Hello everyone! For this blog post I decided to only read the very first chapter of some random books in my house and rate the entire book based off of that. The first chapter in many books can vary quite dramatically, with some being quite slow and others slamming you into the storyline. I do think that the first chapter plays an important role in a book, as it can determine whether a reader will keep on reading or not. So, this is why I wanted to rate books purely off of the first couple of pages and see what I would think about them.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling:
Chapter one of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is called The Boy Who Lived. I think that this chapter does a really great job of setting the tone for the rest of the story, as it introduces many characters and kicks off the plot all in the first chapter. Readers are introduced to the Dursleys and get a sense of their personalities, the concept of wizards is subtly introduced but is not fully known yet, and characters such as Dumbledore and McGonagall are also made known. I think that this chapter would make readers intrigued and wanting to read more to find out the mysteries that arise, such as who Harry is and why he’s so important, how his life is going to turn out, and how some of the people have certain powers. Overall, I would rate this chapter a solid 8 out of 10.
Winter by Marissa Meyer:
The first chapter of this book opens up with a court trial in the throne room. A man is executed, and Winter, the main character is on the throne watching from the side. I really liked the style of writing, as it was very detailed and expressive. The author plays with your mind a bit as you can’t tell if some things are actually happening in the book or if it’s just in the character’s imagination. One can also see a glimpse of the setting and society, and how it seems extremely dictator-like. I will note that this is the fourth book in a series, and I hadn’t read the previous three books in a while so I didn’t know some of the terms and language that they used in this chapter but I believe that this was portrayed in the other books. Since a lot is left in the dark after just reading the first chapter, it intrigued me and made me want to read more. I would give this chapter a rating of 9/10.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner:
The first chapter of The Maze Runner has whopping total of four pages. Although it is short, readers are placed right into the environment without much knowledge about what is going on. The chapter ends on a note of mystery as well, which I liked. From this chapter we find out that Thomas is the main character who wakes up inside a moving elevator, not remembering anything about himself. The chapter ends with unfamiliar and unknown teenage boys greeting him and pulling him out. To compare the different first chapters, I will say that I like Marissa Meyer's writing style much better, as you can really visualize the events that are taking place because of the rich detail. While Dashner's writing in this chapter is good, I do think that there could be more detail to make the events seem more suspenseful. I rate this first chapter a 6 out of 10.
Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz
This is a book that I randomly found in my house, and I had never read it so I decided to give it a try. The first chapter was composed of six pages. Readers are thrust right into the plot, where Alex, a fourteen year old boy lands back to earth from a spaceship. One thing I didn't really like is that I think that the author moved too fast into the plot, and you're just kind of in the action without much of an introduction. I also thought that the writing was not that detailed and rather had many simple sentences strung together. Granted, this book seems to be for a slightly younger audience so that could be a reason why the style didn't seem as complex but I wish there was more detail to entice the reader. Overall, I give this first chapter a rating of 4 out of 10.
Warcross by Marie Lu
The first chapter of Warcross starts out pretty high intensity, with Emika going on a bounty hunt for a criminal. The hunt ends unsuccessfully, as she doesn't receive the money even though she did all of the work in catching the criminal. This book thrusts you into the action right away, but I think that the author does it in a better way than in Snakehead because it doesn't seem like too much at once. Much is made known about Emika and the setting of futuristic New York that she is in. The biggest question that arises in this chapter is what Warcross is, and it makes you interested and want to know what it is by reading further. I give this chapter a rating of 8 out of 10.
From reading the first chapters of these five different books, I think I realized even more about the importance of the first chapter in a book. I didn't recognize how many details the authors give in just the first chapter, and I noticed that the first chapter is where multiple characters, the setting, and the plot all begin to form. I really enjoyed doing this post that's a little different than usual, and I hope that you all enjoyed it too! Thanks for reading!
-Maddie
Nice review of the books! I agree with you in that the first chapter is often one of the most important parts of the book. A good first chapter can naturally put you into the action without overwhelming you. One thing I note about 1st chapters is that authors tend to put a lot of focus into them, so the quality might drop after the first few scenes.
ReplyDeleteThis is quite a neat way to review a book. First chapters, like essay introductions, need to provide enough information for understanding as well as pulling readers in. Nice analysis of every chapter.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very interesting and unique post. I agree that the first chapters of books are very important because they set the tone and engage (or don't engage) the reader, which determines whether they will finish reading the book and/or recommend it to others. I like your summaries of the chapters, and your explanations for the chapter ratings were very concise but informative. Great job!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. This is a strategy that I am quite familiar with, as I often end up only reading the first chapters of library books. I havent read any other books in this post besides harry potter, and I don't quite agree with your rating of the first chapter. It doesn't really interest me much in the first chapter, and usually the only reason I keep reading is because I know that it gets much better. However, I might only be saying this because the first time I tried to read Harry Potter I was too young and couldn't make it past the first chapter.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool idea! I always find myself getting too far into a book and then feeling like I have to finish it, even if I don't particularly want to. Stopping after the first chapter to assess what you've learned and where you think the book could be going seems like a great strategy, although honestly I don't think I have the self-control. Great post!
ReplyDeleteReally original idea for a blog post! I agree, first chapters are really important in books. If it doesn't hook you into the story, many people will put their book down right there. You have to be able to give a taste of what's to come without giving away too much so you have to keep reading. You don't want to make it so slow that it bores the reader, but also not so fast that it feels confusing and rushed.
ReplyDelete