Everyone is born with some special talent, and Eliza Sommers discovered early on that she had two: a good sense of smell and a good memory. (Chapter 1)

The only good thing about marriage is becoming a widow.
-- Rose (Chapter 2)

The ancient landed aristocracy, which had always had the upper hand in the country, felt its privileges threatened, and new wealth became a social stigma. (Chapter 3)

We must improve the disaster of the here and now. The first thing is to organize the workers, the poor, and the Indians, give land to the campesinos and seize power from the priests. We must change the constitution, Mr. Todd. Here only the property owners vote, which means the rich govern. The poor don’t count.
-- Joaquim Andieta (Chapter 4)

She had the clear sense of beginning a new story in which she was both protagonist and narrator. (Chapter 9)

It seems that like everyone who came to California we found something different from...
-- Tao Chi'en (Chapter 21)