First lines of books

If you consider yourself a capital-R Reader, put yourself to the test with this guess the book quiz. We triple dog dare you.

The first lines of a book often set the stage for the reading experience. While there are many books which are worth the effort of plowing on even when the start is a bit slow and unattractive, there are others which have beckoned me with opening lines so artful that I could not help devouring…

This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022. It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the first line of your novel had better kick arse. Whether you are looking to snare an agent, a publisher, or a reader, your first line is all important. Leaving aside […]

So, chapters. It occurred to me the other week that I’d yet to talk about them here on Well-Storied, despite the fact that I’ve been running this show for well over two years now. How could I have skipped something so crucial to the structure of a good novel? I'll be honest. For a long time, I really didn't consider chapters to be all that important. Chapters give your novel structure, sure. But over the years, I've come to realize that that's not all they do... Chapters also create a…

Can You Match These Opening Lines to the Classic Novels They Come From? You may just consider yourself a bibliophile, but this Classic Literature First Lines quiz is harder than you may expect. These ten quick questions will put your knowledge of the literary arts to the test!

The opening line of a book are like the curtains swooping up, revealing the stage as the author ushers you into the story and also another world. An opening line forms the first impression. It is the opening line that grabs your attention and hooks you into the story! There are some amazing opening lines that fill the reader in you with curiosity and intrigue to find out more. Here are 23 opening lines of books that will make you want to read them now…

Killer First Lines That Pull You Into the Book I Abigail's Lost in a Book I Sometimes an author writes a first line that is so beautiful or startling, it takes your breath away. Those books capture the reader's imagination from the very first page and are hard to put down. I What to Read I Book Recommendations I Book Reviews I Book Quotes I Book Lover I Bookish I

"The love of my life wants to die." That first line is what drew me in. I felt the sadness and helplessness when I read that line.

These are some of our favorites, the best first lines of books, with explanations why these sentences rank among the very best.