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.
All three choices this week came via Susan’s round-up of paperbacks released in September.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Max Porter
Summary: Two young boys are grieving their mother’s sudden death. They are visited by Crow, who promises to stay until he is no longer needed.
I’m thinking: No. It’s about a bird. In a house. I’ve mentioned my extreme bird phobia before, right? (The opening scene will give me nightmares…)
Paulina & Fran by Rachel B. Glaser
Summary: Paulina and Fran – art students, best friends and opposites. A man comes between them, Paulina goes bananas.
I’m thinking: Yes. I love the opening line, “Paulina was dissatisfied with her lover… He leaned on things.” I once broke up* with a boy because he didn’t eat vegetables**, so I understand Paulina already.
The Long Room by Francesca Kay
Summary: London, 1981, a spy falls for the wrong woman.
I’m thinking: No. Love the concept, didn’t love the writing.
*the relationship was never going to progress because I couldn’t get past the fact that he ate no vegetables. I’d say “What about asparagus with Hollandaise sauce?” or “What about caramelised roast pumpkin?” I was obsessed with cracking the vegetable issue. I couldn’t. Goodbye boy.
**except potatoes but I don’t think chips count as vegetables.