Can you give more great opening lines from novels?

The opening of 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger, 'If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.' This line gives us a very clear sense of the narrator's voice - a bit cynical and reluctant to conform to the usual storytelling norms, which is very characteristic of the whole novel.

Sure. 'Call me Ishmael.' from 'Moby - Dick' by Herman Melville. It's a simple yet powerful line that invites the reader to get to know the narrator. It's like Ishmael is personally asking you to listen to his story.

Sure. 'All children, except one, grow up.' from J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan'. This line makes you wonder about that one child who doesn't grow up and draws you into the magical world of Neverland.

Another good one is 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' from Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. This line not only gives an insight into the society of the time where marriage was a big deal for financial and social reasons but also makes the reader interested in seeing how this idea will play out in the story.

Sure. The opening of '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. "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."' This line gives us an insight into the narrator's character and sets up the themes of class and judgment.

Sure. 'The moment he stepped into the forest, he felt as if he had entered another realm.' This line gives a feeling of adventure and the unknown. It makes the reader eager to find out what this other realm is like and what will happen to the character in it.

Sure. In 'The Lightning Thief' by Rick Riordan, the line 'Look, I didn't want to be a half - blood.' It quickly makes the reader wonder what a half - blood is and why the narrator doesn't want to be one. It sets up a sense of conflict right away.

An example could be 'The old mansion loomed at the end of the overgrown driveway, its broken windows like empty eyes staring into the night.' This opening gives a vivid image of a spooky location. The comparison of the broken windows to empty eyes gives the mansion a menacing and haunted feel. It invites the reader to explore further, to find out what secrets the mansion holds.

One great opening line 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 stage for the story which often revolves around marriage and social status in the 19th - century English society.

Another one could be 'The letter arrived on a Tuesday, a simple envelope that held the power to change everything.' The mention of a simple letter having the power to change everything is very alluring. It makes the reader want to know what's in the letter, who it's for, and how it will cause such a big change.