A Couple of Great Moments in The Book of Names

I've read through the first chapters of The Book of Names and found two very impressive things. First up is the description of the surroundings in the first few pages. It is so important to start strong in fiction and the way Briggs shows the colors of the cloudy sky and evokes all the senses with the mysterious and unsettling stormy weather brings you into the story quickly and sets up the feeling of tragedy the family has gone through. Second, there is an incredibly touching moment when the brothers curl up on the couch discussing how their dead mother used to make the perfect hot chocolate. It's a simple scene and provides some great characterization. Briggs is an author who can give you both a world and a set of characters to really care about.