The Ten-Page Book Club

[Trollheart]

I know I'm certainly too busy to be reading books for a club, but how about ten pages?
What I suggest is we nominate a book and then read the first ten pages only, and then discuss what we thought of it, if we want to or would read further, if the author hooked us or if it was just boring, if we have any idea where it's going etc.

Anyone interested? Hello? Hello? Is this thing on?

[Guybrush]

Yes! Although I read on my phone with a dark theme so it doesn't keep me up. I adjust the font size up so I can read without my glasses.

TLDR I have no way of figuring out what ten pages are.

HOWEVER I get free previews of any book on Google play books and I assume it's similar for other services. So, I can read the start of most books just fine.

I'd like to nominate James Joyce's Ulysses as I never finished it, but quite liked the first 10 pages and would like a retry.

[Trollheart]

My only issue with Ulysses is that it's so well known. Everyone knows it by reputation, knows whether they would continue it or not, and many may have read it. I'd prefer to go for something unknown, maybe even by an author nobody has read anything from. Randomly taking one off Amazon I see this:


From an exciting new voice in WWII historical fiction comes a tale of love, loss and a betrayal that echoes through generations...

Paris, 1940: War is closing in on the city of love. With his wife forced into hiding, Jacques must stand by and watch as the Nazis take away everything he holds dear. Everything except his last beacon of hope: his beloved bookshop, La Page Cachée.

But when a young woman and her child knock on his door one night and beg for refuge, he knows his only option is to risk it all once more to save a life...

Modern day: Juliette and her husband have finally made it to France on the romantic getaway of her dreams – but as the days pass, all she discovers is quite how far they've grown apart. She's craving a new adventure, so when she happens across a tiny, abandoned shop with a for-sale sign in the window, it feels fated.

And she's about to learn that the forgotten bookshop hides a lot more than meets the eye...

A heartbreaking tale of love and loss in war, perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Rachel Hore.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forgotten-Bookshop-Paris-historical-emotional-ebook/dp/B09WM658QZ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=39T2CEW457CJG&keywords=books+fiction&qid=1675729212&s=books&sprefix=books+fiction%2Cstripbooks%2C55&sr=1-3

[Guybrush]

I'm up for that one, Trolls

I'll start on it today.

[Guybrush]

I read the prologue. Very nice! It rushes through the establishment of the shop, the people, the war, but manages to do so in a way that makes me care for the characters and which I found entertaining. I like how the author describes things and she also has a way with metaphors.

It's not quite the sort of theme I usually prefer, but I might continue reading it anyways.