POW (Page One Wow): THE GIRL IN THE STEEL CORSET

 

Things to ask yourself when looking for POW: Does the book draw me in from the first page? Does it have that certain something that makes it unputdownable? Does it make me pay attention?

I'm going to post a few lines from the first page of a book (current or past read), and say whether or not I think it has Page One Wow. As always, feel free to chime in!

 

"The moment she saw the young man walking down the darkened hall toward her, twirling his walking stick, Finley Jayne knew she'd be unemployed before the sun rose.  Her third dismissal in as many months.

 

She tensed and slowed her steps, but she did not stop.  She kept her head down, but was smart enough not to take her gaze off him.  Perhaps he would walk right by her, as if she were as invisible as servants were supposed to be.

 

Felix August-Raynes was the son of her employer.  At one and twenty years of age, he was tall and lean with curly blond hair and bright blue eyes.  Ever woman who saw him called him an angel.  Most who knew him thought him the very devil."--page 1, The Girl in the Steel Corset

 

So, does it have POW?  For me, it's a yes.  I feel the tension, the menace wafting off of Raynes, and the danger to Finley.  I really loved this first scene. Hint: Finley can take care of herself, and the awful Felix finds this out the hard way :-).  What do you think?

 

Have a great one,

 

Ninja Girl



POW (Page One Wow): SPLINTERED

 

Things to ask yourself when looking for POW: Does the book draw me in from the first page? Does it have that certain something that makes it unputdownable? Does it make me pay attention?

I'm going to post a few lines from the first page of a book (current or past read), and say whether or not I think it has Page One Wow. As always, feel free to chime in!

 

"I've been collecting bugs since I was ten; it's the only way I can stop their whispers.  Sticking a pin through the gut of an insect shuts it up pretty quick.

 

Some of my victims line the walls in shadow boxes, while others get sorted into mason jars and placed on a bookshelf for later use.  Crickets, beetles, spiders...bees and butterflies.  I'm not picky.  Once they get chatty, they're fair game."--page 1, Splintered

 

So, does it have POW?  It did for me.  Alyssa's voice was immediately there, and even though I hate bugs, the idea of them whispering/"getting chatty" drew me in.  Great start imo, sets this creepy, edgy tone for the Alice in Wonderland retelling perfectly.  Review to come soon!

 

Any thoughts?  As always, I'd love to hear them :-).

 

Hope you have a great week everyone,

 

Ninja Girl

POW (Page One Wow): BITTERBLUE

 

Things to ask yourself when looking for POW: Does the book draw me in from the first page? Does it have that certain something that makes it unputdownable? Does it make me pay attention?

I'm going to post a few lines from the first page of a book (current or past read), and say whether or not I think it has Page One Wow. As always, feel free to chime in!

My current read: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

 

Prologue

 

"When he grabs Mama's wrist and yanks her toward the wallhanging like that, it must hurt.  Mama doesn't cry out.  She tries to hide her pain from him, but she looks back at me, and in her face, she shows me everything she feels.  If Father knows she's in pain and is showing me, Father will take Mama's pain away and replace it with something else.

 

He will say to Mama, "Darling, nothing's wrong.  It doesn't hurt, you're not frightened," and in Mama's face I'll see her doubt, the beginnings of her confusion.  He'll say, "Look at our beautiful child.  Look at this beautiful room.  How happy we are.  Nothing is wrong.  Come with me, darling."  Mama will stare back at him, puzzled, and then she'll look at me, her beautiful child in this beautiful room, and her eyes will go smooth and empty, and she'll smile at how happy we are.  I'll smile, too, because my mind is no stronger than Mama's."--page 1, Bitterblue

 

So, does it have POW?  I'd say yes.  *Shivers* I've been a fan of Cashore's writing since Graceling.  This first excerpt is so creepy, so wrong.  That sense of wrongness reminds me exactly why the power of persuasion is so dangerous and why King Leck was such a formidable foe.  If you haven't read Graceling, I'd recommend you do so immediately :D

 

Any thoughts?

 

Hope eveyone has a wonderful week!

 

Ninja Girl

POW (Page One Wow): THE HUNGER GAMES

 

Things to ask yourself when looking for POW: Does the book draw me in from the first page?  Does it have that certain something that makes it unputdownable?  Does it make me pay attention?

I'm going to post a few lines from the first page of a book (current or past read), and say whether or not I think it has Page One Wow.  As always, feel free to chime in!  Today's pick is a great test of my theory.

 

"When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.  My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress.  She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother.  Of course, she did.  This is the day of the reaping.

 

I prop myself up on one elbow.  There's enough light in the bedroom to see them.  My little sister, Prim, curled up on her side, cocooned in my mother's body, their cheeks pressed together.  In sleep, my mother looks younger, still worn but not so beaten-down.  Prim's face is as fresh as a raindrop, as lovely as the primrose for which she was named.  My mother was very beautiful once, too.  Or so they tell me."

 

So, does it have POW?  Heck. Yes.  And I'll take it a step farther: this one has wow in the first paragraph.  If you're a writer or a reader, you've probably heard about "voice."  I think The Hunger Games is an excellent example of an undeniable character voice.  We're automatically in Katniss's head, her world.  She's real.  We, as readers, can relate to her and want to know more about her and this ominous event referred to as "the reaping."  Notice Collins doesn't give us any more details.  It's enough to know that it's giving poor Prim nightmares.  We're there with Katniss and can feel the affection she has for her sister, and in contrast, the distance she keeps from her mother.

 

It's straightforward.  It's emotionally honest.  It tells you without telling you that the MC is protective of her sister.  The first page is Katniss, and that's why I love it so much.

 

What are your thoughts?  I'd love to hear them!

 

Ninja Girl

POW (Page One Wow): CINDER by Marissa Meyer

 

Hi there!  I'd been trying to think of something I could post on a weekly basis (besides reviews, of course).  And there are so many great meme's out there--which I love participating in--but I kinda wanted to do something different.  Something ninja-based.  Something with a kick.

Thus, POW (Page One Wow) was born :-).

Books I love usually draw me in from the first page.  Not always, but 95% of the time.  They kick me in the teeth.  They grab me by the shirt collar.  They make me swoon, laugh, hold my breath.  The books I love make me pay attention.  I think POW is perfect for me as a reader (plus, it has a snappy ring to it lol!)  So, I'm going to post a few lines from the first page of a book (current or past read), and say whether or not I think it has POW.  Feel free to chime in!

First up: Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

"The screw through Cinder's ankle had rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle.  Her knuckles ached from forcing the screwdriver into the joint as she struggled to loosen the screw one gritting twist after another.  By the time it was extracted far enough for her to wrench free with her prosthetic steel hand, the hairline threads had been stripped clean.

 

Tossing the screwdriver onto the table, Cinder gripped her heel and yanked the foot from its socket.  A spark singed her fingertips and she jerked away, leaving the foot to dangle from a tangle of red and yellow wires."--page 1, Cinder

 

So, does it have POW?  My answer would be a great, big YES!  I was immediately pulled in.  Loved the visual of her unscrewing and then yanking off her own foot.  I was curious.  I wanted to know more.  And I hope the rest of the book packs as much oomph :).

What did you think?

Hope everyone had a great holiday,

Ninja Girl