YvonnePrologue
“The naked trees dripped, the tarmac paths ran black. The park had soaked up rain like blotting paper and the lake was full, spilling over the litter – clogged weir into the dark sewer that ran beneath the town.
Even in the clammy chill, the park had its occupants, heads down, striding through, taking a shortcut from one side of town to the other. Not many came to enjoy the park for its own sake at this time of year. No one except her came to pace every path, note every hump and hollow, count every skeletal tree.
Because somewhere here was the answer. Hidden. But if she kept looking, one day she would find it. She must.”
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Okay! So now I’m feeling cold and shivery, and not just because of the damp, rainy, bleak conditions described in those opening lines.
I am just imagining myself walking through this barren park, when I come across a woman, possibly soaking wet, wandering the pathways, looking intently around her. Maybe she would be muttering to herself and she might stop to stare at me, making me feel uncomfortable!
Either way, I would feel distinctly jittery and of a mind to walk more quickly to avoid meeting her!
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Chapter One – Kelly
“The house was dark. It jolted Kelly Sheldon the moment she pushed the door open. Darkness like a hand raised in her face, halting her in her tracks. The house should be alight by now, a warm glow after the gloom of the early spring evening …..
….. What had happened to her mother? It wasn’t in Kelly’s nature to worry but a chill clenched her stomach now.”
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Now I definitely need to know more … What about you?
If you really don’t mind the hint of a spoiler, you can find out more about both book and author, here
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WHAT IS ‘BOOK BEGINNINGS’ AND HOW CAN YOU JOIN IN THE FUN ?
Would the first few lines of your book make you want to read on?
If so, would you like to share them with us, (without revealing too many spoilers of course) ?
Click here and visit your host, Gilion @ Rose City Reader
You can then leave a link to your own book beginnings post, or just browse for some great reads, there are always plenty of new authors and titles to be discovered.
Don’t forget that Gilion and all the other contributors to this meme love to hear from you, so why not leave a comment or two at the same time?
I can’t wait to do a little blog hopping myself and check out all the great Book Beginnings you have!
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As this was a publisher review request, a lovely paperback copy was received, courtesy of publisher, Honno Press.
This will in no way influence any comments I may express about the book, in any blog article I may post. Any thoughts or comments are my own personal opinion and I am in no way being monetarily compensated for this, or any other article.
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THe opening is definitely atmospheric. I would need to read more to see if it is my cup of tea. I can’t do horror…I get too scared.
My Friday Posts by Anne
Hi Anne,
I don’t think that ‘Motherlove’ is a horror story in the traditional sense of the word, more of an intense and chilling psychological thriller, with a strong emphasis on building strong, yet damaged characters.
As I haven’t actually started reading this one yet, I did try not to look any further than the lines I needed for this post.
Thanks for taking the time to stop by, I appreciate your comment and wish you a good weekend.
I like the mood of this beginning. I especially like the darkness quote.
Hope you can check out my BB/56.
Cheers,
Page @ Never Enough Shelf Space
Hi Page,
Well spotted! Now that you mention it, I can quite see the atmosphere Thorne was trying to set, when she uses the ‘darkness quote’. I know from my own experience, just how inpenetrable a room in darkness can be, when you step into it, from even the most dimly lit place. There is always that momentary sensation of panic, until my eyes adjust to the darkness and I can begin to pick out shapes.
Thanks for highlighting that particular sentence and adding such an interesting comment to the conversation.
Have a fantastic weekend.
Oh God, I feel the same as you! I have chills running down my back from both beginnings! I can see why you’d want to know more because anticipation can be terrible at times! Thanks for sharing 🙂 I hope you have a great weekend!
My Friday Post
Juli @ Universe in Words
Hi Juli,
If I haven’t started reading the book I feature, I really do make a firm attempt not to read on past the lines I actually need for the post, although there are definitely times like this, when I am sorely tempted!
Fortunately, or unfortunately for me, I have rather over-committed myself to posts for the next couple of weeks, so the luxury of time to ‘cheat’ a little, just isn’t there LOL!
