Which was Your Favourite Prologue in a Book?

Mason_Kowalski

Share your favorite prologues to books and tell us why you loved them.

I recently read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and the prologue was incredibly powerful. It set the tone for the entire book and gave me a glimpse into the character's emotions and struggles. I love how it captured the essence of the story and the characters in just a few sentences. It was a great way to introduce the story and set the stage for what was to come.

Sakarias396

My favorite prologue to a book has got to be the one from Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill A Mockingbird. The prologue sets the mood and introduces the reader to the exploration of moral ambiguity and prejudice.

The prologue reads:

“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt.”

This passage gives the reader an immediate insight into the Autobiographical narrator, Scout, and "the Maycomb point of view" which is explored in detail throughout the novel. It also immediately introduces the idea of bravery and courage, as well as resilience; a theme which continues to be explored throughout the novel. It is evident that Jem’s resilience will be a learning experience and will teach Scout a valuable lesson.

In conclusion, the Prologue from To Kill A Mockingbird is my favorite because of the way it immediately introduces the reader to the main themes and ideas that will be explored. It can be read again and again to gain more insight into the topics that Harper Lee was looking to explore.

Kvitan764

My favorite prologue to a book was in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. When I read it for the first time, it wrapped me up in a sense of intrigue and magic.

The book begins in a dramatic fashion, with a description of a muggle who, when exasperated attempts to dispose of an old gift given to him by his dead brother, an invisibility cloak. The muggle encounters three wizards who have come to take a baby who, unbeknownst to the muggle, is the titular character, Harry Potter.

The three wizards then travel to a large, decrepit house where a mysterious being known as Dumbledore is waiting. He speaks in a matter-of-fact fashion, revealing the prophecy of Harry Potter's destiny: he is destined to take on the sinister Voldemort and save the wizarding world. This line of dialogue serves to draw the reader in, ensuring that we quickly become engaged with the story.

The prologue ends with a powerful question by Dumbledore, that lingers in the readers minds even after the prologue is complete: “Is it a coincidence that you [the reader] came to this page?”

Simply put, the prologue of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was masterfully crafted to draw the reader in and capture our imagination. Through its subtle hints, the prologue acts as an effective introduction to the world of Harry Potter that many have grown to love.