Books Quote by Jennifer Donnelly
““French Louis Seymour of the West Canada Creek, who knew how to survive all alone in a treacherous wilderness, and Mr. Alfred G. Vanderbilt of New York City and Raquette Lake, who was richer than God and traveled in his very own Pullman car, and Emmie Hubbard of the Uncas Road, who painted the most beautiful pictures when she was drunk and burned them in her woodstove when she was sober, were all ten times more interesting to me than Milton's devil or Austen's boy-crazy girls or that twitchy fool of Poe's who couldn't think of any place better to bury a body than under his own damn floor.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Devil's Arithmetic, Jennifer Donnelly, 1999
The narrator finds more intrigue in eccentric, flawed characters than classic literary archetypes.
In simple terms: Prefers vivid, imperfect people over idealized ones.
Key Takeaway
Seek authenticity over perfection.
Themes
authenticity
character
literature
Mood
curious
analytical
Type
literary
character-driven
When to use this quote
- reading choices
- creative writing
- character analysis
Key Concepts
narrative voice
character study
Questions to Reflect On
- Which flawed characters inspire you?
- How does imperfection enrich storytelling?
A Different Perspective
May undervalue classic literature.
