Advent Calendar, box no. 22 - Book beginnings on Fridays and the Friday 56

Christmas is coming closer and closer. A lot of people in the shops today, doing their last Christmas shopping. We went to Lund to see Hannes (our son) play and informal match of padel. Tomorrow, PDL, hosts a private tournament, so we will probably pass by and have a look. Since we are being guests this year, we don't have to prepare more than presents, and it feels very luxurious.

Time for another book beginning and page 56 quotations. This week I chose one of my favourite books; The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. An absolutely wonderful and thrilling story. He is a master writer and I love all his books.

Rose City Reader, is hosting Book beginnings on Friday. Share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author’s name.

Freda’s voice is hosting Friday 56. Grab a book, any book. Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader
(If you have to improvise, that's ok.) Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it

Beginning

I still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for the first time. It was the early summer of 1945, and we walked through the streets of a Barcelona trapped beneath ashen skies as dawn poured over Rambla de Santa Mónica in a wreath of liquid copper. 

Page 56

'Lain Coubert?' 

'Does that sound familiar?'

'It's the name of one of the characters in The Shadow of the Wind, the last of Carax's novels.'

Isaac frowned. 'A fictional character?'

'In the novel Lain Coubert is the name used by the devil.'

'A bit theatrical, if you ask me. But whoever he was, at least he had a sense of humour,' Isaac reckoned.

With the memory of that night's encounter still fresh in my mind, I could not see the humorous side of it, from any angle, but I saved my opinion for a more auspicious occasion.