Home > Author > Louise O'Neill
81 " This was a saturated market – so many broken girls with money to spend – and there were a lot of beautiful white women out there, selling wellness and crystal-encrusted yoga mats and fifty-dollar meditation candles, but none of them could do what Samantha Miller could. "
― Louise O'Neill , Idol
82 " You went to Bennford to sort this shit out, like a grown-ass woman, and what have you done? Sat around posting throwback pics on social! This isn’t high school. This is real life. "
83 " The Woman Making Spirituality Sexy!’ the Glamour headline had screamed, and her manager insisted on using that "
84 " You wanted to be in control of everything, Sam. And then when we did hook up, I was afraid to tell you because I thought you’d freak out. Like, how is that normal? What did it have to do with you? Rebecca said—’ ‘You told Becky about it?’ ‘She’s one of my best friends, "
85 " Carolyn Anderson-Miller, who’d made her fortune from women’s longing to be beautiful and who’d reminded Samantha every day since she turned thirteen that there was nothing wrong with being pretty. "
86 " People had to be allowed to make mistakes. We have to give others space to learn, to grow, she’d always said that. How would anything change otherwise? "
87 " So often, the girls had no respect for her personal boundaries, expecting her to be all things to them – a surrogate mother, a therapist, a best friend. It was too overwhelming so now she just told them there was an online workshop that supported addicts on Shakti.com "
88 " You made my life miserable and I’ve had to watch for the last ten years as you made a career out of being kind, preaching about the importance of “connectivity” and “collectivity” and all this shit about treating others as you’d want to be treated. I thought I was losing my fucking mind. "
89 " The truth is, Amy, the modern dating scene has made sex disposable. It’s made people disposable. I’ve come to believe that sex is sacred and we have to honour it as the force that it is. We shouldn’t throw it away on those who are not worthy of us. "
90 " Welcoming? I …’ He looked lost for words. ‘Sam, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I don’t want any trouble.’ ‘Neither do I, believe me.’ ‘Then why are you here? We haven’t seen you in— "
91 " I don’t think an eating disorder is a good excuse for bullying someone, Sam. And if you do, then you haven’t done quite as much “work” on yourself as you might like to believe. "
92 " course I don’t have wine here,’ Samantha said, screwing her face up. ‘I’m a recovering addict. What’s wrong with you tonight? "
93 " Oh, come on! We were expecting a backlash. We’re reclaiming chastity for a new generation; this isn’t easy work. Whenever you introduce an idea to the culture, there’s always criticism. Then, within a few years, poof! It’s part of the mainstream and everyone has moved on. Don’t panic, it’ll— "
94 " bet she doesn’t want her friends thinking she’s a dyke,’ Jane snorted. ‘I know women like that. When I came out, half my senior year stopped talking to me in case I’d get the “wrong idea”. Like I would have had any interest in those basic bitches. "
95 " How would you know what anyone here does or doesn’t do? You haven’t spent more than a couple of hours in this town since high school.’ ‘And whose fault was that? "
96 " Don’t start that shit again.’ Lisa’s chin jutted out. ‘I never asked you to leave, the school in Utah was your idea. You always do this. You always twist everything. You just have to be the victim, don’t you, Sam? "
97 " Josh, it’s me again. I’m not fucking joking. The two of you can’t just … you can’t just do this to me. You can’t just decide I’m a piece of dirt on your fucking shoe that you can discard whenever you want. Listen to me, Josh, and listen good. You don’t want to push me on this, OK? "
98 " Lisa had fucked her over when they were teenagers, abandoning her supposed best friend when Sam had needed her most, and now she wanted to destroy Sam’s life. She was like Shiva, the god of destruction, the Tower card incarnate. She wouldn’t be happy until Sam was buried alive and she had dug the grave herself. "
99 " What a hook – the friend you fucked as a teen becomes a global phenomenon while you’re just a small-town mom. It’s like Three Women on speed.’ ‘Jane … please. Don’t put it like that. This is someone’s life you’re talking about. Why do I have to keep reminding you of that? "
100 " Jesus Christ. You’re forty years of age, Samantha. When are you going to stop blaming us and take responsibility for yourself? Or maybe that doesn’t suit this “narrative” you’ve created to make yourself sound "