How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"Why am I a Fall faerie?"
"Because you were born in the fall. That's why your blossom grows in the fall." (13.108-109)
Laurel's birth season determines her faerie type, and apparently it works that way for all faeries. It's kind of like a season-based version of astrology, except it not only determines your personality, but also your abilities.
Quote #8
"What else do you eat?"
"Strawberries, lettuce, and spinach. Apples sometimes. Basic fruits and vegetables."
"You eat a variety, so your hair and eyes don't pick up on any certain color… they just stay light… Try eating nothing but strawberries for a week—that'll give your mother a shock." (14.67-69)
Laurel's eating habits (a variety instead of just one thing) keep her looking pretty normal for a human, which is probably a good thing. Imagine if human biology worked that way too: We'd have people walking around with the coloration of hamburgers and sodas. Also, Laurel's diet is a reminder that she lives in California, where fresh produce is constantly available. Good luck trying to eat like that in Minnesota in the winter.
Quote #9
Laurel thought of Tamani's words earlier that day. Pollination is for reproduction—sex is just for fun. She wondered what her mom would say if Laurel told her she couldn't get pregnant—and would never start her period. That sex for her was just sex, with no strings attached. (15.16)
Yeah, if you take away the reproductive aspect of sex, that totally changes what it means in the human world. We get the sense that Laurel's not entirely sure what she thinks about this. Like, she only recently got into boys, and sex isn't really on her radar yet, though kissing it. If she's not human (and thus lacks hormones), maybe she lacks the sex drive that most humans naturally have? What is that going to be like for her? On the plus side, apparently being a faerie comes with built-in birth control.