Top 5 Tuesday: Top 5 opening/first lines

Hello friends and fellow book lovers! It’s another wonderful Tuesday meaning it’s time for Top 5 Tuesday. This month has kept me on my toes as these topics aren’t ones I usually think about. Despite it being a little challenging, I’m ready to get into some of my favorite opening lines!

If you’re interested in participating in Top 5 Tuesday, all you have do is write up your post and pingback to one of Shanah’s posts. Make sure you pingback to her posts and not just her blog so she can add you to the list.

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5. “Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways.”

This is the opening line from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It’s by no means an incredibly iconic one, but easily my favorite. It speaks true to Harry as a character while also displaying some mystery. We know Harry’s unusual but how unusual will he be during this installment?

It’s a great line to start off the 3rd book which is a lot of people’s favorites.

4. “In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines, lived 12 little girls, in two straight lines.”

That is the first line from Madeline. When I was younger, I loved Madeline and the first line of the story is so iconic. It’s one people always recognize if they’ve seen the movies or read the books.

This line brings back some fond memories and it’s one I always remember.

3. “Dear Friend, I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn’t try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don’t try to figure out who she is because then you might figure out who I am, and I really don’t want you to do that.”

This is obviously an iconic opening “line” or passage. I read The Perks of Being A Wallflower in high school and fell in love with it. I bought a copy in college, but have since lost it. Really sucks 😦

Either way, these opening lines captured my attention. You start to wonder about who is writing the letter, what happened and why you don’t want to know who they are. This is such a cliche answer, but these lines are some of my faves.

2. “It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.”

One of my favorites books I read in college was The Bell Jar. This first line is so iconic especially when you learn more about the main character. It’s also an incredibly sad line because there’s some foreshadowing in there.

This book is just so good and I can’t wait to reread it!

1. “The Baby-sitters Club. I’m proud to say it was totally my idea, even though the four of us worked it out together.”

Of course, an opening lines post wouldn’t be complete without this one. I feel like I always talk about the BSC books, but they’re so special to me. That opening line helped a whole generation become readers, babysitters and hopefully, bosses. It also wastes no time in setting up the series.

It’s just a perfect first line so it had to be my #1 ❤

What are some of your favorite opening lines? 🙂