A wintry beginning

It's been a couple of weeks since my last Book Beginnings on Friday, which I entitled A burning beginning.  This one, wintry and cold, takes place in Finland.

"It was three in the afternoon when my plane landed at the Helsinki airport, but outside my window, dusk was already settling in like a bruise.  I retrieved my suitcase, its handle cold, and stumbled to the tourist information desk, where a woman with good teeth and bad English helped me find a hotel near the train station.  My plan was to take the first train north, to Lapland, after a night of sleep."

That's from page 3 of Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida (2007).  The beginning hooked me, and I continued to read 101 pages before I slowed down enough to come check my email and share this quote with you.  It helped that Claire (The Captive Reader) called this her favorite book ever.  That's high praise, indeed!

If you want to play along, this meme is hosted by Katy at A Few More Pages.  Share the first sentence or two of the book you are reading.  (Sometimes it takes several sentences to get the full thought.)  Then, share your impressions of that beginning.  Click this link to see what others say about the books they are reading this week.