Tuesday, November 15, 2016

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday: The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

First Chapter Tuesday is hosted every Tuesday by Diane over at Bibiophile by the Sea. Join the fun by making your own post and linking up over at Diane's blog, or simple check it out to find more new books to read!

I finally picked this up from the library this past weekend and started it immediately. The Queen of the Night has been absolutely enchanting and I can hardly put it down.

The Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee

The Queen of the Night

Chapter 1
"WHEN IT BEGAN, it began as an opera would begin, in a palace, at a ball, in an encounter with a stranger who, you discover, has your fate in his hands. He is perhaps a demon or a god in disguise, offering you a chance at either the fulfillment of a dream or a trap for the soul. A comic element—the soprano arrives in the wrong dress—and it decides her fate.
The year was 1882. The palace was the Luxembourg Palace; the ball, the Sénat Bal, held at the beginning of autumn. It was still warm, and so the garden was used as well. I was the soprano.
I was Lilliet Berne."*


What do you think? Would you keep reading? (And feel free to join in and make your own post!) 
If you're enticed by this chapter, be sure to check out the full synopsis on Goodreads!


*Excerpt taken from the novel itself; I do not claim to own any part of the excerpt.



8 comments:

  1. I like your description of the book as "enchanting." That makes me want to read it. I also like the way the author sets the stage in the opening paragraphs. Sounds like an entertaining story.
    My Tuesday post features A MAN CALLED OVE.

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  2. Fascinating excerpt, and now I must know more. Thanks for sharing, and here's mine: “SEND IN THE CLOWNS”

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  3. I actually didn't like this one ... hope you love it, though.

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  4. I like the opening, but am hesitating because I've seen such mixed reviews. Hope you enjoy it!

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  5. I don't read much historical but, I hope u r enjoying this one.

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  6. I've been on the fence about whether or not this one for a while. I was really excited for it when it first came out, but then the reviews started coming out and were so mixed. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it though. That makes me more likely to give it a try. :)

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  7. Not for me, but I'm glad your enjoying it!

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