Gaze Quote by Rachel Hawkins
““I stood in the doorway, taking that image in: a Brannick, cooking breakfast for two demons. Who could have imagined that? Nick saw me and grinned. Well, tried to. Like me-heck, like all of us-he still had that haunted look in his eyes that made friendly expressions seem sad. “’Morning, Sophia. I saved you a slice of bacon. You too, Jenna,” he said, glancing over my shoulder. His eyes flicked to my other side. “Sorry, cuz, you’re out of luck.” Archer gave a little snort of amusement, but there was still something wary in the set of his shoulders as he moved into the kitchen. He also took the chair farthest away from Nick when he sat down. I wasn’t sure Archer and Nick could ever have anything approaching a normal relationship, but that was probably to be expected. After all, Nick’s parents had murdered Archer’s, and Nick had tried to kill Archer not once, but twice. That would definitely make for awkward family reunions in the future. It also didn’t help that the people who Archer considered family were now determined to kill him, too.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Darkest Minds by Rachel Hawkins, 2015
A tense family gathering reveals deep trauma, mistrust, and the difficulty of reconciling past violence with present connections.
In simple terms: Family ties are strained by past violence and mistrust.
Key Takeaway
Acknowledge trauma to heal relationships.
Themes
family
trauma
trust
reconciliation
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
narrative
emotional
When to use this quote
- family reunions
- therapy sessions
- team building after conflict
- community healing
Key Concepts
psychology
conflict
narrative dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can families take to rebuild trust?
- How does past violence shape present interactions?
A Different Perspective
Healing may be slow and require external support.
