Friday, October 10, 2014

Book Beginnings: Missing Person

VerbaMundi edition by David R. Godine
For this week's Book Beginnings on Friday, I'm looking at Missing Person by Patrick Modiano, translated from the French by Daniel Weissbort.

Modiano just won the Nobel Prize for Literature, and I have to admit I'd never heard of him before the announcement. So I did a quick search for his books and discovered that very few are available in the U.S., in translation (Godine has announced plans to reissue some of his works as soon as possible). I found Missing Person available from Amazon and quickly ordered a copy. Here's the opening paragraph:
I am nothing. Nothing but a pale shape, silhouetted that evening against the cafe terrace, waiting for the rain to stop; the shower had started when Hutte left me.
Initial Thoughts:
Well, right away I'm wondering who Hutte is. And is the speaker a woman? Or a man? And why did Hutte leave? We don't really know much yet, do we? Sounds a little depressing. But interesting, in a bleak sort of way. Enough to keep me reading a bit further.

How about you -- would you go on reading? Or drop this one like a hot croissant?



Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc.  It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.

3 comments:

  1. The cover is bleak and seems to herald a book of this type...I like it already. My son, the photographer, would love that cover.

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

    As for Sophie Hannah, I read Little Face first...but each novel seems to stand alone, in a sense. The author introduces us to the main players in each one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The opening definitely sets a dark mood and so does the cover. I hope you're enjoying the story.
    My Friday post features BEAUTIFUL RUINS.

    ReplyDelete

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