Sample Saturday is when I wade through the eleventy billion samples I have downloaded on my Kindle. I’m slowly chipping away and deciding whether it’s buy or bye.
The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery
Why I have it: Because I loved Hedgehog and The Gourmet.
Summary: Two young girls with exceptional gifts meet elves and change the world.
I’m thinking: Maybe. Yes, for lines such as –
“…for such a young child she bore herself in a most unusual way, incorporating some of the invisibility and trembling of the air, as a dragonfly would, or palms swaying in the wind.”
but should I be concerned about a three-page character list for a 258 page book?!
All These Perfect Strangers by Aoife Clifford
Why I have it: A friend was talking about it.
Summary: Within six months of Pen Sheppard starting university, three of her new friends are dead. Only Pen knows the reason why.
I’m thinking: Maybe. Everything in the crime-genre is paling in comparison to Serial at the moment. I’m still completely absorbed by it. Anyways, I’ll keep this book in mind when I next need a page-turner (that’s usually on long-haul flights).
Our Magic Hour by Jennifer Down
Why I have it: Saw it in a book shop window. I loved the cover – it’s like fireworks and coral and rainbows, all at once.
Summary: Three friends, mates since high school. One dies and everything is thrown off-kilter.
I’m thinking: Yes. This is the sort of writing that’s everything I love.
3-page character list? That’s kind of worrisome. Although, at the same time it does sound kind of interesting and I really want to know how the author is gonna manage to cover so many characters in such a short book. I feel like it would be either awesome or horrible.
It seems to be getting an ‘awful’ rating on Goodreads… In the short but I read, I could have used a dozen quotes. Her writing is magic.
Maybe all the characters are simply rafts of very small elves?! Either way, can’t stand having to look back at character lists b
I woukd say yes to All The Perfect Strangers based on that premise. Sounds great!
Normally I’m not one for elves, but the quote you pulled out from the Barbery is great. The 3 page character list has me wavering though…
I know… And there were a dozen other lovely passages as well. I think if I was to read it, I’d need it in hard copy so that flicking back to character list is easy – flipping through e-books drives me mental.
I love this concept for a blog post. Never seen anyone do this before. 🙂 I agree with the other commenters – 3 pages of characters sounds like you might be stopping mid-read to flip back and forth to figure out who’s who lots of times. I know for me, it would definitely interfere with my ability to enjoy the book. But the writing sounds intriguing…
By all means, join in on Sample Saturday if, like me, you can’t resist sample chapters! When I first got my Kindle, I was impulse buying so many books. When I discovered the free sample option, I made myself hit that before ‘buy’…. But I still have to get through all the samples! Sharing samples each week force me to sift through them and gives me an opportunity to hear if other readers have enjoyed a particular book or not (and it seems the Elves is getting the thumbs down!).
I seriously might have to give this a go! I love that you’ve used it for the built-in accountability to read through samples, too. Such a great idea. (Bummer for the elves, though!)
I haven’t heard of Serial… or maybe I have and my brain is fluffy… one never knows…
Mostly enjoyed All THese Perfect Strangers – though didn’t LOVE the ending.