Great opening lines are perfectly crafted, set the tone for the story to follow, and usually raise questions in the reader’s mind that they want to read on and find answers to. The best ones transcend the story that follows, they are quotable and find themselves part of culture far beyond simply being the first sentence in a book.So we begin our Friday Favorites inspired by collectors of first-lines from around the world...
From Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible:
Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened.
This opening sentence intrigues us with "a ruin so strange," because aren't all ruins strange in their own way? But the second half of it says the strangeness of it must be so bizarre that the ruin never happened. How is that possible? Our brains are set off-balance and the only way to right ourselves is to continue reading!
What a fascinating website you have. The order of attraction for me in a book is the cover first (yes, I'm one of those judging the book by its cover); then the blurb; then the first paragraph of the book. I've read some really awesome first lines. :)
ReplyDelete@dino0726 from
FictionZeal - Impartial, Straighforward Fiction Book Reviews
Great post! I really like what the opening quote says in reference to the one you've chosen - they really fit together! It does make you wonder though, doesn't it? The one you've chosen it quite contradictory I think. Something happens... so there's a ruin left behind... I'd have to read on to find out what the book's referring to I think :D
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
Amy x