“Too much mystery is merely an annoyance. Too much adventure is exhausting. And a little terror goes a long way.”

This quote sums up both Odd’s views on life and Little Ozzie’s requirements for his writing of the memoir. Despite his abilities, Odd wants an ordinary life. Ozzie also warns Odd not to let the narrative get too dark. This adds a meta-fictional element to the novel.

“We are not, however, a species that can choose the baggage with which it must travel. In spite of our best intentions, we always find that we have brought along a suitcase or two of darkness, and misery.”

This quote captures a fundamental aspect of human nature, emphasizing that individuals do not have the luxury of selecting the emotional or psychological baggage they carry through life. It also reflects the idea that the human condition encompasses both light and darkness, and individuals must grapple with the weight of their experience. This duality will be reflected in the world of Odd’s adventure.

“The dead are sensitive to the living. They have walked this path ahead of us and know our fears, our failings, our desperate hopes, and how much we cherish what cannot last. They pity us, I think, and no doubt they should.”

Here, Odd reflects on the way the spirits he sees view him. He suggests that the dead, having lived the same human experience, look on the living with the knowledge of hindsight. This reflects again how the supernatural elements of the novel are explicitly human.