Fave First & Last Lines

As we head into prime summer reading time, I thought it’d be fun to look at opening and closing lines. Maybe there’ll be one or two that catch your eye for your TBR list. It’s also a good way to see what works and what doesn’t in our own writing.

The lines below are all from recent books. Let me know which ones you like best in the comments trail.

My faves are #10 and #11 for openings and #5 and #8 for closings. Here’s what I learned: go for the intrigue factor in your opening, and aim for resolution and lyricism, poetry and peace at the end.

I’ll share which books these are from later in the week, though I bet you can guess some!

Openings

1. Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
2. The pipe under the sink was leaking again.
3. By the sea, Rictus had been born, and now it was by the sea that he would die.
4. When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold.
5. Cazaril heard the mounted horsemen on the road before he saw them.
6. Even in high summer, Tintagel was a haunted place; Igraine, Lady of Duke Gorlois, looked out over the sea from the headland.
7. Ash fell from the sky.
8. I never used to keep close track of the phases of the moon.
9. Lessa woke, cold.
10. There’s a certain sound the human head makes when it hits the trunk of a tree.
11. I’d never given much thought to how I would die—though I’d had reason enough in the last few months—but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.
12. All of us have our little problems and insecurities.
13. It was night again.

Endings

1. His ladies would be waiting.
2. Mother of us all, he was glad that now, of all times conceivable, he, F’lar, rider of bronze Mnementh, was a dragonman of Pern.
3. I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.
4. What had changed was me.
5. Vin closed her eyes, simply feeling the warmth of being held. And realized that was all she had  ever really wanted.
6. I settled back to ask Susan over, and enjoyed the warmth of the fire.
7. “They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…”
8. He felt grounded and at home already under his brother’s gentle human hands.
9. And he leaned down to press his cold lips once more to my throat.
10. Her mule was hobbled on the hill behind, and upon it Jason’s black armour glittered cold in the sun.
11. Have I mentioned how much I love my wife?
12. Her work was done.
13. It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a man who is waiting to die.