best first lines in a novel

One of the best first lines is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line sets the stage for the story's exploration of marriage, social class, and the search for love within a society with strict rules about such matters.

Some of the best first lines in fiction include 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities'. This line immediately sets a contrastive and thought - provoking mood. Another great one is 'Call me Ishmael' from 'Moby - Dick', which is a simple yet powerful introduction to the narrator. And 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' which gives a sense of the special nature of the story's main character right from the start.

One of the best first lines could be 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this strange world where the clocks do something unexpected. Another great one is 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick'. It's a simple yet powerful invitation for the reader to follow Ishmael on his journey. And 'All children, except one, grow up.' from 'Peter Pan' is also excellent as it creates a sense of mystery about the one child who doesn't grow up.

One great first line is 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife' from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. 'We were somewhere around Barstow on the edge of the desert when the drugs began to take hold' from 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' by Hunter S. Thompson is very distinct. 'Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy' from 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis is a simple yet effective start.

The first line 'Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.' from Anna Karenina is very profound. It sets up the exploration of family dynamics. 'I am an invisible man.' from Invisible Man is a powerful start, making you curious about how someone can be invisible. 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.' from Rebecca is a haunting start. It has an air of mystery and makes you want to know more about Manderley and why the narrator is dreaming about it.

One great example is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this world where the clocks seem to be acting strangely.

One of the best first lines is from 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen: 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' This line immediately sets the tone for a story about marriage and social status in the Regency era.

One of the best could be 'In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.' from 'The Hobbit'. It immediately draws you into a world where a hobbit lives in a hole, making you curious about what this hobbit is like and what adventures await.

One of the best first lines is from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' This line immediately sets a tone of contrast and complexity, drawing the reader in with its paradoxical nature. It makes you wonder what could be both good and bad at the same time and sets the stage for a story that is full of such contradictions.

The first line of '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This line creates an immediate sense of unease and a feeling that something is not quite right in the world of the novel, which is a dystopian society where the government has extreme control.