What are some of the best opening lines in 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.

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 '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.

The opening line 'All children, except one, grow up.' from J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan' is great. It's simple yet so effective. It makes the reader wonder who this one child is that doesn't grow up and draws them into the story of Peter Pan right from the start.

In 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens, the opening line 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...' is very famous. It creates a sense of contrast and mystery, making the reader wonder what the two different situations are and how they are related, which draws them into the complex world of the French Revolution that Dickens is about to unfold.

One of the best opening 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, making the reader wonder about the two different states of the times.

In 'Pride and Prejudice', Jane Austen starts with 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.' It's a great opening as it gives a quick insight into the society and the themes of marriage and wealth that will be explored in the novel. It's also a bit tongue - in - cheek, which is characteristic of Austen's writing.