How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
He stared hard at the rat, expecting it to turn and scuttle away. It just raised its head and looked at him, its mouth opening to reveal pointed teeth. Josh shuddered. Snakes and rats: he hated them equally […] though not as much as he hated spiders. And scorpions. (7.9)
It seems as though every character in this novel has a point of weakness—a particular fear that really makes him or her tremble. For Josh, we learn he hates snakes, rats, spiders, and scorpions, and later we learn that Scatty hates cats and birds. While these might seem like trivial fears compared to bigger things like the fear of, say, death, when faced with an army of evil rat spies, we would imagine that that particular phobia would be pretty consuming.
Quote #2
He'd never driven in traffic before, and he was terrified. Sophie had suggested that he pretend it was a computer game. That helped, but only a little. In a game, when he crashed, he simply started again. Here, a crash was for keeps. (10.19)
Josh's fear of driving points to his larger fear of feeling out of control. Even though his sister reassures him by telling him to think of it as a game, he can't help but be afraid of the irreversible consequences. A crash is for keeps—remember that line, Shmoopers, when you get your license.
Quote #3
From the corner of his eye, Dr. John Dee watched as the pointy-toed, stiletto-heeled black boots came into view. And he knew then the answer to this question. The day was about to get worse: much worse. Fixing a smile on his lips, he rose stiffly to his feet and turned to face one of the few of the Dark Elders who genuinely terrified him. (11.24)
The Morrigan. She is one scary lady. Even her clacking stilettos inspire fear in Dee, who normally seems totally and completely fearless. But why is she so scary? We'll just have to wait and see.