Granted

“But if anything could be said of Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets, it would be that she was always prepared, that she worried over every minor detail. Some fairies called her fussy. She preferred the word meticulous.”

This quote introduces Ophelia’s character traits. It shows that she likes to plan things thoroughly, pay attention to details, and be cautious. Ophelia also thinks highly of herself, interpreting negative remarks in a positive light. The quote foreshadows future events in the novel, which will show that Excessive Rigidity Results in Chaos. This quote hints that Ophelia’s reliance on preparedness and planning might not always lead to success.

“Sometimes it’s best if you have to count only on yourself, even if it means you will have only yourself to blame.”

Ophelia faces several challenges in the narrative due to her reluctance to trust and depend on others. While self-reliance can be a positive trait, Ophelia tends to take it to the extreme. She finds it hard to accept advice from others without first confirming it herself. This also makes it hard for Ophelia to feel like she belongs anywhere, which is why she clings to her role as a Granter since it makes her feel important and necessary.

“That was the thing about humans, Ophelia knew. They spent their whole lives wanting. And that wanting caused them to do terrible things to one another.”

Fairies, as a whole, tend to hold a low opinion of humans. In the narrative, different fairies express frustration with humans and their characteristics, especially humans’ desires and constant wishing for things they don’t have. Nevertheless, the perpetual desires of humans drive them to make wishes, initiating the cycle that enables fairies to sustain the flow of magic. The fairies’ grievances illustrate how little fairies understand humans and the dynamics of their relationship with fairies. It also shows that fairies are not self-aware when they judge humans, since the fairies, too, desire things, highlighting the theme of The Universality of Desire.

“Magic was self-sustaining. The more people believed in it, the more there was to go around. Of course, it worked the other way, too. And it had been working that way for a while.”

This quote highlights a key element that propels the narrative. Magic, essential for the survival of fairies, relies on human belief to exist and grow. In an attempt to sustain magic, the fairies grant wishes to cultivate human belief. Unfortunately, the system is breaking down, resulting in diminishing magic, reduced fairy dust, and a decline in the number of wishes that can be fulfilled. This fundamental conflict is the driving force behind the actions of most characters in the novel.

“Expect Nothing, Anticipate Everything.”

This sign is displayed above Squint’s office and becomes a recurring motif in the story. Ophelia attempts to live by this rule, but it is an unrealistic one. No one can foresee everything, and the more Ophelia attempts to do so amid growing challenges, the more she finds herself failing.

“Feels like there should be a better way, though, doesn’t it? So many good wishes. And then some nincompoop comes along and swallows a quarter, and his is the one that gets granted. Still. Best to let the Tree do its job and we do ours, I suppose. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.”

Almost every fairy in the Haven voices discontent with the existing wish-granting system. Fairies dislike fulfilling wishes they deem meaningless, especially considering the scarcity of magic. Even the archivist, one of the oldest fairies, believes a better approach must exist. This underscores another conflict in the story: Everyone recognizes the flaws in the wish-granting system, yet no one is willing to institute change.

“It was the one question she asked herself, every time she came. And the only time she ever asked it. Why risk your life—as all these fairies did—granting somebody else’s wish? Some human’s wish?”

This question haunts Ophelia and her fellow fairies, questioning the justification behind risking their lives to grant human wishes and pointing to The Ethics of Granting Wishes. It highlights the central ethical dilemma of the fairy realm, exploring the motivations and sacrifices beneath the wish-granting process. The repetition of this question indicates that Ophelia has no respect for the wish-granting process itself but she follows the procedure because it is in her nature to follow rules.

“‘Some wishes are harder to grant than others. It’s better—just easier on everybody—if you stick to the plan.’ He glanced over her shoulder, where the launch deck opened into the beauty of the Haven and the human world beyond. ‘Don’t lose sight of what’s important.’”

