What Makes A Novel’s Opening Line Unforgettable? | Writer’s Relief

Our favorite stories often involve love at first sentence. But what is it about the opening line of a novel that draws us in? In this article Writer’s Relief found at lithub.com, favorite opening lines are those that give readers a balanced dose of clarity and curiosity. From “Mother died today” in The Stranger by Albert Camus to Nell Zink’s opening line in The Wallcreeper, “I was looking at the map when Stephen swerved, hit the rock, and occasioned the miscarriage,” a great first line provides the hook that pulls the reader in.

Read about more great opening lines—and why they work—here.