The End of Alice Quotes and Tool's "Third Eye"

I finished The End of Alice this morning. A book I believe I will add to my permanent collection someday. I am impressed by A.M. Holmes' courageousness in discussing things we don't talk about, and how she gives us a look at the mind of both violator/victim in a unique way. The End of Alice will definitley provide access to a deeper, darker part of yourself but with that is also truth and perhaps even a flicker of understanding at the very least.

"Who is she that she should have this afflicted addiction, this oddly acquired taste for the freshest of flesh, to tell a story that will start some of you smirking and smiling, but that will leave others set afire determined this nightmare, this horror, must stop. Who is she? What will frighten you most is knowing she is either you or I, one of us. Suprise. Surprise." (page 11)

"My reason for writing was that I thought it might make me less afraid if i could talk to you, if i could find out who you really are, what makes you tick. What does it mean for a girl like me to write to you? Do you like it? Do you like it alot? Am I torturing you? I have to be honest with you; plus there's not alot to lose. And what are you going to do anyway- come kill me?" (page 166)

"There are noises in the woods. Something is out there watching me. They are watching me and I am writing it down. Hidden in my words are my confessions. They are closing in. I feel the cold eye of a magnifying glass, a scope. I am writing down the very words I should destroy." (page 202)

" 'I quit my job,' I say, thoroughly distracted.
'And in the fall what will you do?'
'Marry you,' I offer softly.
She eats a fistfull of potato chips. 'I'll be in school.'
I can't look at her. 'We'll run away,' I say, staring at a distant dock.
'Where to?'
'Anywhere you want to go.'
'To hell in a handcart,' she says." (page 234)

" 'I love you,' he says. 'I didn't say it before because I thought it would gross you out.'
'We all love something once,' she says, her first effort at being philosophical. 'That's how it starts.' " (page 245)

"P.S. I'm not afraid of you anymore. I'm more afraid of myself." (page 248)


I also noticed immediatley the sentence on the very last page of the book...

"So glad to see you, I say. Missed you so much, thought about you every day" (page 270)

and the similarity to lyrics in Tool's song 'Third Eye.' "

"So good to see you.
I've missed you so much.
So glad it's over. I've missed you so much.
Came out to watch you play. Why are you running away?

Prying open my third eye.
So good to see you once again.
I thought that you were hiding.
And you thought that I had run away.
Chasing the tail of dogma.
I opened my eye and there we were.

So good to see you once again
I thought that you were hiding from me.
And you thought that I had run away.
Chasing a trail of smoke and reason.

Prying open my third eye."

Tool's album "Aenima," which contains this song, was released October 1st, 1996, and The End of Alice was published also in 1996. Interesting. Anyone have any further information on this? Or is it just coincidence???

Other books by A. M. Holmes include Los Angeles (National Geographic Directions), Things You Should Know: A Collection of Stories, Jack, Safety of Objects and Music For Torching.