Author: Jeannette Walls
Rating: ****
First Sentence:
"I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster."
Hooked or Not Hooked:
Definitely Hooked
My two cents:
Where is the character going? Why is she in a taxi? Why is she worried about being overdressed? What is mom doing? Brilliant opening lines create suspense. Job well done
Class Favorite
Author: Taylor Morris
First Sentence:
"The message of mass destruction arrived three days after I supposedly became a woman."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Somehwat hooked for two reasons:
1. I love witty banter and humor that is done well.
2. This author is a personal friend.
My two cents:
This first sentence let me know I was in a for a funny read right away. I'm in.
First Sentence:
"The message of mass destruction arrived three days after I supposedly became a woman."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Somehwat hooked for two reasons:
1. I love witty banter and humor that is done well.
2. This author is a personal friend.
My two cents:
This first sentence let me know I was in a for a funny read right away. I'm in.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
First Sentence:
"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
This sentence is not particularly clever or engaging although I love the book as a whole. This classic was originally published in 1960 and was the best first novel of that year.
First Sentence:
"When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow."
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Not hooked
My two cents:
This sentence is not particularly clever or engaging although I love the book as a whole. This classic was originally published in 1960 and was the best first novel of that year.
Les Miserables
Author: Victor Hugo
First Sentence:
"An hour before sunset, on the evening of a day in the beginning of October, 1815, a man traveling afoot entered the little town of D______."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Slightly hooked
My two cents:
I'm not sure why Victor Hugo didn't write out the name of the town, but this tiny detail piqued my curiosity. I also like the fact that he didn't give an exact date. Something about this combination appealed to my inquisitive nature and made me want to read on. I was not disappointed.
First Sentence:
"An hour before sunset, on the evening of a day in the beginning of October, 1815, a man traveling afoot entered the little town of D______."
Rating: ***
Hooked or Not:
Slightly hooked
My two cents:
I'm not sure why Victor Hugo didn't write out the name of the town, but this tiny detail piqued my curiosity. I also like the fact that he didn't give an exact date. Something about this combination appealed to my inquisitive nature and made me want to read on. I was not disappointed.
Atlas Shrugged
Author: Ayn Rand
First Sentence:
"Who is John Galt?"
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Hooked despite the disappointing opener
My two cents:
It is painful to write this because of my admiration for the author, but the opening line of this novel was a dud. It didn't do the legendary Ayn Rand justice. Atlas Shrugged has been a bestseller for 4 decades, is listed as the second most influential book of all time, is still on the Amazon bestseller list and is considered required reading by many of the country's most successful corporate executives. Alan Greenspan the former chief of the Federal Reserve calls it one of his favorite books, and John P. Mackey CEO of Whole Foods says it was crucial to his success. At 1200 pages, it is no joke. I'm only on page 150 but I can confidently say, I'm in for the long haul.
First Sentence:
"Who is John Galt?"
Rating: *
Hooked or Not:
Hooked despite the disappointing opener
My two cents:
It is painful to write this because of my admiration for the author, but the opening line of this novel was a dud. It didn't do the legendary Ayn Rand justice. Atlas Shrugged has been a bestseller for 4 decades, is listed as the second most influential book of all time, is still on the Amazon bestseller list and is considered required reading by many of the country's most successful corporate executives. Alan Greenspan the former chief of the Federal Reserve calls it one of his favorite books, and John P. Mackey CEO of Whole Foods says it was crucial to his success. At 1200 pages, it is no joke. I'm only on page 150 but I can confidently say, I'm in for the long haul.
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