Top Ten Tuesday: Opening Lines

opening lines top ten tuesday

Hi everyone! I hope you’re all well. Do you ever open up a book, read the first page and immediately know you’re going to love it? That happens to me from time to time. Those initial sentences can definitely make an impact, right? This week’s Top Ten Tuesday (the weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is all about opening lines. Here are some of my favourites! (Warning: slightly NSFW)

Silent in the Grave – Deanna Raybourn

To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.

A Darker Shade of Magic – V.E. Schwab

Kell wore a very peculiar coat. It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several, which was, of course, impossible.

Strange the Dreamer – Laini Taylor

On the second Sabbat of Twelfthmoon, in the city of Weep, a girl fell from the sky.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – J.K. Rowling

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

opening lines top ten tuesday

The Merciful Crow – Margaret Owen

Pa was taking too long to cut the boys’ throats.

The Fifth Season – N.K. Jemisin

Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things.

A Crown for Cold Silver – Alex Marshall

It was all going so nicely, right up until the massacre.

Nevernight – Jay Kristoff

People often shit themselves when they die.

A Treacherous Curse – Deanna Raybourn

“I assure you, I am perfectly capable of identifying a phallus when I see one,” Stoker informed me, clipping the words sharply. “And that is no such thing.”

What are some of your favourite opening lines in books? Let me know in the comments below! Happy reading!

25 Comments

  1. Leah

    I cannot believe I forgot the opening line from Strange the Dreamer! That was brilliant.

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      It’s one of those opening lines where you just know you’re going to love the book 😀

      Reply
  2. Poinsettia

    Harry Potter and The Hobbit are on a lot of lists this week. They are great! Here is our Top Ten Tuesday.

    Reply
  3. Greg

    I love the one for the Hobbit. 🙂

    Reply
  4. Lauren @ Always Me

    Kell and his coat – a couple of my favorite things. 🙂

    Reply
  5. anovelglimpse

    That Nevernight one is priceless!

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      It definitely sets the tone for the rest of the book! 😀

      Reply
  6. Aj @ Read All The Things!

    A Darker Shade Of Magic has the best opening line. I want that coat!

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      It would be such a practical coat!

      Reply
  7. Elise @abookandacup

    ok I want to read Silent in the Grave now haha!

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      I actually laughed out loud when reading it, and then felt bad because it talked about someone dying :’)

      Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      Thank you!

      Reply
  8. memorymeetsimagination

    I’m so intrigued by Strange the Dreamer, but still haven’t read any Laini Taylor books! This needs to change 🙂

    Here’s my TTT: https://memorymeetsimagination.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/top-ten-tuesday-best-opening-lines/

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      Strange the Dreamer is such a wonderful book! I constantly felt like hugging it 😀 But so far, it’s the only Laini Taylor book I’ve read…

      Reply
  9. Erin

    These are great! I definitely need to know the context of A Treacherous Curse’s opening now haha

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      Haha, they’re going through a crate of archeological objects 😀

      Reply
  10. Alicia @ A Kernel of Nonsense

    The Fifth Season has such a great opening. Makes me want to do a reread.

    Reply
  11. Dedra @ A Book Wanderer

    Your second half should have been called ‘Shocking Opening Lines!’ Ha! So great.

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      Haha, I wonder what it says about me that I picked those lol

      Reply
  12. Gabby

    I put down the opening line for The Hobbit as well!

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      It’s such an iconic and fun quote!

      Reply
  13. iloveheartlandx

    I had the Harry Potter and A Darker Shade of Magic ones on my list this week too, two of my favourites 🙂
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/top-ten-tuesday-265/

    Reply
  14. lydiaschoch

    That Harry Potter quote is popping up everywhere today! So fun. 🙂

    My TTT .

    Reply
    1. An Dierickx (Post author)

      That doesn’t surprise me, it’s such an iconic quote 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.