Layla

“Every show eats away at my soul. A nibble here, a nibble there. I’m afraid if I keep doing this much longer, there won’t be anything left of me but a body.”

This quote from the first chapter is about how Leeds hates the band that he plays with. The idea that his soul could disintegrate and leave just his body ties in with the idea that souls and bodies are separate entities; bodies are vessels for souls. Hoover continues to explore this idea by having souls enter new bodies and live apart from bodies.

“‘Think of it like this,’ she says. ‘The womb is one existence. As a fetus, we don’t remember life before the womb, and we had no idea if there would be life after the womb…But then we were born…and came into our current realm of existence…There could be realms of existence we’ve never even entertained the idea of. They could be endless. I don’t think we ever really die.’”

On the night that Leeds and Layla meet, they have a conversation about heaven and the afterlife. Layla states her belief in “realms,” which are different modes of existence in which one could be, and one might not remember a previous one. This is a strong piece of foreshadowing, because after she is shot, Layla’s spirit inhabits a different realm, and she has difficulty untangling memories of previous lives when she slips into her body.

“It's the heart of the country. There’s no better place on earth than right here.”

Leeds says this to Layla in their hotel room after they’ve slept together for the first time. When they first speak to each other in the pool, Layla tells him that the name of the bed-and-breakfast is Corazón del País, which means “the heart of the country” in Spanish. Later in the book, when Layla’s soul departs from her body, she finds her way back to this house because it is special to her.

“I’d love to live here. It’s beautiful. I could be happy running a bed-and-breakfast…I like the seclusion. The quiet. No neighbors. Just transient guests I’d never really have to get to know.”

Layla says this to Leeds in Chapter 2, but she feels very differently when they return to the house after her injury. She is not happy to be there and feels it is too isolated. Leeds attributes that change in attitude to depression, but really it is because Sable is inside of her, and she doesn’t have any previous memories of the house.

“I ate a strand of Layla’s hair this morning…and it feels like the strand somehow found its way around my heart and cut off the blood supply. My heart is choking.”

This quote is an example of the symbol of threads, hairs, and ropes. These symbols emphasize connection: that people, souls, or realms might be tethered by a thin thread. Leeds imagines that the strand of hair is choking his heart, showing that sometimes these items have more sinister or painful functions.

“Are answers for me and Willow worth what I’m putting Layla through?”

During an interview with UndercoverInc, Leeds reflects that he is putting himself and Willow before Layla, and it is causing her pain. This is before he realizes that Willow is Layla’s soul. Throughout the novel, Leeds frequently questions himself and his decisions and how they affect Layla.

“The longer I keep Layla tied up against her will, the guiltier I feel, and the harder it's going to be for her to forgive me.”

This quote is an example of how Leeds’s internal monologue reveals his guilt over what he is doing to Layla. It also refers to him tying her to the bed with rope, which is another example of the rope/thread/hair symbol running throughout the book.

“Having the pool to ourselves is my favorite part.”

Layla says this when Aspen and Chad are visiting the bed-and-breakfast. Layla has not been particularly happy at the house, but she does like the pool. This is an example of how, regardless of whether Sable or “Willow” is inside Layla, they feel happiest and most at peace in the water.

“I’d hate to live here. Do you know how far away the liquor store is? Far. And we’re out of beer.”

Chad Kyle says this when he and Aspen are visiting Leeds and Layla at the bed-and-breakfast. It is a typical quote from him; he is characterized as a boisterous drinker. This contrasts with the personalities of Leeds and Layla, who are portrayed as quieter and more thoughtful.

“I fall asleep feeling more sympathy course through me than fear or guilt.”

The night that Leeds first talks to Willow, he is surprised at himself for not being afraid of what seems to be a ghost. He feels sympathy for her because she seems lonely and confused about who she might have been before she started haunting the bed-and-breakfast. This is an early sign that Leeds has a powerful connection with Willow, not knowing that she is Layla’s spirit.

“But you’ve developed a relationship with Willow. Enough of one that you would put Layla at risk to help Willow…You certainly aren’t keeping her out of harm’s way by forcing her to stay here.”

Several times throughout their interview, UndercoverInc forces Leeds to acknowledge that the relationship he is forming with Willow is not fair to Layla. Leeds is sometimes defensive about his connection with Willow and finds ways to rationalize his behavior, but UndercoverInc is astute in his assessment of Leeds.

“Knowing there’s more to this life than meets the eye makes everything around me feel insignificant…My love for Layla feels like it matters less to the timeline of my life than it did two days ago. Most things that have ever caused me stress all seem so unimportant now that I know there’s so much more out there than what I’ve led myself to believe.”

