Have you ever written a book to test whether you have the ability to do it or not? I haven’t yet, but one famous author who wrote her debut novel by doing this is Leigh Bardugo.
Her Shadow and Bone Trilogy and Six of Crows Duology became extremely popular and were also adapted as Netflix series. I personally loved these fantasy novels; my favorite is the Six of Crows duology!
Today, in this article, I will be sharing 20 meaningful quotes by Leigh Bardugo, along with brief meanings of each. Do you also love keeping a collection of your favorite quotes? Then this article will provide you with the best ones! Read on.
20 Quotes by Leigh Bardugo
Among many quotes by Leigh Bardugo, I’ve listed the best 20 quotes. I have also added their meanings; have a look!
“The water hears and understands. The ice does not forgive.”
Leigh Bardugo’s phrase invites us to see water as a metaphor for emotional intelligence; it listens and adapts, changing form with grace. It understands that life is a flow of experiences and embraces them all.
Ice, on the other hand, represents stubbornness and resentment. Once water turns to ice, it loses its ability to flow freely. It holds fast to its shape, unrelenting and cold.
The quote is a poetic nudge to live life like water, receptive and flexible, rather than ice, which cannot forget injury or insult, trapping us in a state of unforgiveness.
“Nothing like being shot at a few times to make you a fast learner.”
This statement highlights how crisis can be a powerful catalyst for growth. Being “shot at” symbolizes intense challenges that force us to respond swiftly and smartly.
It’s about the urgency and clarity that danger brings, pushing us to learn quickly and adapt to survive. The saying suggests that while comfortable situations allow us to learn at a leisurely pace, true agility, and fast learning are often the products of being thrust into high-stakes situations where mistakes have real consequences.
It’s a call to recognize that sometimes, life’s most effective lessons come at the speed of a bullet.
“Sometimes the trick to getting the best of a situation was just to wait.”
These words offer a serene strategy for facing life’s complexity: patience. This wisdom suggests that the key to mastering a difficult situation might not be immediate action but the willingness to pause and let time pass.
Waiting can be powerful, giving problems space to unravel and solutions to emerge naturally. It’s about trusting the process and understanding that not all battles are won with haste.
Sometimes, the strength lies in stillness, in the quiet confidence that time will move things into place, revealing opportunities and insights that only come with the patience to let things unfold.
“You’ve cheated death too many times. Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.”
Leigh Bardugo’s words here speak to the arrogance of believing we can outwit mortality. Cheating death is seen as a temporary victory, a game where luck favors the bold, but only for so long.
Greed, a human vice, can be manipulated and made to work for us, fueling ambition and desire. But death is no servant to human whims; it stands apart, impartial, and inevitable.
The quote is a solemn reminder of life’s fragility, and the ultimate truth that no matter how much we accumulate or achieve, we remain equals before the inescapable reality of our own mortality.
“Do you have a different name for killing when you wear a uniform to do it?”
The words here cut to the heart of moral ambiguity in war. The question posed is a stark confrontation with the idea that the act of killing may be perceived differently when it’s sanctioned by a uniform—a symbol of state or organizational authority.
It challenges the notion that clothing oneself in the trappings of duty can alter the nature of an act as final as taking a life.
This quote asks us to ponder the thin line between what society considers a crime and what it honors as duty, revealing the complex interplay between morality and legality.
“And that was what destroyed you in the end: the longing for something you could never have.”
These words here are a poignant reflection on desire and its pitfalls. This longing she speaks of is an insatiable yearning for something unattainable, a dream forever out of reach.
It’s a silent torment that gnaws at the soul, the endless pursuit of a mirage that can shatter one’s peace.
The quote suggests that such desire can consume us, leaving us chasing after shadows instead of appreciating what we have.
It warns against letting the obsession for the unobtainable become our downfall instead of finding fulfillment in the tangible joys of life.
“Fear is a phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return.”
The words here liken fear to the mythical phoenix, a creature reborn from its ashes. Fear, much like the phoenix, is enduring and cyclical. Even after conquering it repeatedly, it can rise again, sparked by new circumstances or memories.
This quote reflects on the resilience of fear, acknowledging that it’s a natural, recurring part of being human. It reminds us that feeling fear is not a sign of defeat; it’s a challenge we must continuously face and overcome.
The beauty lies in recognizing that each time fear returns, we have another chance to rise above it, growing stronger with each renewal.
“You could love something and still see its flaws.”
The sentence elegantly captures the complexity of love. This quote tells us that love isn’t blind adoration; it’s a deep affection that survives even when we recognize imperfections.
To love something does not mean to ignore its faults. Rather, true love is seeing those flaws clearly and embracing them. It’s a balanced view that accepts the whole picture, not just the appealing parts.
This quote is a reminder that love is robust and multifaceted, allowing space for criticism and improvement.
It’s a mature love that values reality over fantasy, acknowledging that imperfections are part of what makes anything or anyone uniquely cherished.
“Knowledge isn’t a sign of divine favor. Prosperity is.”
The quote offers a sharp observation of the perceived symbols of success. It suggests that while knowledge is valuable, it is not always visible to others as a mark of one’s divine blessing or favor.
Prosperity, on the other hand, with its tangible manifestations of wealth and abundance, is often taken as a sign that one is favored by a higher power.
This quote challenges us to consider what we value and recognize as signs of success or favor, prompting a reflection on the material versus the intellectual or spiritual markers of achievement in society.
“I’m pragmatic. If I were cruel, I’d give him a eulogy instead of a conversation.”
Leigh Bardugo’s words here reflect a practical approach to dealing with people and conflicts. The character speaks of choosing dialogue over disdain, indicating a preference for resolution and understanding rather than condemnation.
