Diana Wynne Jones Quotes
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Diana Wynne Jones was a British writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and adults.

Some of her better-known works are the Chrestomanci series, the Dalemark series; the novels Howl's Moving Castle and Dark Lord of Derkholm; and The Tough Guide To Fantasyland.

✵ 16. August 1934 – 26. March 2011

Diana Wynne Jones: 137 quotes2 likes

Diana Wynne Jones Quotes

“That was the trouble with Joris. He was nice. You ended up liking him, whatever you did. Even when you wanted to shake him till his head fell off.”

Diana Wynne Jones book The Homeward Bounders

Source: The Homeward Bounders (1981), p. 131.

“I was a thoroughly hardened Homeward Bounder. There seemed nothing I didn't know.
Then I ran into Helen. My friendly neighbourhood enemy. There really was nothing like Helen on any world I'd ever been to. I sometimes didn't think she was human at all.”

Diana Wynne Jones book The Homeward Bounders

Source: The Homeward Bounders (1981), p. 70.

“Rosenberg, Teya; Hixon, Martha P.; Scapple, Sharon M.; White, Donna R. Diana Wynne Jones - An Exciting and Exacting Wisdom (New York: Peter Lang, 2002). ISBN 082045687X”

Diana Wynne Jones

References

“"Unprintable things!" I said - only I didn't say that. I really said them.”

Diana Wynne Jones book The Homeward Bounders

Source: The Homeward Bounders (1981), p. 56.

“Please, your story, or I shall offend the dignitaries of my kingdom by yawning at holy things.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Hexwood

Source: Hexwood (1993), p. 261.

“"If you call me V. S. once again," she said, "I shall scream - I warn you!"
Sam patted her arm. "You need a butter-pie," he said kindly.”

Diana Wynne Jones book A Tale of Time City

Source: A Tale of Time City (1987), p. 73.

“I never said my wishes were supposed to do anyone any good," said the genie. "In fact, I swore that they would always do as much harm as possible.”

Diana Wynne Jones

Source: Castle Series, Castle in the Air (1990), pp. 102-103.

“"Heroes see things like that," he said.
"It's obviously an enchantment of some kind," Polly agreed, humouring him.
"It must be," he said. It sounded as if he was humouring her.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Fire and Hemlock

Source: Fire and Hemlock (1985), p. 34.

“People may wonder how Mitt came to join in the Holand Sea Festival, carrying a bomb, and what he thought he was doing. Mitt wondered himself by the end.”

Diana Wynne Jones

First lines.
Source: Dalemark Quartet, Drowned Ammet (1977), p. 223.

“If nothing happened, then there's nothing to remember," she told herself, trying to sound philosophical. "Of course there's nowhere to start.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Fire and Hemlock

Source: Fire and Hemlock (1985), p. 14.

“Amazing. You're here, but you can't do a simple thing like raising light, or do I mean lazing right? Whichever. You can't. Why not?"
"No one ever showed me how," I said.
He swayed about, looking solemn. "I quote," he said. "I'm very well read in the literature of several worlds, you know, and I quote. What do they teach them in these schools?”

Diana Wynne Jones

Source: Magids Series, The Merlin Conspiracy (2003), p. 113.

“"Can I eat these?" he said.
"No," said Vivian. "I'm hungry."
"I'll give you half," Sam said, plainly thinking he was being generous.”

Diana Wynne Jones book A Tale of Time City

Source: A Tale of Time City (1987), p. 21.

“Things we are accustomed to regard as myth or fairy story are very much present in people’s lives. Nice people behave like wicked stepmothers. Every day.”

Diana Wynne Jones

'About the Author', The Many Worlds of Diana Wynne Jones http://www.dianawynnejones.co.uk/author/default.aspx (HarperCollins, 2005). Retrieved June 14 2005.

“Pretending was like that. Things seemed to make themselves up, once you got going.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Fire and Hemlock

Source: Fire and Hemlock (1985), p. 29.

“It is of course a magic carpet.”

Diana Wynne Jones

Abdullah had heard that one before. He bowed over his tucked-up hands. "Many and various are the virtues said to reside in carpets," he agreed. "Which one does the poet of the sands claim for this? Does it welcome a man home to his tent? Does it bring peace to the hearth? Or maybe," he said, poking the frayed edge suggestively with one toe, "it is said to never wear out?"
Source: Castle Series, Castle in the Air (1990), pp. 16-17.

“Happiness isn't a thing.”

Diana Wynne Jones book Fire and Hemlock

You can't go out and get it like a cup of tea. It's the way you feel about things."
Source: Fire and Hemlock (1985), p. 311.