To me, Anna Karenina is really mostly notable for having the second-greatest opening line in all literature.
"It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times."
It's hard to pinpoint a "best," but I agree that this one (from Gravity's Rainbow) it quite, quite good, one I recall often.
Definitely the greatest line I've ever read. Such extensive imagery and metaphor (well beyond just the sky), tucked into 15 words.