What are some of the best first lines of English novels?

In 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.' This line is quite profound. It shows the futility of Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, as if he is constantly struggling against an unyielding force, the past that he can't escape from.

One of the best first lines is from 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' This line immediately sets a tone of contrast and complexity, drawing the reader in with its paradoxical nature. It makes you wonder what could be both good and bad at the same time and sets the stage for a story that is full of such contradictions.

The first line of '1984' by George Orwell, 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' This line creates an immediate sense of unease and a feeling that something is not quite right in the world of the novel, which is a dystopian society where the government has extreme control.

One of the best first 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 class in 19th - century England.

One of the best 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 a story about society, marriage, and class in 19th - century England.

Well, the first line of '1984' by George Orwell 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.' is quite memorable. As for a last line, in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee, 'He turned out the light and went into Jem's room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.' This simple line really sums up the love and protection Atticus has for his children.

In 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief', the line 'Look, I didn't want to be a half - blood.' is a great opener. It's very direct and makes the reader curious about what a half - blood is. It also gives a bit of Percy's attitude, as if he's reluctant to be whatever this half - blood thing is, which makes us want to find out more.

One of the best is from 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker: '3 May. Bistritz. - Left Munich at 8.35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6.46, but the train was an hour late.' It immediately sets a sense of travel and the start of an adventure into the unknown, which is a great build - up for the horror to come.

Some of the well - known first lines include 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' from 'A Tale of Two Cities'.

In 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald, 'In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since.' This line makes the reader curious about what the advice was and starts to introduce the narrator in a way that makes you want to know more about his experiences and how this advice has influenced him.