First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?
- Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
- Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
- Finally… reveal the book!
First Lines:
Teodora is not the first to see the raiders, but she is the first to run.
Do you recognize the lines?
Here’s a hint:
It’s the 1st book in a new mythology retelling.
Still not sure? Here’s another hint:
It’s written by Claire North.
The First Lines Friday book is:
Ithaca
About the Book:
Title: Ithaca
Author: Claire North
Series: Penelope #1
Page Length: 400
Publication Date: Sept. 6, 2022
Publisher: Orbit Books
Synopsis: ‘The greatest power we woman can own, is that we take in secret . . . ‘
Seventeen years ago, king Odysseus sailed to war with Troy, taking with him every man of fighting age from the island of Ithaca. None of them have returned, and the women have been left behind to run the kingdom.
Penelope was barely into womanhood when she wed Odysseus. Whilst he lived, her position was secure. But now, years on, speculation is mounting that husband is dead, and suitors are starting to knock at her door . . .
But no one man is strong enough to claim Odysseus’ empty throne – not yet. Between Penelope’s many suitors, a cold war of dubious alliances and hidden knives reigns, as everyone waits for the balance of power to tip one way or another. If Penelope chooses one from amongst them, it will plunge Ithaca into bloody civil war. Only through cunning and her spy network of maids can she maintain the delicate balance of power needed for the kingdom to survive.
On Ithaca, everyone watches everyone else, and there is no corner of the palace where intrigue does not reign . . .
LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | My Review
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Have you read Ithaca? What do you think of the first line? Comment below!
Ooooo the first line is intriguing!
I’ve been seeing this book around quite a bit this week.
Same! I do like the cover. Would like to pick it up soon
Woo, it’s been a hot minute since I was able to guess one of these and I got this one! The Claire North hint gave it away 😂 I still have to read her books! Great pick
Yay! I always love when I guess them, though it doesn’t happen often. lol