“We used to do coke, till "Just Say No" put the stuff out of reach. Now it's crank. Meth. The monster. It's a bitch on the body, but damn do you fly.”
This quote speaks to the always-evolving landscape of drug culture. In particular, this quote highlights the transition many drug takers took from cocaine to methamphetamine (or "crank.") The mention of the "Just Say No" campaign, an anti-drug movement from the 1980s, exposes a core irony in the societal interventions of the time: while well-intentioned, sometimes the interventions inadvertently push drug users towards new, potentially more dangerous substances. The shift to meth, which the novel considers to be "The monster," underscores its potent and destructive nature and illustrates why Kirstina's life was destroyed. Despite acknowledging meth's devastating effects on users, the allure of the euphoric "flight" meth offers is what often ensnares users.
“I wanted to meet the monster."
This quote speaks to Kristina's desire to "meet the monster," or her alter-ego Bree when she is on meth. Kristina yearns to confront and ultimately experience the forbidden, the dangerous, and the unknown. While Kristina is kind and an upstanding citizen, Bree is a menace to society. However, because of the meth, neither are contributing members of society.
