Five of my Favorite First Sentences

Hey readers! It’s Kamama with an article that made me really happy to write. Or at least, looking through all of my favorite books for their first sentences made me happy, for whatever reason. I have come up with a list of five of my favorite first sentences. They are in no particular order, I didn’t rank them or anything, but I love them all. Let’s begin!

MISTBORN: THE FINAL EMPIRE, BRANDON SANDERSON:

Ash fell from the sky.

I think the reason I love this first sentence so much is because the prologue begins with the same sentence, and I was the first one among my friends to notice. Mistborn is one of my all-time favorite book series so whenever I see this sentence, it fills me with joy. Even if the sentence is a bit ominous.

ELLA ENCHANTED, GAIL CARSON LEVINE

That fool of a fairy Lucinda did not intend to lay a curse on me.

I love this sentence so much because of nostalgia, I think. For a really long time. Ella Enchanted was my favorite book and although I’ve grown out of it, I still occasionally go back and read it. The sentence kind of sucks you in and you’re left wondering all of these questions. Who’s Lucinda? How did she lay a curse on the main character? How did she NOT mean to lay a curse on the main character?

WINNIE THE HORSE GENTLER: WILD THING, DANDI DALEY MACKALL

My mom used to say, “Winnie Willis, in the beginning God created heaven and earth and horses.”

Another nostalgic sentence! Before Ella Enchanted was my favorite book, it was Winnie the Horse Gentler. Well, it was the Winnie the Horse Gentler series. I own all eight books and have read them all the way through many times over the years. Again, I have kind of grown out of it, but it still holds a place in my heart. Also, I just love the quote.

THE HOBBIT, J.R.R TOLKIEN

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit

Oh, this one is so classic! I love The Hobbit, and this first sentence is so popular, I just had to put it in. I love the story of how Tolkien came to write The Hobbit, and this first sentence. The sentence that started it all.

THE BOOK OF NAMES, D. BARKLEY BRIGGS

The day was gray and cold, mildly damp. Perfect for magic

So, I do realize that these are two sentences. It is a little bit cheater-ish but this is my article so deal with it. In all seriousness, as I was looking up the first sentences of my favorite books and remembered this one and how much I loved it. I looked it up to make sure I quoted it right, but then realized that it was two sentences instead of one. Which was disappointing, because these two sentences were the reason, I decided to pick up the book in the first place! I decided to add this to the list anyway, because it really is one of my favorite first (two) sentences. I love how mysterious it is!

Okay folks, that’s all I got for you! Maybe I should write an article about my favorite last sentences, although that might be a bit spoiler-y. I’ll consider it. Hope you enjoyed and were intrigued enough to pick up a few of these books!

Until next time!

~Kamama Deere