First Chapter ~ First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea, is where bloggers post the first paragraph(s) of a book they are currently reading or planning to read sometime soon.
Today I'm featuring my current read, A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles.
Book One
1922
The Ambassador
At half past six on the twenty-first of June 1922, when Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov was escorted through the gates of the Kremlin onto Red Square, it was glorious and cool. Drawing his shoulders back without breaking stride, the Count inhaled the air like one fresh from a swim. The sky was the very blue that the cupolas of St. Basil's had been painted for. Their pinks, greens, and golds shimmered as if it were the sole purpose of a religion to cheer its Divinity. Even the Bolshevik girls conversing before the windows of the State Department Store seemed dressed to celebrate the last days of spring.
What do you think? Would you continue reading?
This descriptive opening sets the scene in vivid detail and draws me into the story. I'm reading this book with one of my book clubs, and have been anticipating settling into another historical story by this author. I was completely enthralled with Towles's previous novel, Rules of Civility which is set in late 1930's Manhattan. Even though I read Rules several years ago, I still remember savoring the characters and sparkling dialogue.
This First Chapter ~ First Paragraph post was originally written and published by Catherine for bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution. Retweeting and sharing on Google+ are appreciated.
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