Charlie attempts to caution Ophelia about the hazards in the human world, grappling with things he is not allowed to say. His advice to not “lose sight of what’s important” seems vague to Ophelia at that moment but will help her when she has to make the important choice between two wishes later in the novel. It foreshadows the challenges Ophelia will face in determining her priorities and understanding their significance for both herself and the fairies as a whole.

“Impossible, of course, as fairies weren’t allowed to make wishes, but that didn’t stop her from thinking about it.”

The fairies struggle with comprehending wishes despite considering themselves experts. Ophelia, in particular, views a wish as valid only if fairy magic can fulfill it. However, the narrative reveals that Ophelia makes several wishes in the narrative. Moreover, many wishes are fulfilled without magic or fairies. The artificial limitations fairies place on wishes indicate how little they understand their nature.

“These overcrowded monoliths of brick and steel—all signs of an advanced civilization. Something to be proud of. But it only reinforced what Ophelia already knew. This world was no place for fairies. Not anymore. And yet there were pockets of beauty in between the buildings and the billboards.”

This quote underscores the contrasts between the Haven and the human world, with the city making Ophelia feel entirely out of place. Additionally, it emphasizes Ophelia’s perspective, as she seeks evidence supporting the idea that fairies do not belong near humans rather than considering the opposite. She selectively focuses on evidence that aligns with her preconceived conclusions.

“And even if dogs could make wishes—which they can’t—Sam’s wish wouldn’t be hers to grant. What little magic she had wasn’t meant for him.”

Ophelia once more demonstrates her limited understanding of wishes. Even though she hears Sam making a wish, she believes only magic can fulfill wishes. In reality, Sam’s desire for a warm home, a full belly, and kind owners can be granted by ordinary people without the need for magical intervention.

“Empty holes are the worst.”

The image of empty holes recurs throughout the story. This quote is from Sam’s story, and he is talking about how he had buried a bone but found the hole empty when he returned. However, the idea of empty holes evolves through the narrative, symbolizing Ophelia’s challenges in locating Kasarah’s coin. Empty holes also signify the desperation experienced by some wish-makers, who feel as if there is a hole in their hearts.

“She thought of the sign in the lobby of Grant Tower. Every wish granted. Every promise fulfilled. The leaves fall, the Granters fulfill, the magic keeps flowing, and the Haven endures. That’s how it had been for over a hundred years, and she would rather break both her wings than be the first fairy to let her people down.”

At this point, Ophelia expresses her commitment to her home and its rules. Despite the pain of breaking her wing, not to mention the accompanying loss of mobility, Ophelia is determined to grant Kasarah’s wish. It underscores the pressure Ophelia feels to uphold the longstanding tradition of wish fulfillment, tying her sacrifice to the broader continuity of magic flow and the Haven’s survival.

“‘We can’t,’ he growled. ‘We have to help. They want us to set them free. That’s their wish.’ Dogs don’t get to make wishes, Ophelia was about to say.”

This marks a turning point for Ophelia. Instead of relying solely on her research and training, Ophelia begins to act on impulse. Initially, she considers dismissing the dogs’ ability to make wishes but reconsiders. Ultimately, Ophelia sets the dogs free, fulfilling their wish without using any magic. This signifies the first instance where she deviates from her rigid beliefs about magic and wishes.

“She was starting to think this wish didn’t want to be granted. And frankly, she was ready to let it have its way. Not that a wish could want such a thing, of course. A wish is want. It’s longing and bellyache and fantasy and desire…A wish is ‘Why not me?’ and ‘Just this once’ and ‘I swear I will never, ever do that again.’ A wish could be any of these things, but above all it was hope. But like everything else Ophelia had brought with her on her mission, her hope was in dangerously short supply.”

In this quote, Ophelia considers that external forces—like magic—might be influencing her mission to grant Kasarah’s wish, but she quickly brushes off the thought. The quote underscores Ophelia’s internal struggle as her usual resilience and optimism fade. This moment marks a significant shift for Ophelia, introducing self-doubt and questioning her abilities as a Granter for the first time in the narrative.

