Tuesday, October 22, 2019

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Warlight; Michael Ondaatje


Each Tuesday, Vicki, from I’d Rather Be At The Beach hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros where readers post the opening paragraph(s) of a book that they are reading or plan to read. 


PART ONE

A Table Full of Strangers


"In 1945 our parents went away and left us in the care of two men who may have been criminals.  We were living on a street in London called Ruvigny Gardens, and one morning either our mother or our father suggested that after breakfast the family have a talk, and they told us they would be leaving us and going to Singapore for a year.  Not too long, they said, but it would not be a brief trip either.  We would of course be well cared for in their absence.  I remember our father was sitting on one of those uncomfortable iron garden chairs as he broke the news, while our mother, in a summer dress just behind his shoulder, watched how we responded.  After a while she took my sister Rachel's hand and held it against her waist as if she could give it warmth."

I normally would have passed on this book at first glance but, this was chosen as our book group read this month. I'm actually enjoying it - beautiful writing.

What do you think - pass or read more?

13 comments:

  1. Anything by this author I will read! a fellow Sri Lankan by origin.

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  2. Thanks for sharing a little about this book. I'm glad you are enjoying it!

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  3. Wow, now I'm very curious about those parents and what happens next. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: ”IF YOU ONLY KNEW”

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  4. Such a strange and intriguing set-up. I would want to know more.

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  5. I find the opening intriguing. If that alone isn't enough for me to continue reading, the fact that the author wrote The English Patient seals the deal.

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  6. I read this and mostly enjoyed it, especially the writing. It works well for a book club discussion.

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  7. I think I'd keep reading! Sounds interesting...

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  8. It sounds a bit odd and I probably would pass it up too. I feel like that about a lot of the books my book club chooses, which is why I love my book club - it gets me to read books that I normally wouldn't. I hope you continue to enjoy it.

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  9. I haven't read this author before so I'd keep reading, at least a bit more.

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  10. I had such a difficult time with The English Patient. I don't know if I could read this one or not.

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  11. Go for it. I have heard some have liked the book.

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