10 Best Steven Galloway Quotes

“He will play for twenty-two days. One day for each person killed.”

This line establishes the central premise of the novel: the cellist's act of remembrance and defiance after a mortar attack kills 22 people waiting for bread. It sets the stage for the narrative, linking the cellist's music directly to the human cost of the siege and inspiring the other characters to find meaning.

“She is no longer Arrow. She is Alisa.”

This is Arrow's pivotal internal declaration towards the end of the novel. It signifies her decision to reclaim her humanity and moral compass, refusing to become a killer without conscience. It marks her rejection of the dehumanizing role she adopted for survival, choosing her true self over the identity war imposed.

“The sniper is not a man. He is a ghost.”

Arrow's chilling description of the enemy she hunts. It reflects her professional detachment and the dehumanization required to operate as a sniper, viewing her targets not as individuals but as abstract threats. This mindset allows her to perform her duty, but it also highlights the psychological toll of war.

“This is not a city anymore. It is a place where people die.”

Dragan's despairing internal thought, reflecting the profound transformation of Sarajevo under siege. It captures the loss of identity and purpose for the city and its inhabitants, who are reduced to mere survivors in a landscape of constant threat and death. It underscores the pervasive sense of hopelessness.

“The cellist is a man who has decided that he will not be a victim.”

This line encapsulates the cellist's profound act of defiance. By playing his cello in the street, he reclaims agency and dignity in the face of overwhelming violence, transforming a personal tragedy into a public statement of resilience and the enduring power of art to resist dehumanization and despair.

“They can kill us, but they can't kill the music.”

A sentiment expressed by the cellist, reflecting his belief in the enduring power of art and humanity over violence.

“My name is Arrow. I am a sniper. And I am not a murderer.”

Arrow's internal mantra, as she struggles to reconcile her role in the war with her sense of self and morality.

“He has forgotten what it is to be a human being. He is a man who is afraid to die.”

Dragan's internal reflection on the dehumanizing effect of fear on himself and others in Sarajevo.

“The war had changed the city, but it had not changed the people. It had merely revealed them.”

A thought reflecting on how extreme circumstances strip away pretenses, exposing true character.

“The music was not a protest, it was a statement. A statement that life, even in the face of death, was still beautiful.”

A reflection on the cellist's performance and its deeper meaning beyond mere defiance.