First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday is hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea – it’s is a weekly meme where you share the first paragraph (or two) from a book you are considering reading.
At the beginning of the year I made a resolution to every so often buy a book that I’ve never heard of before encountering it in the bookstore. Even though I’m currently on a self-imposed book-buying-ban, I did receive a book voucher for my birthday so yay, off I went to the bookshop. And I bought Perfect by Rachel Joyce.
The prologue begins –
“In 1972, two seconds were added to time. Britain agreed to join the Common Market, and ‘Beg, Steal or Borrow’ by the New Seekers was the entry for Eurovision. The seconds were added because it was a leap year and time was out of joint with the movement of the Earth. The New Seekers did not win the Eurovision Song Contest but that had nothing to do with the Earth’s movement and nothing to do with the two seconds either.”
The addition of time terrified Byron Hemmings. At eleven years old he was an imaginative boy. He lay awake, picturing it happen, and his heart flapped like a bird. He watched clocks, trying to catch them at it. ‘When will they do it?’ he asked his mother.”
I was born in 1972 and I love Eurovision so there was enough in those opening paragraphs to make me hand over my store voucher in exchange for the book. Rather than asking ‘buy it or bin it?’ as I usually do, this time I’ll ask have you read Perfect or heard anything about it? And does the video below tempt you further?
This sounds very different and would keep reading. It sounds like you made a good choice. Hope the rest is as good.
Thanks so much for participating this week.
The intro does not sound as good as the video. The video, makes me more curious about what happened. Enjoy!
I loved her previous book, so would keep reading based on that alone. The opening is quite unusual.. hope you enjoy Perfect!
What a unique concept! Yes, out of curiosity, I would keep reading. Here’s MY TUESDAY MEMES POST
That’s such a fantastic little resolution to have. And yet, I think I have a problem buying too many anyway 😛
The book sounds fantastic. Trailer is interesting too
I really enjoyed Harold Fry and I’d like to get to this new one sooner or later 🙂 Probably later, based on the crazy tbr piles around here!
I love the sound of this book and the trailer was appealing. I would keep reading. I am also adding this to my TBR list.
Here’s my Tuesday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2013/07/first-chapter-first-paragraph-22-and.html
I like your resolve to step out of your comfort zone. Good for you!! This book sounds quite interesting. Hope you enjoy.
Ooooh, I love the front cover of this! I’ve vaguely encountered the author’s other book but never looked into it further. I’m intrigued. 🙂
Sounds like it has potential.