"She was fat. Worse than that, she was a monster. A five-foot-four-ninety-eight-pound monster." Chap. 1, p. 10

"Grace was relying on the physician to do her persuading for her, and Kessa was too apprehensive to speak. Dr. Gordon would see her in her underwear. Worse yet, Dr. Gordon would read the numbers of the scale, and scales, especially in doctors' offices, didn't lie." Chap. 3, p. 37

"Grace had made a mental list for Dr. Gordon, and now she could add the urine stains to it. She had no idea what was the matter with her daughter, but she did know now with a stomach-tightening certainty that something was wrong." Chap. 4, p. 65

"She must protect Kessa at all costs. She'd lie as much as necessary, but the doctor must not find out about Kessa and all the important habits and practices that kept her alive." Chap. 7, p. 82

"She hated everything cheerful that...