“Soul-atoms are distributed throughout the body. Sensation is due to thin films thrown off by bodies and travelling on until they touch soul-atoms. These films may still exist when the bodies from which they originally proceeded have been dissolved; this accounts for dreams.”
“That she knew in her heart of ashes that the dream was futile did not make it any less precious. Every soul needs a little sweetness.”
“Those who have likened our life to a dream were more right, by chance, than they realised. We are awake sleeping, and asleep awake.”
“Well, if Sven dreamed tonight that his dog died, he’d have a very, very bad night’s sleep, because he’s very fond of that dog. But when he woke up in the morning, everything would be all right. He’d know it was only a dream.
…
The point is if his dog really died, it would be exactly [...]
“We exist only in the dreams of the Supernaturals, and even they can sometimes have nightmares which trap us in events nobody can predict.”
“It is after all so easy to shatter a story. To break a chain of thought. To ruin a fragment of a dream being carried around carefully like a piece of porcelain. To let it be, to travel with it, as Velutha did, is much the harder thing to do.”