The Beginning of Everything
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4.4 • 257 Ratings
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
Robyn Schneider's The Beginning of Everything is a witty and heart-wrenching teen novel that will appeal to fans of books by John Green and Ned Vizzini, novels such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and classics like The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye.
Varsity tennis captain Ezra Faulkner was supposed to be homecoming king, but that was before—before his girlfriend cheated on him, before a car accident shattered his leg, and before he fell in love with unpredictable new girl Cassidy Thorpe.
As Kirkus said in a starred review, "Schneider takes familiar stereotypes and infuses them with plenty of depth. Here are teens who could easily trade barbs and double entendres with the characters that fill John Green's novels."
Funny, smart, and including everything from flash mobs to blanket forts to a poodle who just might be the reincarnation of Jay Gatsby, The Beginning of Everything is a refreshing contemporary twist on the classic coming-of-age novel—a heart-wrenching story about how difficult it is to play the part that people expect, and how new beginnings can stem from abrupt and tragic endings.
How do you start over when you’ve lost everything you thought you were?
Witty Banter: Ezra and Cassidy trade barbs and literary references in a romance that’s as smart and funny as it is heart-wrenching.High School Coming of Age: When a car accident ends his reign as homecoming king, Ezra Faulkner must trade the tennis court for the debate team and figure out who he is without the popularity.An Unforgettable New Girl: Cassidy Thorpe—with her flash mobs, blanket forts, and secrets—upends Ezra's world and challenges everything he thought he knew about life and love.A Story of Resilience: A poignant and honest look at life after tragedy, dealing with a new disability, and the long, difficult road to a new beginning.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Schneider (Better Than Yesterday) offers an engrossing romance in which tragedy brings two teens together, then threatens to tear them apart. Ezra Faulkner has a bright future as a tennis player until a car accident leaves him with a serious knee injury. Along with losing his spot on the team and his prospects of being recruited by colleges, he is dropped by his popular clique ("I had been Ezra Faulkner, golden boy, but that person no longer existed"). At the onset of senior year, he makes major changes, rekindling a childhood friendship he'd dropped after a gruesome mishap, joining the debate team, and getting to know Cassidy Thorpe, an the enigmatic new student with a reputation as a stellar debater. Ezra is mesmerized by Cassidy's intelligence, wit, and philosophical ideas, but after they become a couple, her mood swings set off unexpected sparks. Tension builds as Cassidy's past comes to light, and a shocking climax culminates in an emotional crash to rival Ezra's physical one. Schneider shows remarkable skill at getting inside her narrator's head as his life swings between disaster and recovery. Ages 13 up.
Customer Reviews
A good/easy read
This was a good book! I was hesitant to read it, but I read “extraordinary means” by Robyn Schneider a few years ago and really liked it, so decided to give it a try. This novel turned out to be a little predictable, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. I read it in one sitting over the course of a few hours, and never once felt like I had trouble continuing. A quick, easy read is the best way to describe it. The ending wasn’t exactly what you’d hope for, but I suppose it was just realistic, and didn’t in any way ruin the book. This book reminded me a little bit of “looking for Alaska” by John green. Just how mysterious Cassidy was, and the ending although less tragic. Additionally, I absolutely love witty and sarcastic language used in literature, and Schneider does a great job at this!:) this book definitely made me laugh, and I loved the deadpanned sarcasm mostly employed by the main character Ezra. Overall, it’s a good read! I don’t regret buying it, and I definitely think you should buy it too if you’re looking for a good/short read:)
My favorite book
PLEASE MAKE THIS A MOVIE😩!!!!
Ugh!!...so good
This book touches upon a lot of subjects that most people to take into play in there everyday life. This book makes you see love, tragedy, friendship, and simply just existing; in a whole different light, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The eye opening ending for Ezra was breath taking being able to learn what he did about himself in the span of a school year that most don't learn in a lifetime was touching.