They lived the slow and invisible interpenetration of their universes, like two stars gravitating around a common axis, in ever tighter orbits, whose clear destiny is to coalesce at some point in space and time.
Paolo GiordanoRead
[Their love] had burned itself out, like a forgotten candle in an empty room, leaving behind a ravenous discontent.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the fading nature of love and the emptiness that remains in its absence.
In this quote, Paolo Giordano illustrates the poignant imagery of love that has diminished over time, comparing it to a forgotten candle that once provided light but now leaves only darkness. The reference to 'ravenous discontent' signifies the deep sense of dissatisfaction and longing that follows the end of a once-vibrant relationship, highlighting the emotional void that can result when love fades away.
Themes
LoveDiscontentEmotionRelationshipsEmptiness
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on the complexities of relationships, one might reference this quote to illustrate how love can sometimes fade unexpectedly.
More from Paolo Giordano
All quotes →All Mattia saw was a shadow moving toward him. He instinctively closed his eyes and then felt Alice’s hot mouth on his, her tears on his cheek, or maybe they weren’t hers, and finally her hands, so light, holding his head still and catching all his thoughts and imprisoning them there, in the space that no longer existed between them.
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In fact, they didn't talk much at all, but they spent time together, each in his own abyss, held safe and tight by the other's silence.
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Mattia was right: the days had slipped over her skin like a solvent, one after the other, each removing a very thin layer of pigment from her tattoo, and from both of their memories. The outlines, like the circumstances, were still there, black and well delineated, but the colors had merged together until they faded into a dull, uniform tonality, a neutral absence of meaning.
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People took what they wanted, they clutched at coincidences, the few there were, and made a life from them. . . . Choices are made in brief seconds and paid for in the time that remains.
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You'll get used to it. In the end you won't even notice it anymore," he said. "How is that possible? It will always be there, right before my eyes." "Exactly," said Mattia. "Which is precisely why you won't see it anymore.
Paolo GiordanoRead
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