“Kismet. That’s what the Mystics would say. Magic flows in circles. Follow its path long enough and you’ll come back to where you started. Perhaps, Ophelia thought. Maybe. She’d seen magic do some pretty wondrous things, after all.”

Once more, Ophelia entertains the notion that magic might have a purpose for her beyond fulfilling Kasarah’s wish, particularly when she encounters Anna and Gabe Morales for the third time in a day. The idea of magic moving in circles resurfaces in the narrative through the similarity between Anthony’s injured shoulder and Ophelia’s broken wing and through Sam’s adoption into the Morales family.

“There was a time when fairies decided for themselves which wishes are worth granting. In the absence of rules, they followed their hearts. ‘That’s how it is,’ she repeated. ‘But it’s not how it has to be.’”

Ophelia has a moment of realization, acknowledging the inefficiency of the current wish-granting system. Previously, she was content to believe that the Great Tree mirrored the will of magic. However, her confidence in this belief wavers as she grapples with the dilemma of choosing which wish to fulfill. Ophelia’s belief that Gabe’s wish is more worthy of the magic compels her to argue with her boss, something she never would have done at the story’s beginning.

“Somewhere along the way she’d done exactly what Charlie had warned her about: she’d lost sight of what was important. But then she found it again.”

When Ophelia chooses to fulfill Gabe’s wish over Kasarah’s, she faces a challenging fight with Squint and endures pain from her broken wing. Despite these difficulties, Ophelia deems it worthwhile because Gabe’s wish holds personal significance to her. This decision marks Ophelia’s realization that her desires matter and she is willing to fight for them.

“A sudden surge, lightning-struck, every part of her crackling, her body thrumming, in tune with the trees, the water, the earth. She felt light and full all at once. Like she was about to explode and yet hungry, aching for more. It was the most exquisite sensation she’d ever experienced. Amaratio.”

The fairies mention “amaratio” as a driving force behind wish-granting. This sense of completeness motivates the Granters to fulfill their missions, even in seemingly trivial cases. Ophelia encounters this fulfilling sensation after granting Gabe’s wish, gaining a newfound understanding of why it serves as such a powerful motivation for fairies.

“Even I don’t understand how it all works sometimes. We can’t always know the full consequences of our actions. What I do know is that we are granting more wishes today than we did the day before and the day before that. Maybe—just maybe—there’s a little more magic out there than we realize, and we just have to find some way to tap into it.”

Ophelia is not the only character that evolves in the story. Squint, too, changes by accepting that there may be a better way to grant wishes. Moreover, he actively seeks ways to do so. Squint expresses hope and determination to tap into this magic, suggesting an ongoing exploration and learning process for the fairies in the story.

“She felt guilty for cursing him before. A dozen ungranted wishes transformed into a warm meal. There was another kind of alchemy at work there—one that fairies had no part in—but it weighed on her heart regardless. She hoped that if the old man ever made a wish, she would get the chance to grant it.”

This quote highlights Ophelia’s development. She recognizes that magic operates in mysterious ways, granting wishes independently, without fairy intervention. Additionally, Ophelia displays empathy toward humans, expressing a desire for the man to have his wishes fulfilled, despite her earlier frustration with him.

“A wish is many things…It’s the marvelous and the miraculous. It’s hunger and heartache. A wish is something extraordinary that you never hoped to have. Or something very ordinary that most people take for granted.”

This quote illustrates the multifaceted nature of wishes, portraying them as diverse and complex. It indicates that wishes range from extraordinary desires to simple, everyday things. By encompassing both the marvelous and the ordinary, the quote emphasizes the broad range of human aspirations and the profound, transformative potential inherent in the act of wishing.

“Everything has a price.”

This motif recurs throughout the story. Magic comes at a price. However, the cost remains unknown until the wish is made. This dilemma suggests ethical concerns regarding wish-granting and raises whether humans would still wish if they were aware of the price.