Pain. It was normal to feel some pain at the bestowing of a Mark, but what he saw in Adele's eyes - was agony.
-- Aloysius Starkweather (Prologue paragraph 21)

Importance: This is the moment when Aloysius Starkweather realizes that his granddaugther is not a Shadowhunter and begins his suspicions that his real granddaughter was stolen by the Underworld people.

The dress was a deep gold silk, as was the custom for Shadowhunters, who believed white to e the color of mourning, and would not marry in it, despite Queen Victoria herself having set the fashion for doing just that.
-- Tessa (Chapter 1 paragraph 2)

Importance: This quote establishes the time period in which the novel is set and the differences between the Shadowhunter ace and mundanes, or humans.

How had she not seen he was so ill?
-- Tessa (Chapter 3 paragraph 8)

Importance: This quote shows the shattering of Tessa's comfortable world when she becomes aware that her happiness with Jem is a fragile one because of his...