When Leeds realizes that a spirit such as Willow can exist, he wonders if there are more spirits like her and how much might be beyond the world he can see. It forces him to contemplate the universe beyond the human world and makes his current problems seem smaller. This quote also reinforces Layla’s theory that there are realms of existence outside of human life on earth.

“That’s pretty egocentric of you to assume I’m the one who needs the help. What if I’m here to help you?”

Willow says this playfully to Leeds when they are trying to figure out what her purpose might be. Even though she is joking, Willow does call out Leeds several times for his egocentric perspective. She has, as Layla did in her regular life, the ability to see the bigger picture and question the narrow-minded points of view of others.

“There’s definitely some deceit going on here—I’m fully aware of that. But it’s hard to know where to draw the line when the lines aren’t even in the same world.”

This quote is an example of how Leeds is frequently confused about how he should deal with Willow. He acknowledges that some of his actions are not right but doesn’t know what ethics apply to a relationship with a supernatural being.

“She fell in love with you in this pool.”

Willow, while she is in Layla’s body, tells Leeds this when they go in the pool one night after Layla has fallen asleep. When Willow is not inside Layla’s body, she doesn’t have emotions or memories from the past, but she can feel them when she inhabits Layla. This quote shows the significance of the pool as a symbol in the novel and in Leeds and Layla’s relationship.

“It’s just confusing. I have her feelings when I’m inside of her. I guess she’s sad right now.”

When Willow inhabits Layla’s body, she is confused about whether her emotions and memories are her own or Layla’s; she doesn’t realize that she is Layla’s spirit.

“This whole thing feels wrong, but how does one properly interact with a ghost? It’s not like there’s a handbook, or people who could tell me if what I’m doing is morally corrupt.”

This quote is one of Leeds’s vacillations about whether his connection with Willow and treatment of Layla are right or wrong. He often starts by admitting that he knows some of his actions are wrong but then defends himself by saying that there is no precedent for his situation or person he can ask for advice. This internal monologue happens fairly frequently and is another example of moral ambiguity as a theme in the novel.

“Willow is protective of Layla. She knocked the wineglass out of my hand last night.”

One of Leeds’s most egregious lapses in judgment is when he attempts to make Layla sleep by putting a sleeping pill in a glass of wine for her, knowing that she is already drunk and hasn’t eaten much that day. He wants her to sleep for a long time so he can spend time with Willow. Willow knocks the glass out of his hand. Willow often shows concern and empathy for Sable/Layla even when Leeds does not.

“I’ve regretted almost every decision I’ve made at her expense since we got here. Yet…I’ve done nothing to stop myself.”

Leeds continues to berate himself for making questionable choices and not caring for Layla as he should, but he continues to do things like wait for Layla to go to sleep so he can see Willow, encourage Willow to use her body so he can spend physical time with her, and pursue the idea of purchasing the bed-and-breakfast so he can continue to visit Willow. Layla’s exhaustion, depression, and dislike of the house do nothing to deter him. This passage highlights the novel’s theme of ethical ambiguity.

“Seriously, Leeds. Your girlfriend has an eating disorder. I’m worried about her.”

One night when Willow slips into Layla’s body, she says this to Leeds. She often eats a lot on the nights she is in Layla because she can feel the intense hunger in her body. Leeds thinks Layla’s changed eating habits are part of her mental-health issues after her injury, but really, it’s because Sable has been in her body during this time, and she has always had issues with disordered eating. This is another example of Willow voicing concern for Sable/Layla when Leeds seems less empathetic toward her.

“There may not be a handbook for how to deal with a ghost, but a person doesn’t need it written down in order to know the difference between right and wrong.”

This quote from Leeds is his response to his quote on page 149 where he rationalizes his questionable behavior on the basis that there isn’t a guidebook for ghost etiquette. Here he seems to rebuke himself for his earlier decisions; he is acknowledging that he has made wrong choices.

“That guilt is gone now. I feel justified. Every choice I made…every feeling Willow filled me with…it was all justified, because my soul was already in love with hers.”

This quote is a follow-up to Leeds’s earlier quote on page 162 about regretting every decision he’s made. Now that he knows that Willow is Layla’s spirit, he feels justified in his feelings for her; he was not engaging in emotional infidelity. However, whether this absolves him from all of his behavior toward Layla while Sable was within her is still in question.

“The mood in the house has shifted drastically in the last hour. We spent the first ten minutes kissing, hugging, reveling in the knowledge that our love somehow transcended realms.”

After the major revelation that Willow is Layla, Willow tries to spend as much time in Layla as she can. She and Leeds are overjoyed at being reunited. They are amazed that even with Layla’s soul leaving her body, they have been able to find their way back to each other. This passage reinforces the theme that soulmates do exist and their love is capable of transcending the boundaries of life on earth.