Mathilda

“But once violence has been expended and empire has taken some person, place, or thing as its own, it gives that person, place, or thing a new name and erases the old one. This new name also erases the history of that person, place, or thing, as if everything that came before never happened.”
― James Hynes, Sparrow

“A spark embedded in a body meant for the use of others, shining for no one in the dark.”
― James Hynes, Sparrow

“A broken tool myself, I live in a house full of unread books and broken tools, the irreparable detritus of a dead empire. I am the last Roman, the emperor of junk.”
― James Hynes, Sparrow

“Then Sparrow can't rise any more. The string pulls tight, his wings flail and lose their lift, and he plummets, spiralling back down the way he came, past the moon, through the stars. [] Something's reeling him in, and he's falling, falling, falling [] straight back into the bruised and tender flesh of the boy, alone on the bed.”
― James Hynes, Sparrow