What are some of the best opening lines of a novel?

The opening line 'All children, except one, grow up' from 'Peter Pan' by J.M. Barrie is really great. It's simple yet thought - provoking. It makes you curious about that one child who doesn't grow up and sets the stage for the magical world of Neverland.

The opening line of 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville, 'Call me Ishmael.' is iconic. It's a very direct and simple way to start a story. By having the narrator introduce himself so plainly, it gives the reader a sense of intimacy and makes them feel like they are about to embark on a journey with Ishmael, whether it be physical or emotional.

One of the 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 sets the tone for the whole story which is centered around marriage and social status in the 19th - century English society.

In '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This opening line is really effective. The fact that the clocks are striking thirteen is immediately jarring and out of the ordinary. It signals to the reader that this is a world that is different from our own, perhaps a dystopian one where normal rules don't apply. It makes the reader curious to find out more about this strange world.

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.

One great opening line is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. It immediately sets a strange, dystopian mood.

In 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville, 'Call me Ishmael.' is a very famous opening line. It's simple yet it draws the reader in, making them curious about who Ishmael is and what his story will be.

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.

One of the best opening lines is 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' from George Orwell's '1984'. This line immediately sets an off - kilter mood, making the reader wonder about this strange world where the clocks are behaving differently than expected. It draws you in, making you curious about what kind of place this is and what's going to happen next.

The line 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' from 'The Great Gatsby' is also excellent. It gives a sense of the narrator reflecting on something important from the past. It draws the reader in as we want to know what that advice was and how it has influenced the narrator.