Justine Crown Character Analysis in Playing Beatie Bow

Abigail and Kathy’s next-door neighbor, Justine is a kind but often harried and distracted woman, mother to both Natalie and Vincent. She is grateful for Abigail’s help in watching the children, and is always kind to her. It is eventually revealed that Justine—whose maiden name is Bow—is a direct descendant of Gibbie Bow, and a carrier, though not in possession of, the Bow family Gift.

Justine Crown Quotes in Playing Beatie Bow

The Playing Beatie Bow quotes below are all either spoken by Justine Crown or refer to Justine Crown. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

). Note: all page numbers and citation info for the quotes below refer to the Puffin Books edition of Playing Beatie Bow published in 1980.

“Now then, start from the very beginning and tell me about everything. Did you go to Oslo University? Did you have any romances with glamorous Norwegians?”

“Oh, three or four.” Abigail smiled. “They're irresistible people. Not serious though.”

“You'll die being back in this old mundane place,” said Justine.

“No, not at all. Oh, it seems a bit hot and bright after those northern countries, but I'm going to finish my degree at Sydney University. I'll soon get used to it, and everything that happened in the last four years will seem like a fairy-tale.”

Related Characters: (speaker), (speaker)

Page Number and Citation: 186

Explanation and Analysis:

Justine Crown Character Timeline in Playing Beatie Bow

The timeline below shows where the character Justine Crown appears in Playing Beatie Bow. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Wisdom and Power of Children Theme Icon

...lonely, gets up from her brown armchair and goes to visit the Crowns, her neighbors. Justine Crown is the mother of four-year-old Natalie and six-year-old Vincent. Natalie is sweet, but Vincent... (full context)

Abigail steels herself against the monstrous Vincent’s nagging and offers Justine to take the two to the playground for a while, so Justine can have some... (full context)

...the elevator, she can see that he is trembling all over. Abigail decides to tell Justine about the “too-exciting game” Vincent has been playing. (full context)

The Transformative Power of Love Theme Icon

...the apartment, Abigail offers to stay until dinner so that she can entertain Natalie while Justine cooks and gets ready for dinner. Justine suggests Abigail help Natalie sew some new clothes... (full context)

...Abigail spots a strangely-shaped piece of yellow crochet—it is very fine work, nearly like lace. Justine comes into the room, and, seeing Abigail with the rag, asks for it, saying she’ll... (full context)

Later that afternoon, Abigail heads over to the Crowns’. She tells Justine she is bored, and offers to take the children to the playground. Justine tells her... (full context)

...She asks him if he remembers her, and he smiles happily, revealing that he does. Justine is happy to see Abigail, too—Abigail asks after Natalie, and Justine tells Abigail that Natalie... (full context)

Abigail tells Justine that she thought her husband’s name was Bill, and asks who Robert is—Justine answers that... (full context)

...the door, and Natalie exclaims that it’s Robert, with the rest of her birthday presents. Justine goes to open the door and a tall young man walks in—upon seeing him, Abigail... (full context)

The Crowns converse with one another casually, and then Justine introduces Abigail to the young man—her brother, Robert Bow. The young man, upon meeting Abigail’s... (full context)

...but she remembers that he does not know all that she knows. She realizes that Justine’s maiden name must be Bow, as well. She coyly tells Robert that she knew some... (full context)