Authoress Quote by Kate Morton
““A silver hairbrush, old and surely precious, with a little leopard's head for London stamped near the bristles. A white dress, small and pretty, the sort of old-fashioned dress Cassandra had never seen, let alone owned- the girls at school would laugh if she wore such a thing. A bundle of papers tied together with a pale blue ribbon. Cassandra let the bow slip loose between her fingertips and brushed the ends aside to see what lay beneath. A picture, a black-and-white sketch. The most beautiful woman Cassandra had ever seen, standing beneath a garden arch. No, not an arch, a leafy doorway, the entrance to a tunnel of trees. A maze, she thought suddenly. The strange word came into her mind fully formed. Scores of little black lines combined like magic to form the picture, and Cassandra wondered what it would feel like to create such a thing. The image was oddly familiar and at first she couldn't think how that could be. Then she realized- the woman looked like someone from a children's book. Like an illustration from an olden-days fairy tale, the maiden who turns into a princess when the handsome prince sees beyond her ratty clothing.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton, 2018
Cassandra discovers a nostalgic illustration that sparks curiosity about creation and hidden beauty, linking past stories to present imagination.
In simple terms: She finds an old sketch that feels familiar and wonders about making art.
Explore how past images inspire new creations.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- reading a novel
- examining family heirlooms
- sketching ideas
- visiting museums
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What hidden stories do everyday objects hold?
- How can you turn nostalgia into personal expression?
The narrative may romanticize memory, overlooking practical challenges of artistic skill.