Is this a good beginning for a fiction novel?

Straight away it needs to be more enticing. To add an essence of despair/mystery/danger in the very first few sentences is the perfect hook for your fishes that are the readers. Try to refer to emotions more and also leave a cliffhanger at the end of the very first paragraph, something that gives a hint into the later stages of the book. This will have the reader wondering what you are describing (or explaining etc.) and pretty much force them to read on. It's very good for a day's work! Hope this helps :)