worst first sentences in novels

One example could be a first sentence that is overly complex and filled with jargon that makes it difficult for the average reader to understand right away. For instance, a sentence like 'The ineffable esotericism of the preternatural realm was about to be divulged in a most perfunctory manner.' It's just too much to take in at the start and might put off readers.

A really bad first sentence might be full of cliches or use language that's just plain dull. For example, 'The sun rose over the sleepy town.' It's so common and doesn't stand out.

A bad first sentence can also make the reader not care about the story. If it doesn't create any intrigue or interest, like a dull description of the weather or a character doing something mundane without any hint of what's to come, the reader may not feel compelled to keep reading. They want to be grabbed by the story from the very start. A really long and rambling first sentence can be off - putting too. It can seem like the author doesn't know how to be concise and engaging. So, overall, a bad first sentence can really harm the initial connection between the reader and the book.

The '100 worst first lines of novels' might be bad for various reasons. Some could be too cliché, like starting with 'It was a dark and stormy night' which has been overused. Others might be too convoluted or unclear, making it difficult for readers to immediately engage with the story. Some first lines may also lack any sort of hook to draw the reader in.

A line such as 'There was a house.' is also quite bad. It's so basic and lacks any sort of intrigue. There's no hint of what might be special about this house, whether there are secrets inside, or who might be associated with it. It doesn't draw the reader in at all.

Mine was the worst. It was with this guy I barely knew at a party. He just lunged at me out of nowhere, and his breath smelled like a mix of onions and beer. His lips were super slobbery, and it was so over in a second. It was just a horrible, unromantic mess.

On my worst first day, I sat next to a really mean girl in class. She kept stealing my pencils and when I asked for them back, she told the teacher that I was being mean to her. The teacher believed her without even asking me my side of the story. I was so frustrated and angry. I spent the rest of the day in a really bad mood.

I remember my worst first day at a new school. I had prepared my textbooks and everything but when I opened my backpack in the first class, I realized I had grabbed my sister's bag by mistake. So, I had all her girly stuff like makeup and dolls in my bag instead of my own things. The whole class laughed when I tried to explain. It was a nightmare and I still cringe when I think about it.

One famous first sentence 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 sets the tone for the whole novel which is largely about marriage and social status in the 19th - century English society. It immediately grabs the reader's attention as it presents a rather cynical view of marriage as a financial transaction of sorts.

Some first sentences are like a teaser. Consider 'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov, 'Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul.' This is a very controversial opening because of its rather sexual undertones. But it is also extremely captivating. It makes the reader want to know more about who Lolita is and what the relationship between the narrator and her will be, while also warning the reader that this might be a rather unorthodox story.