What are your favourite first sentences from books? Is there a book that you liked specially because of its first sentence? Or a book, perhaps that you didn’t like but still remember simply because of the first line?
The book I’m currently reading, Tan Lines by J.J. Salem, has a very memorable first line. St. Martin’s Press made up a little video where several people in a public park read the line on camera. It’s such a sensational first line, I can post it here without even looking:
There are eight thousand nerve endings in the clitoris, and this son of a bitch couldn’t find any of them.
I should have the review posted later today.
Most of the time I don’t really remember any lines from a book. I’m more of a “concept” reader than a “word” reader, so a particular line has to really be great or memorable to stick. Since blogging reviews, while I’m reading a book I keep an eye out for a quote to post with the review, but I don’t remember all of those, even.
Janet Evanovich’s books have a lot of sticking lines. The first two line of the first Stephanie Plum novel made me an instant Plum fan: There are some men who enter a woman’s life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me — not forever, but periodically.
Other lines that stick out are:
“Writers use lies to tell the truth” from V for Vendetta
“There is a way to be good again.” from The Kite Runner
Yeah, see… Like I said, I’m a concept reader, not so much with the words.
Filed under: Booking Through Thursday | Tagged: Booking Through Thursday, Books, first line, Janet Evanovich, Joseph Morelli, One For the Money, reading, Stephanie Plum, Tan Lines, The Kite Runner, V for Vendetta |
In the Shadow of Mt. TBR 
I like the idea of concept reader!
😀
Wow! That’s quite a line!
I’m not a good first line memorizer either; perhaps I’m also a concept reader.
I love that opening line from Tan Lines . It makes me want to find that book and read it ASAP…I don’t suppose you’d be willing to share your ARC?
LOVE the opening of Tan Lines!
I hadn’t thought of it in terms of being a word reader or a concept reader. I’m more of a concept reader myself when it gets right down to it.
I love that first line from Tan Lines! It’s always the unusual shocking ones that stand out the most for me too. Although I still tend not to remember those off the top of my head.
That’s certainly an opener to remember! Hope the rest of the book is as memorable.
I have trouble remembering lines from books, too. That’s why I’ve always kept reading journals so I can go back later and remember what I liked about the book.
LOL! That is a good line.
that’s definitely very attention-getting! 🙂
That opening line is great! This book is In Transit from the library, so I’m looking forward to your review and reading it myself…especially after hearing how it starts! 🙂
It’s no surprise they used that line all over their marketing campaign since it’s such a good one! I think I am also usually a “concept” reader like you. I do enjoy fantastic prose, and sometimes I even think “wow, what a gorgeous line” while reading. It just doesn’t stick in my head more than a few seconds after I’ve read it!
Wow, that opening line of Tan Lines is really outstanding!!
Wow, I really like that one! I have a bunch of Janet Evanovich mysteries I’ve been meaning to get to, I should move them up the queue!
I’m having trouble leaving a comment on the BTT site, my comments don’t appear. My BTT post is here:
http://smariek.blogspot.com/2008/07/booking-through-thursday.html
Wow! That line ought to get the attention of any reader. 😀