Thanks for stopping by. It is always good to chat with you and I hope that you have a good weekend 🙂
Oh, yes, I can feel everything she is feeling…the descriptions are spot on…and I am definitely intrigued. Thanks for sharing, and I must check this out.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Hi Lorraine,
My first thoughts were definitely attuned to the descriptive qualities of the writing, almost right from the very first word.
If the rest of the book is written with the same amazing detail, I shall certainly be holding this up as a good example of the style.
If you check out the synopsis, I really think that ‘Motherlove’ is right up your street.
Thanks for taking the time to visit, I always value your comments.
That is definitely an atmospheric and chilling beginning. I love when the writer hits that perfect balance of so descriptive you can actually feel the world they’re describing but not so over the top it gets hard to read. Hope you enjoy this one! Based off the blurb and the beginning it sounds fantastic!
Hi Katherine,
When just a few words can set up such a clear image in my mind, then I am generally onto a winner of a story.
I don’t think it even really matters if my image is the wrong one and I have completely misinterpreted the scene or what is going on. The fact that my imagination has been aroused so early on in the story, is the main thing.
Thorne is going to be stopping by with a guest post on February 19th, so I don’t want to give anything away yet, but she finishes the article with a great line, which is so appropriate to this particular conversation.
Thanks for your thoughtful and interesting comments, it is always good to speak with you.
‘Happy Reading’ 🙂
Love the description. Very inviting to the reader, and as you said it makes you feel cold just reading the words. BRRRRR….getting a blanket. 🙂
THANKS, Yvonne.
Have a great weekend.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Book Beginnings
Hi Elizabeth,
I really enjoy descriptive writing like this and when a book can capture me with that very first sentence –
“The naked trees dripped, the tarmac paths ran black.”
– it surely is going to be an engrossing and intriguing read!
I hope that you are enjoying your current reading and have a good weekend.
What descriptive writing! It certainly sets the mood and makes you want to plow right in. I look forward to hearing more about this one from you in the future.
I’m currently reading Hot Springs by Stephen Hunter.
“Earl’s daddy was a sharp-dressed man. Each morning he shaved carefully with a well-stropped razor, buttoned a clean, crackly starched white shirt, tied a black string tie in a bow knot. Then he pulled up his suspenders and put on his black suit coat – he owned seven Sunday suits, and he wore one each day of his adult life no matter the weather, all of them black, heavy wool from the Sears, Roebuck catalogue – and slipped a lead-shot sap into his back pocket, buckled on his Colt Peacemaker and his badge, slipped his Jesus gun inside the cuff of his left wrist, adjusted his large black Stetson, and went to work sheriffing Polk County, Arkansas.”
Hi Kelly,
You will probably hear more about this book very soon, as due to the tight time scheduling to tie in with the publisher’s release date, I shall be featuring ‘Motherlove’ in Teaser Tuesday next week and on Thursday February 19th (release date), the author Thorne Moore will be stopping by with a great guest post.
Despite the challenges, which are all of my own making, working with Thorne and Welsh publisher Honno Press, has been a delight, especially having the opportunity to preview this intriguing, no doubt emotional, psychological thriller.
I love the opening lines of ‘Hot Springs’. I can almost picture Earl’s daddy, with his black stetson and slight swagger to his step, some excellent descriptive narrative. I’m not certain that this is an era I am particularly interested in,although to be fair, I have only read one or two stories about ‘the mob’, so perhaps I should try more before making a decision either way. As you have started the ‘Earl Swagger’ series at the beginning, I might wait to see what you think of it before making a decision, I trust your judgement.
I see that the author has also written another series about ‘Bob Lee Swagger’, who is a sniper. I think this series might interest me a lot more, although the first book was written way back in 1993
Thanks for sharing and I hope that you have a good weekend.
This one sounds deliciously atmospheric with the skeletal trees and clammy chill. Enjoy it!
Thanks Naida,
I am wondering if the lonely figure in the park, is Kelly’s mother, who perhaps had given up a child for adoption, before having Kelly. This line from the synopsis makes me wonder ….
“Kelly loves her mother. Wanting to help her, she innocently reveals deeply buried secrets.”
Guess I’ll just have to read the book soon, so that I can find out !!
Hope you are well and enjoying your weekend.