Friday 16 August 2013

Book Beginnings on Fridays..


Hosted by Gilion at Rose City Reader

Book Beginnings on Fridays as stated by the host was started:

 "to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires."

You can share on Google + and social media , please post using the hash tag #BookBeginnings
and there's also a Mr Linky on the host's blog.





Book Beginning : Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell


Instructions for a Heatwave
Tinder Press
February 2013
An imprint of Headline Publishing Group



Highbury, London

The heat, the heat. It wakes Gretta just after dawn, propelling her from the bed and down the stairs. It inhabits the house like a guest who has outstayed his welcome: it lies along corridors, it circles around curtains, it lolls heavily on sofas and chairs. The air in the kitchen is like a solid entity filling the space, pushing Gretta down into the floor, against the side of the table.



...I am intrigued by this opening paragraph and need to understand why heat is inhabiting the living space and I wonder why Gretta feels so overwhelmed that she has to sink to the floor.....



**


A bit of the blurb
 thanks to Goodreads


It's July 1976. In London, it hasn't rained for months, gardens are filled with aphids, water comes from a standpipe, and Robert Riordan tells his wife Gretta that he's going round the corner to buy a newspaper. He doesn't come back. The search for Robert brings Gretta's children — two estranged sisters and a brother on the brink of divorce — back home, each with different ideas as to where their father might have gone. None of them suspects that their mother might have an explanation that even now she cannot share.

**


I've chosen this book to read now as we've had a reasonably hot summer in the UK, which these days is something of a rarity - our summers are now notoriously rainy. I remember very clearly the long hot summer of 1976 - I was just out of school and in a serious romance. The whole hot summer stretched endlessly ahead of me - long lazy days, skies the colour of blackbirds eggs and a summer of love.....

.......and yes, reader , I married him !


18 comments:

  1. I loved this novel. Enjoy!

    carol

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  2. I think that's a great and visual opener...and I LOVED this book. Hope you do, too. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  3. Great opening to this novel! Encapsulates some of my reasons why I do not like the summer time and all the heat, lol. The premise of this novel sounds really interesting, hope you're enjoying it :)

    Thanks also for dropping by my blog earlier, hope you have a lovely weekend! :)

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    1. Thanks Lianne - thanks for visiting. Hope that you have a good weekend too x

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  4. Great choice! Can't wait to get my hands on this book (I'm on the hold list at the library). Enjoy!

    My Friday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2013/08/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings.html

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    1. Hi Catherine - she's one of my favourite authors. Hope you're not waiting too long for you copy !

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  5. Hi Jo,

    It seems as though this book is a popular choice with everyone and has received some outstanding reviews. Although I have of course heard of Maggie O'Farrell, I have never actually read any of her books, but I love this style of descriptive writing, so this is a definite for my list.

    I am with Lianne, in that I too, don't enjoy Summer time all that much, being much more of a Spring and Autumn girl! Given some of the hot and humid nights we have had to endure, here in the UK, in the last few weeks, I can quite understand how Gretta must have felt, although maybe not for the same reasons, if the synopsis is anything to go by!

    An intriguing opening and I hope that you enjoy the book and have a great weekend.

    Yvonne

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    1. Hi Yvonne - thanks for taking the time to comment on my book choice. Happy Reading :)

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  6. Loved this as much as The Hand that First Held Mine and Esme Lennox but it has divided O'Farrell fans. Hopefully you'll be in the loved it camp!

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    1. Hi Treez - I think I'm in the loved it camp ..so far :)

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  7. Ooh Josie, that post just reminded me that this one is waiting on my Kindle - love the opening (I can feel it, can't you?) and a timely reminder of why and how much I love Maggie O'Farrell's writing. Looking forward to your full review... x

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    1. HI Anne - I can 'feel' the heat - The Summer of 76 was a magical time for me !
      Hope you enjoy it when you get round to reading it :)

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  8. I too love her books, but have not managed to get my hands on this one yet!

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  9. I loved this one Josie, I hope you enjoy it. I love the new blog background and look by the way. x

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    1. Thanks Lindsay - Jaffa and I have had a 60 minute make over !

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Thanks for taking the time to comment - Jaffareadstoo appreciates your interest.