Best Opening Sentences

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

Here's something you can think about for fun.

I think that a story should hook you straight from the first sentence to the last. Sure, there are exceptions that take their time, but it takes an extra bit of cleverness to draw you in right from the beginning. So here's a thought: what are some of the best opening sentences to novels and stories that you've read or heard of? What are some truly memorable lines that hook you right from the start, the ones that immediately make you want to find out what happens next?

Now, as I've indicated, both long and short form of fiction apply - it can be a novel or a short story. In some cases, if it's really necessary, it can even be a paragraph. I don't want to be too stingy with criteria, so I'll just say that it either has to draw you into the story right from the get-go (why is this happening? what happens next? what led us to this point?) or it can simply be a cleverly worded turn of phrase that sticks in your mind afterwards.

If you want to be even more creative, what are some opening sentences that you can think up yourself? Can you tell the beginning of a captivating story in a single sentence? Can you hook me/a reader almost immediately?

Hey, I know - let's make it a real challenge. Let's list the opening sentences BUT not identify where they come from, if only to intensify the allure of these sentences. You're allowed to guess, of course, and the one who provided the line eventually has to say where it comes from. I'm not entirely set on how many guesses you can have, but we can work that out eventually.

I'll start to set an example:

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."