Friday, August 24, 2012

Book Beginnings: A Lovely, Indecent Departure






Every Friday Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. What you do is share the opening line(s) of the book you are currently reading and briefly discuss what you think about the opening line or the book or whatever else inspires you. Make sure to share your entry with Rose City Reader and in my comments below.

Here's my book beginning:




"Look, there comes the girl. She is treading alone up the sidewalk. Looking like anyone else of the noontime crowd blissfully strolling the strip mall. But she is not one of them, and never has been."

-A Lovely, Indecent Departure, by Steven Lee Gilbert

An interesting way to begin a novel, talking directly to the reader. I wonder why she's "not one of them." That seems a strange thing to point out. I mean, can't you say the same thing about every individual at the strip mall? Whatever the case, it's clear this girl is sad or distressed...or something.

11 comments:

  1. Nice choice. Thanks for visiting.

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  2. I like that beginning. It draws you in to the scene. Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  3. I don't know who the speaker is, a character in the book or the omniscient narrator, but I can tell he or she is not a sympathetic character! Nice beginning.

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    1. I really like it and it's almost sweet, apart from the excluding her. And I like the cover! Also, I don't think the Iliad is repetitive perse, it is just that a lot of comparisons and phrases were standard and therefore used a lot. :) Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!
      Juli

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  4. Most intriguing beginning. I want to look into the book now.

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  5. Great beginning. I'd like to know how the narrator knows the girl is "not one of them." What sets her apart?
    My Book Beginning is from Memories.

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  6. Now I am curious...and yes, that is an intriguing way to tell the story.

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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  7. That's an interesting opening because the story could go anywhere from there.

    Thanks for including your post in BBOF!

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  8. Is the entire novel in 2nd person? That would be unusual.

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    1. It looks like just the first page is in second person. Otherwise that would be unusual, and awkward. Thanks for stopping by, Mark!

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