I have come to the conclusion that the most superb story-starter is unequivocally Patrick Ness. I have read six books of his now and each one begins by plunging the reader straight into the heart of the action. His books always also open with a brief stab of pain, which, I think, is a fair warning of what is to come. Because no-one breaks hearts like Ness breaks hearts! 
 This story opens at the close of another - the ending of a life that begun elsewhere, performed the tumultuous opening scene. Seth drowns. Seth dies. And Seth is awakened. Awakened in a world 
 similar but not quite like our own. And it is here that Seth learns what it means to truly be alive. 
 This book follows a theme I have found permeating through all of his writing: the theme of survival. Not survival of the fittest, but survival of those who thought they had nothing left in them to survive for. But they survived anyway. And just like every other Ness book I have read, my heart was continually shattered whilst reading this. And I would still read it again in a heartbeat. Every bit of pain caused is written with a purity and brilliance of writing that offsets and yet highlights it so wonderfully that I am constantly in awe of this powerhouse writer.