Guess the Book from the Opening Line

Classic literature is filled with some of the most iconic openers, best beginnings and legendary kick-offs that are, on occasion, more famous than the books themselves. They’re the literary first impressions that greet us from the get-go, so it’s essential for opening lines to make an impact and get the reader invested for the pages that follow.

We all know just how difficult it is to get an opening line right. From e-mails and essays to dating profiles, drafting and redrafting the first sentence is about as frustrating as it gets. Writing a good opening is a fine art when it comes to fighting for the reader’s attention – requiring a delicate balance of character, suspense, and intrigue that even the most storied authors can struggle with.

From George Orwell and Charles Dickens to the Brothers Grimm’s unbeatable “once upon a time”, crack open the spine of any famous novel, and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to guess which book it is from the first lines you read. That’s why we’ve put together this quiz to let participants test their literary knowledge and see if they can recognise some of the greatest opening lines across a range of books, time periods and authors.

And who better to quiz about their literary prowess than university students? No doubt, their rooms are likely strewn with iconic novels, artfully arranged on bookshelves and bedside tables for maximum uni prestige among their friends. But how well-read are they? Our quiz is here to find out.

And while we’re not saying these are the greatest opening lines of all time, they’re definitely some of the most famous, and cover a broad swathe of iconic oldies and modern openers, so they’re sure to test your reading recall.

So, whether you’re a budding bookworm or a bit of a boffin when it comes to literature, see how well you know your novels and their all-important first few opening lines with our opening lines book quiz.

So, how did you get on? Have you proven yourself a bona fide bookworm? Or is it time to hit the books? We’d love to hear how you did, so get in touch on the Nido Student Facebook page.

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