I am not a huge fan of beautiful language in novels. That sounds horrible for a writer, I know. I want strong, effective, surprising language, but lyrical language doesn't do a ton for me. That's usually too much (for me) contemplation, not enough action, and no plot advancement. And if a book opens with a lyrical segment, that's often a death knell for my interest in the book.
But.
My Favorite Book This Week (see sidebar), Song of the Sparrow, by Lisa Ann Sandell (Scholastic, 2007), has an amazing, haunting, lyrical opening.
I am Elaine
daughter of Barnard of Ascolat.
Motherless.
Sisterless.
I sing these words to you now,
because the point of light grows smaller,
ever smaller now,
ever more distant now.
And with this song, I pray I may
push back the tides of war and death.
So, I sing these words
that this light, this tiny
ray of light and hope may live on.
I dare not hope that I
may live on too.
What a mood setter! It creates the perfect tone for this Arthurian novel in verse, which I thought was just terrific. It makes me want to hear the rest of her story/song and learn her fate.
What's the first paragraph or line of the book you're reading right now?
Review by Becky Laney, frequent contributor.
Song of the Sparrow is a wonderful verse novel that retells the story of Elaine the Lady of Shalott. While the literary tradition has her as beautiful but essentially weak and desperate, Sandell's Elaine is strong, brave, and while she, for a time, is lovesick on Lancelot, she is not too desperate or clingy. (Not, I'll die without his love desperate.) Meet Arthur, Elaine, Gwynivere, Lancelot, Tristan, and Gawain in this new telling of love and war. The poetry is powerful and quite effective in communicating the behind the scenes emotions as well as capturing the senses--especially the sights and sounds of battle camps and war.
Here is a snippet from the tenth chapter:
I wish I could go back to that time,
when my mother would smile
the gentle smile that told me,
all is right and well.
Back to that time when I was
young
and loved
and safe.
When we were all safe.
That things change,
that people change,
and die,
that we grow older,
that life brings the unexpected,
the unwanted,
oh,
some days it feels me with
a measure of lightness, for
I will be a woman soon.
But other days,
the very thought
of growing older,
of not being that small girl
who danced over river rocks,
whose brothers held her hands,
whose mother lived,
the very thought of itcrushes me,
till it is stopped,by the world
outside
my memories.
