Her uncanny ability to calm unruly animals earned her the respect of both the keepers and her husband, who, though he believed in science could not explain it, found her gift nonetheless strange and mysterious.”
-- Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This quote describes Antonina’s way with animals, which was important not only in her work with the animals, but also in the way she interacted with people. Antonina had a way of communicating with both animals and people on an almost psychic level. She used this skill on more than one occasion to calm angry German soldiers who threatened her safety or the safety of her family and friends.

Stay prepared for this world the rest of your life, a child’s brain tells itself, a world of mayhem and uncertainty.
-- Narrator (chapter 4)

Importance: This quote reveals Antonina’s worries about her son witnessing the ravages of war. Antonina was orphaned at the age of nine when...