Thursday, March 4, 2010

First lines

Well, Doc Jen and I may remember them better, but there were a couple professors who loved first lines of novels and always made me aware of them. Thought I'd share a couple of good ones of late.

The most magical thing happened on the morning of my grandmother's wedding in Tuscany. (Brava, Valentine)

Momma left her red satin shoes in the middle of the road. (Saving Ceecee Honeycutt)

"I'm Mary Magdalene" (Final Exam)

There comes a time in every girl's life when she realizes her father isn't perfect. (Truly, Madly)

They say that just before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes, but that's not how is happened for me. (Before I Fall)

There were also those professors who really liked the last sentences of novels, but that's for another day.


3 comments:

julienj said...

This reminded me that I had noted the first line of Lloyd Alexander's "Westmark" because I found it so striking: “Theo, by occupation, was a devil.” I don't remember coming across any particularly notable first lines since then, but I'll be paying more attention now that you've brought this up!

(Diane) Bibliophile By the Sea said...

Loved CeeCee Honeycutt. I marked so many great lines and passages in the review copy I have. Hope you liked it as much as me.

Medical Librarian said...

I love great opening lines, but it's always so disappointing if the rest of the book doesn't live up to the wonderful first line.

A Tale of Two Cities is a good example of where the book does meet the expectations generated by the first line, I think.