Week #46 – The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler

Last year on Mondays we had fun with books. This year, we'll look at most of the same books but also some new ones, and see if the first line [or first paragraph] met the goal of a first line which is ==> to hook the reader's attention.

Here are some tips on writing a first line

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/tips-for-writing-the-opening-line-of-your-novel

Week #46 –   The Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Accidental_Tourist

First published:  August 12, 1985

Here's what the story is about: Travel writer Macon Leary hates travel. He loses his son and his marriage, and becomes increasingly solitary. Then he meets Muriel, an eccentric dog trainer, who upends his life.

First line/paragraph:

They were supposed to stay at the beach a week, but neither of them had the heart for it and they decided to come back early. Macon drove. Sarah sat next to him, leaning her head against the side window. Chips of cloudy sky showed through her tangled brown curls.

This story starts in the third person POV of Macon, who we assume is the protagonist. He and Sarah, possibly his wife, are returning early from a beach trip because “neither of them had the heart for it.” We are in the middle of the plot, and we are already introduced to some intrigue because we are curious why neither had the heart to continue with a beach trip. I would definitely give this story at least a chapter to see if it hooked me.

Does this first line/paragraph hook your attention? If you had never heard of this story, would you buy this book in 2024? Knowing the story, would you change the first line? Tell us in the comments!