-like-those-of-a-wolf-seeking/) [Serena Valentino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-valentino/) > [“His smile pulled up one corner of his mouth and he looked completely destructive. My heart and lady bits would not survive a night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/his-smile-pulled-up-one-corner-of-his-mouth-and-he-looked-completely/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [She didn't see him at first. She was watching the dancers. Her color was high, and there were deep dimples at the corners of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/she-didn-t-see-him-at-first-she-was-watching-the-dancers-her-color/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Walter noticed the blue Cookie Monster head resting on the floor, From some angles, the smiling open mouth looked like an expression of abashed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rion-amilcar-scott/walter-noticed-the-blue-cookie-monster-head-resting-on-the-floor-from/) [Rion Amilcar Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rion-amilcar-scott/) > [“He was staring at her mouth with what looked like raw hunger, his eyes turning more golden by the second. “Do that again,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-zaires/he-was-staring-at-her-mouth-with-what-looked-like-raw-hunger-his-eyes/) [Anna Zaires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-zaires/) > [“It slowly began to dawn on me that I had been staring at her for an impossible amount of time. Lost in my thoughts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-slowly-began-to-dawn-on-me-that-i-had-been-staring-at-her-for-an/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) ## More by Holly Black > [“What they don’t realize is this: Yes, they frighten me, but I have always been scared, since the day I got here. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/what-they-don-t-realize-is-this-yes-they-frighten-me-but-i-have/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [When you don't know what you're searching for, you have to look absolutely everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/when-you-don-t-know-what-you-re-searching-for-you-have-to-look/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Madoc makes a snorting sound, then turns to me. 'I am sure that Wren here wouldn't mind taking Lady Nore's castle and lands for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/madoc-makes-a-snorting-sound-then-turns-to-me-i-am-sure-that-wren/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [That’s family for you. Can’t live with them, can’t murder them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-s-family-for-you-can-t-live-with-them-can-t-murder-them/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“No, I won't help you. No I won't hear you explain why I should. It really is a magical word: no. You say whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/no-i-won-t-help-you-no-i-won-t-hear-you-explain-why-i-should-it/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Let her alone,' said the enkanto, 'or I will curse you blind, lame, and worse.' The old man laughed. 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She winced. He didn't seem to mind; in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/so-what-are-you-really-wearing-the-words-left-her-mouth-before-she/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“I grab a chair. "I don't mean to pry," I say, "but we're in a hospital. You sure you're fine?" She sighs heavily. "No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/i-grab-a-chair-i-don-t-mean-to-pry-i-say-but-we-re-in-a-hospital-you/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [Kaye: You know what the sun looks like? Janet: No, What? Kaye: Like he slit his wrists in a bathtub and the blood is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/kaye-you-know-what-the-sun-looks-like-janet-no-what-kaye-like-he-slit/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“That was how she felt, right then. As if there was too much of her, as if her skin was tight with muchness. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/that-was-how-she-felt-right-then-as-if-there-was-too-much-of-her-as/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“It was a vow, a piece of a chant, their scripture, something they took so seriously that saying it aloud embarrassed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/it-was-a-vow-a-piece-of-a-chant-their-scripture-something-they-took/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“Some broken things stay broken”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/some-broken-things-stay-broken/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) [Explore all 666 Holly Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. 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Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. 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We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. 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