Top 10 Best Book Beginnings and Endings
I decided to go with both. I have five top beginnings and five top endings. I hope you like them!
MY TOP FIVE BOOK BEGINNINGS
Shop Indie Bookstores1. The Monster At The End Of This Book by Jon Stone
This book begins on the cover. By page one Grover is already freaking out and begging you not to keep turning pages. But, really, what's funnier than an overly dramatic Grover? This continues to be one of my favorite books of all time and it is all about how fantastically it hooks you. (This was a very close contender for Best ending as well - this book just rocks!).
Shop Indie Bookstores2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling
A series so fantastic begins on Privet Drive. It's so boring, so mundane, so bland! I love the juxtaposition of Harry's life with his family compared to that which is his destiny is nothing less than brilliant. It makes the ride even more magical when you know where Harry came from.
Shop Indie Bookstores3. Macbeth by William Shakespeare
This is my favorite Shakespeare work, so whenever I hear or read the opening words, it gives me chills. Witches brewing up some evil magics let the reader (or the audience, in the case of the play) know exactly the type of trouble in store. Who doesn't get excited about what's coming next with an intro like that?
Shop Indie Bookstores4. The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien
Tolkien introduces my dream life - hobbit living - in the first pages of his wonderful novel. I knew nothing about it before I read those pages, but immediately Middle Earth, the Shire and hobbut holes all came to life in my imagination never to be erased again.
Shop Indie Bookstores5. Ocean At The End Of The Lane by Neil Gaiman
I don't know how Gaiman does it, but in his latest novel he simultaneously captures childhood, magic and nostalgia all at once. However, what is even more unbelievable is that he manages to capture and deliver that on the book's first page. He is a master storyteller - when I started that book I just wanted to grab a cup of tea, curl up in a big comfy chair and be swept away.
MY TOP FIVE BOOK ENDINGS (beware of possibly spoiler-y discussion)
Shop Indie Bookstores1. Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I loved the adventure in every page of this book. However, when I reached the end of the book I was struck dumb with the depth of every page that I had just experienced. I went out of my mind trying to find anyone who had read the book just so I could talk to them about it!
Shop Indie Bookstores2. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
Tears. Beautiful. Perfect ending to this wonderful book about how we live, how we love and how we hurt. I sobbed.
Shop Indie Bookstores3. Tale of Sand by Jim Henson, Jerry Juhl and Ramon Perez
This is a graphic novel based on a screenplay written by Jim Henson and his long time writing partner Jerry Juhl. It's an incredibly quick read and when you reach the final page, it'll knock you out!
Shop Indie Bookstores4. Asterios Polyp by David Mazzuchelli
Another graphic novel. Mazzuchelli masterfully brings every aspect of the medium to its fullest purpose when he brings together another otherwise ordinary story of a man. The ending of the book reminds us why it is often the ordinary lives which teach us such extraordinary life lessons.
5. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
On the last page, you will find the following:
"...Atticus, he was real nice..."There is nothing I believe more deeply in my soul than these words. Thank you, Harper Lee, for it all.
His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.
"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."
Which book beginnings and endings have stuck with you the longest?
Don't forget, when you are done here, head over to storydam.com to get ready for this week's Open House Extravaganza!
I love that quote from To Kill a Mockingbird, it was such a wonderful book! :) My TTT list: http://aliceinreaderland.com/2013/07/29/lines/
ReplyDeleteAlice @ Alice in Readerland
I felt the EXACT same way when I finished Life of Pi! It's a shame I don't have more book reading friends because I'm often left with this urge to just have a fangirl meltdown but no one ever understands haha. This list has such a good mix of genres!
ReplyDeleteOh man, Life of Pi is such a good one too! Thanks for stopping by earlier!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about Harry Potter! Great list.
ReplyDeleteA very math-ish principal picked Monster at the End of the Book as her fav and I (quietly) scorned her choice as a lazy one. I really should give that one a read. Will I ever stop being so judgmental?
ReplyDeleteHere's my list of favorite first lines.
Ah, well, it doesn't really count because it isn't fiction. But my favorite beginning is from Carl Sagan's Cosmos which includes, "... there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a great height." It was very inspiring to a young reader.
ReplyDeleteFictional Planet
Oh it DEFINITELY counts! That sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteNow you have me wondering if there is some sort of math-y message in The Monster At The End of This Book!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Privet Drive was the first thing that came to mind when I read the topic for this week!
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. Thanks for coming here, too!
ReplyDeleteNo, I think (or thought originally) she picked it because she hadn't read a lot of children's picture books (which makes sense as she was a math teacher). But now I'm wondering if there's more to the story than I thought!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Elizabeth. I tortured my husband for nearly a decade about reading this book. When the movie came out, I dragged him right away so we could have the long overdue conversation. Do you know what he said, "Now I want to read that book."
ReplyDeleteHOLD ME BACK!
To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my all time favorite books. When I flipped through to get the quote I remembered why :)
ReplyDeleteIt's just really funny and, as a kid (when I first read it), you really feel like the pages are harder to turn because of everything Grover's doing to them. By the end of the book you feel super strong and super brave! Since I was always afraid of everything, I was pretty proud of myself that I made it through the book when Grover was so afraid.
ReplyDeleteI'm off right now to get a copy of this book!
ReplyDeleteThis is hilarious. I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDelete