opening lines for fiction stories

The opening line of '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' is great. It creates an immediate sense of unease and a world that is just a bit off. The idea of the clocks striking thirteen goes against our normal perception of time, signaling that this is a society with its own strange rules.

Opening lines in YA fiction often introduce the voice of the narrator. If the narrator has a unique voice, like a sarcastic or very innocent one, it can be shown right from the start. This helps the reader to connect with the character and be more engaged in the story from the very beginning.

In 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams, the opening line 'Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.' is great. It throws the reader right into the vastness of the galaxy, showing that the story is going to be set in a huge and perhaps strange cosmos. It has a touch of humor and irreverence as it describes the location as 'uncharted backwaters' and 'unfashionable', which is characteristic of Adams' writing style.

In 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is a great opening. It's very thought - provoking. It makes you think about duality and how different things can be at the same time. It also hooks the reader as they want to find out more about these 'times' that are both good and bad.

In 'Pride and Prejudice', Jane Austen starts with 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' It's a great opening as it gives a quick insight into the society and the themes of marriage and wealth that will be explored in the novel. It's also a bit tongue - in - cheek, which is characteristic of Austen's writing.

In 'Americanah' by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the opening line 'Ifemelu—rhymes with Chimamanda—noticed it on her first day at Princeton.' is great. It gives us a character's name right away and also links it to the author's name in a clever way, which makes the reader curious about this Ifemelu and her experience at Princeton. It starts the story in a very specific place and situation, which is effective in drawing the reader in.

Some opening lines in young adult fiction are designed to immediately draw the reader in. For example, in 'The Hunger Games', 'When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.' This simple line sets a somewhat lonely and mysterious mood, making the reader wonder why the bed is cold. It also gives a hint about the character's situation and makes the reader curious to find out more about her life.

One of the top best opening 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 the story which is centered around marriage and social status in the English society of that time.

A classic opening line might be 'The graveyard was filled with an unnatural stillness as the moon hung low in the sky.' This not only gives a spooky setting but also creates a sense of unease. The graveyard is a typical horror setting, and the description of the moon and the stillness draws the reader in, making them wonder what lurks within that stillness.

One of the best opening lines is from 'Dune' by Frank Herbert: 'A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.' It immediately sets a tone of precision and importance, hinting at the complex world of politics and ecology in the story.