What are your opinions on this quote?

[Bernadette Avelar]

Flesh is referring to the body. In some instances, it refers to Zia’s desires and lust. Change begins at the end of your comfort zone and for Zia, her change happened when she risked her relationship with Bryce.

[asteel18]

For me, I didn't take the word flesh literally, but just the sacrifices we make every day. Some sacrifices are enormous and some are minor. The connection I made with that quote though was when Zia mentioned women "changing themselves to fit whatever environment they're in." Losing yourself to fit into someone else's world.

[Sarah Nichols 7]

I think her heart and soul made the sacrifice for her body’s desires. She had Bryce back home who loved her and gave us no indication that he was anything but a good guy, yet she sleeps with Baxter multiple times. Her flesh sacrificed her spirit for that affair.

[Ivy Mokote]

"Flesh demands sacrifice for it's existence." I think this is an apt summation of the human life. Every single day we make sacrifices. For instance, if you wake up late, you have to sacrifice skipping breakfast in order to be at work early. The reverse is true, you wake up early in order to have breakfast, you have to sacrifice a bit of sleep. In this case, Zia attempts to avoid making a choice between the two men, she doesn't want to sacrifice either of them in favour of this other. Unfortunately, this lack of sacrifice is a sacrifice in itself. She's now torn between two people who she's deeply invested in. The end result being that she is the sacrifice. Her piece of mind is the sacrifice. This love triangle she is caught up in the the price she has to pay for not making a sacrifice.

I think the quote is accurate. As long as you are human, you just don't get to go Scott free, a sacrifice has to be made.

[Chetna_Kharbanda]

I totally agree with the author and the quote is appropriately used in the story. In today's world of mutual reciprocity, nothing comes free. So even to fulfill someone's bodily desires (which I assume 'flesh' meant in the context) one has to pay a hefty sum whether it's in the form of mental trauma or as a perilous journey toward the fulfillment of a desire just like Zia's life in the story.

[the_invaded_privacy]

"Flesh demands sacrifice for its existence." Regardless of the book, this quote is true even in a general format. Even for food and shelter, the sacrifice of smaller animals for meat milk, and nature for roof vegetables is necessary. In matters of reproduction, giving up one's body is just as needed. I believe this quote best describes the existence of the life cycle.

[Muna Chizzy]

Well there is always a price to pay, when fulfilling the desires of the flesh. I think Zia knew the consequence of feeding her lust but she couldn't help it. Sometimes our emotions tend to overcome rational thoughts.

[Tarie07]

I totally agree with this quote. We have to choose whether fulfilling the desires of our flesh (body) is worth it. Zia gave in to her sexual desires which put her in a dangerous love triangle. Sometimes ignoring the desires of the flesh is a sacrifice you have to make for your own good.

[Ivvie Ivanova]

In Zia's case, I think it refers to her getting involved with the wrong person in order to satisfy her sexual desires. Such mistakes always come with a price, often a hefty one both in fiction and in reality.

All on its own and out of context, the quote makes me think of things like eating meat or how people often hurt others emotionally or physically to get something they want. Many don't believe we exist beyond the flesh.

I think it's a really good quote. It can refer to many situations and it's a quote worth remembering. Would make a good writing prompt, too.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I believe the word flesh has been used to mean body desires. In Zia's context, she goes through a lot of risks just to fulfil her desires. She even takes a risk of being a love triangle just to attain sex. For one to satisfy the flesh, one has to get out of their comfort zone.

I agree. Everyone deserves to be fulfilled all around. I think taking some risks isn't a bad thing. There are risks which may be considered too far to obtain satisfaction and desires. There are times when sacrifices need to be made, but it is an individual's choice on what those are.

One can choose to do everything in the correct manner and be satisfied of what they get, or to take some risks and satisfy the extreme needs. Zia took the second choice, and many more of the victims of the killer did so too. And they had to make their sacrifices accordingly.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

I think that the writer was trying to say that for everything you do there is a repercussion. Which should always consider if the risk is worth it. For instance, eating junk or a healthy meal. A healthy meal despite not being too sweet is good for you but junk ain't good, so you rather take a healthy meal, that's a sacrifice to keep your body in check

Great profits come with great risks. If you are willing to do the sacrifice then you can jump for it. Guilty pleasure in multiple romantic relationships is same. Zia, and many other girls chose to have that pleasure, and willingly or unwillingly they paid the price as well.

[Shannon Ruane]

Though I'm sure it refers to the sacrifices Zia had to make to satisfy her sexual desires, I also wonder if the quote was picked because it matches the killer's motivation. For flesh (humans) to exist "properly" the women could be considered the sacrifice (the error god made). I don't know if that interpretation was also considered by the author or not, but it certainly lends a creepier feeling to the opening quote.

Hi! Commenting that it matches the killer's motivation was something that did not occur to me but you have an excellent point. The killer desires (female) flesh at first because he wants to rid the population of women (the error). However, he realizes he wants Zia's flesh not to kill but to worship and play with. She was one of the few that should be spared. The Mitochondrial Eve (an actual term, not something the author made up). The visiting characters who explain African Culture at the end seem to convince him after they address her as Queen. He calls her his "Queen" he is so demented and deluded by the end.

Zia's choices led her into a situation where things could have ended tragically as they did for the other girls. It was only her unique appearance that allowed her to live long enough to find a way to capture him. The police wanted to capture his flesh to stop crimes, but Jazz gets the "honor" of taking his flesh because he murdered her mother. I'm impressed with Jazz's fearlessness.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

For one to satisfy the flesh, one has to get out of their comfort zone.

This is a SUPER accurate statement in more ways than this book can point out. This can even be said about money, jobs, and other things in life. I have to agree with you about your interpretation of flesh; I do believe that it is referring to the body. More specifically, I see it as sexual desires outside of true love and intimacy.

I agree. A legal marriage or an ethical relationship will come with its benefits including love and sex. But Zia chose to satisfy her flesh out of that ethical relationship from which she got real love. She was lucky enough to be forgiven by her true lover, but even by then she have made enough sacrifices.

[Ana C Barrantes]

I think in the end the answer is both. Yes, Zia takes a lot of risks to fulfill her sexual desires, which leads to her making sacrifices. But, in making those sacrifices she is also losing little parts of herself that can mount up to her being the sacrifice. Also, given the killer's motives, I think this quote could also be alluding to him.

[Sushan Ekanayake]

Though I'm sure it refers to the sacrifices Zia had to make to satisfy her sexual desires, I also wonder if the quote was picked because it matches the killer's motivation. For flesh (humans) to exist "properly" the women could be considered the sacrifice (the error god made). I don't know if that interpretation was also considered by the author or not, but it certainly lends a creepier feeling to the opening quote.

Whether the author thought like that or not I think it is a good interpretation too. Yes, seemingly it was the motive of the killer, to keep his flesh he needed to sacrifice the women, and in this case who were prone to sexual desires. Zia too was a sacrifice, and it appears as she did the sacrifice willingly to fulfill the needs of her own flesh.