Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Everyone loves a great first line in a book. You know, that first line that immediately grabs your attention and won't let go! For this game, we are going to use the book(s) that we are currently reading, post the first line here and give it a rating, like the Goodreads star rating 1-5 stars (and half stars are fine!)

Let's number our entries so it's easier to comment on other people's ratings. (Ex. "#12 - That line was amazing, I'd give it 5 stars!"). You get the idea. Feel free to post multiple first lines if you are reading more than one book at the moment annnnnnnnnnnnnd GO!

#1 - If I had known what the next six years of my like were going to be like, I would have eaten more. (Prisoner B-3087) 4/5 stars

Heartbreaking!

#2 - Lovelace had been in a body for 28 minutes and it still felt every bit as wrong as it had the second she woke up inside it. (A Closed and Common Orbit) 3/5

Interesting, but not the most attention grabbing for me

#3 - His mother's hand felt cold, clutching his. (Slan) 2/5

It doesn't say much, could be the start of just about any book.

#4 - "It was love at first sight." (Catch-22). 5/5 for me. A fantastic first line.

I actually like #3. I immediately asked myself what was going on here. And knowing the basic plot of Catch-22 (#4) I think I would have been very confused reading that line. Did I accidentally pick up a romance? lol

#5 - Ike Sallas was asleep when it began, in a red aluminum Galaxxy not all that far away and only a short skip into the future. (Sailor Song by Ken Kesey) 4/5

What began? And was Ike asleep in the Galaxxy or did whatever began begin in the red aluminum Galaxxy??

And now I want to read Sailor Song just because of #5! This wasn't meant to increase my tbr but here we go! lol

Great idea Amy, I love this game!

#1: 4/5, gripping, you want to know what happens! (although the book title gives a fairly good idea).
#2: 3/5, also make me want to know more
#3: 2/5, too generic
#4: 1/5, I hate instaloves haha
#5: 4/5, like Kathy said ;)

My #6: In the Beginning, it was darkness, and more fear, and a howling wind across the sea. (The Bone People)
3/5, a bit too generic

In regards to #5, Sailor Song, it's a genre-bending book. Lots of great characters, good writing, strange things happening.

I'd rate the first lines for #1-#4 pretty much as everyone else has.
#6 I kind of like it. Especially the words "and more fear" - that sets it apart. 4/5

Well... I'm not reading these ones right now, but these are the opening lines to two of my favourite books:

#7 Locke Lamora's rule of thumb was this: a good confidence game took three months to plan, three weeks to rehearse, and three seconds to win or lose the victim's trust forever (The Lies of Locke Lamora) 4/5

#8 The body lay naked and facedown, a deathly gray, spatters of blood staining the snow around it. (Ancillary Justice) 5/5

(Regarding #8) The subclause, 'deathly gray' tarnishes it a bit. That's sort of redundant considering all the information given in the first and last halves of the sentence. 3/5.

(Regarding #7) I remember reading that line and realizing I apparently had no idea what the book was about! All I could think of was the movie Ocean's 11. lol 4/5

#9 The girls were never present for the entrance interviews. (Every Heart a Doorway) so blah 3/5

#10 Blue Sargent had forgotten how many times she had been told she would kill her true love. (The Raven Boys) Screams teenage angsty romance. 3/5

Jody wrote: "#4 - "It was love at first sight." (Catch-22). 5/5 for me. A fantastic first line."

I'm reading it now. I loved it too. I just started reading it though

LOL Sophie, it's absolutely nothing to do with instalove!

#11 All this happened, more or less.(Slaughterhouse-Five) 1/5. Not really an attention grabber for me.

I actually really like the line from Slaughterhouse Five. I've never read the book, but it says a lot about the narrator to me, specifically that everything that follows may not entirely be the truth. 4/5 for me.

I agree that while it wasn't attention grabbing per say, the Slaughterhouse Five line definitely set the tone down the rest of the book. When I was looking for an unreliable narrator, that line screamed "pick me!" lol

Regarding #10, it definitely appeals to young adults. When I was a young adult librarian, I remember reading this first line to kids during one of my booktalks. I knew they'd grab that book to read. 4/5

Regarding #7, 4/5, I'd like to read read the book based on that first line.

I love the first line of SH5 too (but I also love the book).

Jody wrote: "LOL Sophie, it's absolutely nothing to do with instalove!"

Considering the book, I figured haha

#11. Fairy tales , like shoes, come in all shapes and sizes. (Nora Roberts Land) 4/5

That line makes me think of hot tea, comfy blankets and a good way to spend a rainy day!

Sarah wrote: "#11. Fairy tales , like shoes, come in all shapes and sizes. (Nora Roberts Land) 4/5

That line makes me think of hot tea, comfy blankets and a good way to spend a rainy day!"


Oh that does sound like a warm cozy read :-)

#11 definitely feels cosy and comforting ;)

#12 We must, by law, keep a record of the innocents we kill. (Scythe) 3/5

Got my attention for being different and set a humorous, snarky tone for the book but still didn't GRAB me and scream READ ME!

#13 Many years ago there lived a man called Laurids Madsen, who went up to Heaven and came down again, thanks to his boots. We, the Drowned) 4/5

- Piqued my interest for sure!

#14 I was born twice: first, as a baby girl, on a remarkably smogless Detroit day in January of 1960; and then again, as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan, in August of 1974. Middlesex 4/5

Wait, what? lol Definitely got my attention. I had no idea what this book was about so it caught me a bit off guard; which is a great thing. :-)

I agree, Middlesex has a fantastic first line. The book is excellent!

Ohhh #14, intrigues me - makes me want to read more.

#15 - I'm not a shitty person, but I'm about to do a shitty thing. (Holding Up the Universe ) 4/5 for me. Gets me hooked as to what this shitty thing will be.

Bec wrote: "Ohhh #14, intrigues me - makes me want to read more.

#15 - I'm not a shitty person, but I'm about to do a shitty thing. (Holding Up the Universe ) 4/5 for me. Gets me hooked as to ..."

Well, I really want to know what the shitty thing is! Great first line!