Every town has a black-cat boy. In Rosewood, his name was Toby Cavanaugh.
-- Narrator (Prologue)

Importance: This quote is important because it introduces the idea that Toby is a main suspect in Alison's murder. The black cat comes to represent Toby, not because he is unlucky for those around him, but because his life is destroyed by a series of bad accidents.

She stood up and ran cold water over her face, looking at herself in the mirror: long blonde hair, emerald-green eyes, pointed chin. Her skin was flawless and her teeth were radiantly white. It was preposterous that she didn't look as wrecked as she felt.
-- Narrator (Chapter 5)

Importance: This quote shows Spencer waking up after the funeral and realizing that her exterior appearance does not match how she feels on the inside. It is important because it shows the gap between surface appearances and interior emotions, which is a major theme for the novel...