How Well Do You Know the Famous First Lines of Books?
They often say that you can’t judge a book by its cover. But you can judge a book by its opening line. The first line of a book can suck you in and give you the layout of what kind of story you’re about to enjoy. It can be set on a bright cold day or a dark and stormy night. It can discuss a lousy childhood or talk about the author’s own life. From a young girl to a teenage boy, it can give you a heads-up on who your main character or narrator might be. Some of the best books in history have famous first lines that readers still think about to this day.
That opening sentence can be the deciding factor between if someone will continue to read or whether they will put it down. If you’re a book lover, you love getting wrapped up in a story. You may also have a good idea of some of the best openers for books that you’ve read over the years. But do you have what it takes to score a perfect 100 on our quiz? See how much you know about famous first lines in books.
Famous first lines of books
A famous first line of a book is something that will snare you and enrapture you. Books that have been deemed classics tend to have an amazing opening line or two. Sometimes all that is needed is a few words to get a reader excited about the story. At first sight, a story might not grab someone. But with a famous line of writing and an introduction to the cast of characters that readers are about to get to know, it can suck a reader in. If you've had the good fortune of enjoying a book because of this experience, the author did their job.
The best opening lines of books have a tone and style that stay with the reader. You may even be thinking about them on a distant afternoon from now if they are good enough. An author tells a story in his or her own way, and that starts with the first lines.
