The first sentence game

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

No idea!!! lol

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

You love the book:) And I believe you find the author quite attractive too.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Oh really....so it must be a male????

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

A young male. We agreed once that he looked good in a white t shirt. Lol! What on earth does this have to do with the book ??? :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

LOL!!!! Still no idea! Foggy brain...

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Aussie male author. Huge best seller. Fantastic movie.

[Carolyn]

Phrynne wrote: "It was an easy one for me because I really disliked the book and the way the child spoke. Don't shout at me though because I know everyone else loved it:)"

Phrynne I really hated it and couldn't even finish it. Hence no review. I thought I'd try to finish it one day but haven't yet.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Carolyn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "It was an easy one for me because I really disliked the book and the way the child spoke. Don't shout at me though because I know everyone else loved it:)"

Phrynne I really hated i..."

Hooray ! A partner in crime:) I did finish it but I muttered a lot of bad words at the same time:)

[Kathryn]

Phrynne wrote: "Another one everyone has read!

First the colours.
Then the humans.Thats usually how I see things.
Or at least how I try."

I'm not answering it since I've just had a turn, but this is one I didn't like. Haven't seen the movie.

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Phrynne wrote: "It was an easy one for me because I really disliked the book and the way the child spoke. Don't shout at me though because I know everyone else loved it:)"

I didn't love it Phrynne...I was ready to scratch her eyes out for not thinking of some way out! :[

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Okay let's focus:)

"First the colours.
Then the humans.Thats usually how I see things.
Or at least how I try."

Clues are
Aussie male author
Big best seller
A movie was made of it.
Set in Germany

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Is it The Book Thief ???

[Carolyn]

Phrynne wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "It was an easy one for me because I really disliked the book and the way the child spoke. Don't shout at me though because I know everyone else loved it:)"

Phrynne ..."

I didn't like either of the characters and found it boring and somewhat predictable!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Yes Brenda, it is!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

"Will you look at us by the river! The whole restless mob of us on spread blankets in the briny sunshine skylarking and chiacking about for one day, one clear, clean, sweet day in a good world in the midst of our living."

[Dale]

Phrynne wrote: "It was an easy one for me because I really disliked the book and the way the child spoke. Don't shout at me though because I know everyone else loved it:)"

Not everyone Phrynne. I didn't either. Gave up on it.

[Stef]

Tim Winton the book is Cloudstreet

[Stef]

"My father had a face that could stop a clock."

(I hope we haven't already had that one)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

We haven't and it sounds very funny! I will need a clue:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Yes Stef you're right ... and I give you permission to have a go;)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Do you have any clues Stef?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Stef????

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Stef wrote: ""My father had a face that could stop a clock."

(I hope we haven't already had that one)"

Lol...love it!!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

That should be fairly obvious I suppose, but I haven't read it (if it is!)

[Carolyn]

Ok I'm going to have a guess to get this game moving again.

I think Stef's could be one of Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series. Not sure which one but her time travelling father features in quite a few and it's the sort of thing she would say about him. Or maybe some other time travelling book or maybe I'm not on the right track at all?

And Michael, yours has to be Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov?

[Carolyn]

Thanks Michael!

Here's one you will all have heard, but do you know what classic novel it's from:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.”

[Carolyn]

Yes, it is Dickens :)

[Dale]

Carolyn wrote: "Thanks Michael!

Here's one you will all have heard, but do you know what classic novel it's from:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of..."
A Tale of Two Cities

'Claire watched the morphine work its magic beneath the flickering lights she'd now become used to.'

[Carolyn]

Well done Dale!

I don't think I know yours.

[Dale]

Carolyn wrote: "Well done Dale!

I don't think I know yours."

I do know some people here have read this book. By an Aussie author.

[Kathryn]

Dale wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Thanks Michael!

Here's one you will all have heard, but do you know what classic novel it's from:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, i..."

I thought it sounded familiar, but wasn't sure until I compared our read books - is it Nightingale by Fiona McIntosh?

[Dale]

Kathryn wrote: "Dale wrote: "Carolyn wrote: "Thanks Michael!

Here's one you will all have heard, but do you know what classic novel it's from:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age..."

Yes you are right, Kathryn. Your turn.

[Carolyn]

Ah, The Nightingale is still on my tbr. Next year!

[Kathryn]

Carolyn wrote: "Ah, The Nightingale is still on my tbr. Next year!"

It was good, Carolyn. Reminded me of the ANZAC Girls series, if you saw that.

[Kathryn]

This is from my just-today-newly-picked-up library book:

"The sun spread on the horizon, bleeding colour like a broken yolk."

Read by several Aussie readers. Another Aussie author.

[Kathryn]

Carolyn wrote: "Ah, The Nightingale is still on my tbr. Next year!"

Although, this one is only Nightingale, Carolyn, not The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah - but I read both this year and both are great books!

[Carolyn]

Yes, I did, it was very good. Reminded me of Tom Keneally's The Daughters of Mars.

[Kathryn]

Is another clue needed?

[Kathryn]

Where is everybody? I can give more clues if anyone else is playing...

[Carolyn]

Don't recognise it Kathryn.

[Kathryn]

It's the debut novel of a female author.

[Kathryn]

It was published last year...

[Kathryn]

Michael wrote: "Darkness on the Edge of Town?"

No, Michael, however one of the words (with more than three letters) is correct...

[Kathryn]

This book won the Australian/Vogel's Literary Award (which I'd never heard of before!). According to GR, it's "an Australian literary award for unpublished manuscripts by writers under the age of 35.

The prize money, currently A$20,000, is the richest and most prestigious award for an unpublished manuscript in Australia. The rules of the competition include that the winner's work be published by Allen and Unwin.

The award was initiated in 1979 by Niels Stevns and is a collaboration between The Australian newspaper, the publisher Allen & Unwin, and Stevns & Company Pty Ltd. Stevns, founder of the company which makes Vogel bread, named the award in honour of Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel."

[Carolyn]

So a debut novel with Darkness, Edge or Town in the title by a young female Aussie author which won an Award. Sounds intriguing!
Do you know if it was short listed for any other awards?

[Kathryn]

Your summary is correct, Carolyn. And I think I remember noticing that you're one of the ones who read it...

GR doesn't mention any other awards, nor does the book itself.

[Kathryn]

Yes, I just checked. You've definitely read it, Carolyn :-)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I haven't read it but your clues add up to After Darkness ????

[Kathryn]

Phrynne wrote: "I haven't read it but your clues add up to After Darkness ????"

Correct, Phrynne! And when I was looking at the page just now, I caught sight of a review that had the first line quoted!!

Your turn!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

That would have been a big help! I went looking for books with "darkness" in the title and struck lucky almost straight away.


"Flying into Australia, I realized with a sigh that I had forgotten again who their Prime Minister is."

This one is non fiction and although that quote would be very apt in our current political climate it is actually an old book. Over 15 years old.