To give a eulogy would mean to speak as if the person is beyond change, addressing an end rather than fostering an opportunity for growth or improvement.
This quote speaks to the power of communication over dismissal, suggesting that even when faced with someone challenging, it’s more effective and kinder to engage with them directly than to write them off as a lost cause.
“The really bad monsters never look like monsters.”
These words convey a chilling truth about the nature of true evil. This quote tells us that the most dangerous threats are often hidden in plain sight, disguised as ordinary or even charming.
Unlike the mythical beasts and ghouls of stories that wear their menace on the outside, the “bad monsters” in reality don’t come with obvious signs. They blend in, looking just like anyone else, which makes them all the more treacherous.
It’s a warning to look beyond appearances, to be vigilant and wise because the most harmful dangers are those that are not immediately seen or recognized.
“Stop treating your wound like it’s something you imagined. If you see the wound is real, then you can heal it.”
The quote speaks to the importance of acknowledging our pain. It suggests that healing starts with recognizing our wounds are not figments of our imagination but real and tangible.
Denial only prolongs suffering. Like a cut that needs cleaning and bandaging, emotional and psychological wounds require attention and care. Accepting the reality of our hurt is the first step towards recovery.
It’s a call to be honest with ourselves about our injuries so we can begin the process of healing. Ignoring our pain won’t make it disappear; facing it is the only way to mend it.
“The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.”
Leigh Bardugo’s quote speaks to the focused intention required for true love. The heart, like an arrow, must be aimed with care to hit its mark.
This suggests that love isn’t something to be left to chance; it should be pursued with precision and purpose. To find and nurture real affection, one must have clarity about where they wants their emotions to go.
The quote is a metaphor for the deliberate actions and choices that steer the heart toward its desired destination, emphasizing that a true and lasting connection is the result of deliberate intention, not random luck.
“Suffering is like anything else. Live with it long enough, you learn to like the taste.”
This quote delves into the human capacity to adapt to even the harshest realities. It suggests that over time, we can become accustomed to suffering, so much so that it becomes a familiar part of our existence.
This acclimatization can be so profound that we might even begin to find a bitter comfort in it because it’s what we know best.
The quote isn’t saying we enjoy suffering but rather that the human spirit is resilient, able to endure, and find a way to coexist with even the most persistent pain.
It speaks to our ability to find strength in adversity.
“Better terrible truths than kind lies.”
The quote champions the value of honesty, no matter how harsh it may be. The sentiment here is that embracing the reality of harsh truths is preferable to the comfort of lies, however well-intentioned they might be.
It suggests that there is greater respect and ultimately more kindness in dealing with the reality of a situation than in protecting someone from it with deceit.
The idea is that while truth can be painful, it offers a clear ground upon which to stand and make decisions, while lies, however gentle, lead to a foundation built on illusion.
“If you still believe in fairness, then you’ve led a very lucky life.”
The sentence reflects on the naiveté of expecting life to be fair. The statement implies that anyone who still holds onto the idea of fairness has been fortunate enough to avoid life’s harsher realities.
It suggests that life, in its complexity, often deals with situations that are far from fair, and experiencing this unfairness is a common part of the human condition.
The quote resonates with a sense of wisdom, implying that life’s trials teach us that fairness is not given and the belief in it is a luxury that not everyone gets to experience.
“We can endure all kinds of pain. It’s shame that eats men whole.”
Leigh Bardugo’s quote speaks to the deep and corrosive nature of shame. While human beings possess an incredible ability to withstand physical and emotional pain, shame has a unique power to consume one’s sense of self.
It goes beyond surface wounds to strike at the core of our identity.
This quote suggests that while pain is often a temporary affliction, the humiliation and loss of dignity that come with shame can destroy a person from the inside out, making it a far heavier burden to bear.
Shame’s impact lingers, affecting how we see ourselves and our place in the world.
“Your power serves you because that is its purpose, because it cannot help but serve you.”
Here, the quote speaks to the innate nature of one’s personal power—it exists inherently to be at one’s disposal.
The essence of this message is that power is not something external to be feared or mistrusted but rather an integral part of us that operates in accordance with our needs and commands.
It underscores the idea that our abilities and strengths are loyal servants to our will, naturally aligned to support us.
This quote inspires one to recognize their inner resources and to use them confidently, knowing that such powers are fundamentally designed to be under their control and direction.
“Fear is how they control you. There’s so much in the world you don’t have to be afraid of, if you would only open your eyes.”
It suggests that fear is often a tool used to manipulate and dominate. It implies that much of what we fear is placed before us by others who wish to keep us in line.
The quote encourages us to seek the truth for ourselves, to look beyond what we’re told to fear. There’s liberation in discovering that many of our fears are unfounded or exaggerated.
By opening our eyes and seeing the world as it is, not as we’re told it should be, we can free ourselves from unnecessary fears and live with a greater sense of peace and freedom.
“The easiest way to steal a man’s wallet is to tell him you’re going to steal his watch.”
Leigh Bardugo’s quote reveals a clever truth about distraction and deception. It illustrates how people can be easily misled by focusing their attention on the wrong thing.
Just like a magician who draws your eye away from the trick, this quote suggests that by diverting someone’s focus, you can easily take what they aren’t guarding.
It’s a commentary on vulnerability and the importance of being aware of what’s happening around us.
The deeper message is to be vigilant and not to be fooled by misdirection in any area of life, whether it’s a matter of possessions or more abstract concerns.
Wind Up
Leigh Bardugo is an amazing fantasy writer; you will find many memorable quotes in her books. I hope this article on quotes by Leigh Bardugo was an enjoyable read for you. Save the ones you liked the most!
Were these quotes meaningful? Which is your favorite quote by Leigh Bardugo? Tell me in the comments!