Sadness Quote by Malin Persson Giolito
““There was always something else in him. It was more than sadness. It wasn't hate; hate is simple, and Sebastian was never easy to understand. I was never afraid of what he might do to me, not even toward the end, but I was always anxious. Even those first weeks were both things, a mixture, difficult, easy and delightful, funny, awful and wonderful.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The White City by Malin Persson Giolito, 2022
The passage describes a complex, contradictory emotional state toward a person, mixing fear, anxiety, fascination, and affection, showing how nuanced human feelings can be.
In simple terms: Mixed feelings toward someone are hard to label.
Key Takeaway
Accept ambiguity in relationships.
Themes
complexity
emotion
relationships
contradiction
Mood
conflicted
thoughtful
reflective
Type
literary
psychological
character study
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- conflict resolution
- self‑reflection
- understanding others
Key Concepts
psychology
human nature
emotional ambivalence
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you navigate mixed emotions toward someone?
- What does this reveal about your own emotional landscape?
A Different Perspective
Human emotions are rarely simple; they can coexist in tension.
![“This sadness wasn't a huge part of me--I wasn't remotely depressed--but still, it was like a stone I carried in my pocket. I always knew it was there. [p. 179]” quote by Dani Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cc0/dani-shapiro-2273_pockets_this-sadness-wasn-t-a-huge-part-of-me-i_1614428.jpg)
