Books With the Best First Chapter

The first chapter is important because it opens the whole story. It creates an impression and often decides if a reader is going to dive into the world created by the author or move forward. Due to these facts, it is completely natural for a list of books that have amazing first chapters to emerge.
It is important to note that this list differs from the list of books with the best first paragraphs.

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All Votes Add Books To This List

1	The Craziest Book Ever Written by Mr. W 3.53 avg rating — 153 ratings score: 499, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream by Hunter S. Thompson 4.06 avg rating — 372,760 ratings score: 396, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Animal Farm by George Orwell 4.01 avg rating — 4,405,891 ratings score: 375, and 4 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier 4.25 avg rating — 704,728 ratings score: 300, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier 4.01 avg rating — 66,877 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath 4.05 avg rating — 1,172,725 ratings score: 280, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	American Gods by Neil Gaiman (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 982,273 ratings score: 199, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 632,649 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton 3.93 avg rating — 78,839 ratings score: 194, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy 4.44 avg rating — 1,379,581 ratings score: 191, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Goodreads Author) 4.39 avg rating — 2,821,005 ratings score: 190, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	How the Light Gets In (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, #9) by Louise Penny (Goodreads Author) 4.48 avg rating — 95,645 ratings score: 188, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Stranger by Albert Camus 4.03 avg rating — 1,337,079 ratings score: 187, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë 4.16 avg rating — 2,275,948 ratings score: 185, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 3.99 avg rating — 426,612 ratings score: 184, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 154,305 ratings score: 182, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	1984 by George Orwell 4.20 avg rating — 5,287,282 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	The Rosie Project (Don Tillman, #1) by Graeme Simsion (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 587,497 ratings score: 180, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Room by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author) 4.08 avg rating — 828,118 ratings score: 176, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni, #1) by Helene Wecker (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 130,004 ratings score: 173, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (Goodreads Author) 4.31 avg rating — 1,922,635 ratings score: 170, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin 4.34 avg rating — 233,598 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Untold Stories of the Little Prince by Nikola Misovic 3.60 avg rating — 235 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (Goodreads Author) 3.73 avg rating — 940,691 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 4.47 avg rating — 732,215 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	Naked Lunch: The Restored Text by William S. Burroughs 3.46 avg rating — 97,344 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh 3.61 avg rating — 536,185 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books, #1) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón 4.31 avg rating — 703,275 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1) by Douglas Adams 4.22 avg rating — 1,981,656 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1) by Stephenie Meyer 3.67 avg rating — 7,170,053 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Guest by Emma Cline 3.28 avg rating — 109,762 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett 4.25 avg rating — 814,072 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith 3.99 avg rating — 113,761 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Jaws (Jaws, #1) by Peter Benchley 3.95 avg rating — 176,300 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman (Goodreads Author) 4.04 avg rating — 475,000 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Death of a Nurse (Hamish Macbeth, #31) by M.C. Beaton 3.80 avg rating — 6,000 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Bridie and Finn by Harry Cauley 4.08 avg rating — 189 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 43,678 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars