A good opening line in a book can really grab the attention and there are some authors who really understand how to do this well. Here are three books which are contenders for having the very best opening lines of all time.
The Crow - Iain Banks
“It was the day my grandmother exploded”.
It’s hard to imagine what the book might be about based on that opening line, but it’s a tale about a family and its secrets. Spread over several generations, the story slowly reveals long-buried truths through a series of flashbacks and narration.
The Metamorphosis - Franz Kafka
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a giant insect.”
Printed in 1915, this is the granddaddy of modern fiction and is a novella that’s been studied in colleges and universities everywhere. As the opening sentence suggests, it follows the fate of the Gregor, a traveling salesman, who inexplicably wakes up to discover he has metamorphosed into a giant, repulsive insect. No further explanation is ever given on how this occurred, and the book follows Gregor as he attempts to adjust.
1984 - George Orwell
“It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
One of the most iconic books in history, 1984 has a subtly striking opening line. This sets the tone for the rest of the novel as it describes a dystopian future, with cleverly-written details scattered throughout. Big Brother watches over every tiny interaction, in a totalitarian regime that is harsh and all-encompassing. Let’s hope this isn’t what the future really holds!
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