“We were foreigners, spics, in a town of blancos.”
Right at the beginning of the book, the protagonist states the fact that they do not belong to their neighborhood because of their skin color. She uses the rather offensive term "spic" to indicate that they were not treated with much respect even though her parents are well off.
“College is for p-ssies. You gotta get out there and live, Sabina.”
Sabina met Lucho when she was fourteen, not knowing what she wants to do in the future. Being an outcast himself, Lucho tries to encourage Sabina to get out of her comfort zone, get away from her parents' constant protection, and explore what the world has to offer.
“The bloodier the heart, the better the music.”
As a music producer, Lou records studio tracks for young bands from Brooklyn, but he says they don’t have the heart needed to live music, which means that their music is not emotional or meaningful. In his opinion, the best music is written by people with strong feelings.
“Women cut off their hands for men.”
Carla's statement mirrors the feelings of Sabina's mother, who left Colombia because of her husband, thus giving up her own future. By symbolically cutting off their hands, the women are helpless and become dependent on their husbands.
“This is your country. For better or worse you carry its salt in your blood.”
Emilio encourages Sabina to lick a rock at a salt mine in Colombia, which symbolizes her carrying a piece of the land in her body. He emphasizes that she must always remember her cultural heritage.
