The Beginning Of Everything by Robyn Schneider
Posted: 14 Oct 2016, 15:42
Ezra believes that everyone suffers a tragedy at one point or the other; a single experience which changes you and life as you knew it. His particular tragedy caused him to lose everything you think matters in high school. He becomes the king of worrying about first world problems, until he meets Cassidy. She's highly intelligent, a bit bizarre, but beautiful, and nothing like Ezra has ever known in his prestigious neighborhood full of basic girls or Barbie dolls.
The Beginning of Everything is a read full of sharp, relatable narrative by one of my favorite male protagonists in the young adult genre. He gives me a kind of déjà vu to when I'd read John Green for the first time. If you've read all of his novels, and like authors similar to Bill Konigsberg or Rainbow Rowell, this is the first book I'd recommend (only because you've run out of the others.) It uses a lot of recycled ideas from the many manic pixie dream girl stories, and kind of derails towards the end, but it was fun. I read in within 72 hours. Times flies when you're having fun.
The opening is undeniably engaging, - filling you with curiosity about where all of it intends to go. With a hark back of Ezra's best friend, Toby, and the tragedy that caused them to drift apart. Some people found it overboard, but I found it hilarious and different. Maybe the best part of the book.
Throughout the next few chapters you see Ezra's fall from high school glory. How he handles it felt so realistic. How he used witty remarks, not just outwardly to make others believe he still had pride, but internally to help bear through him having to figure out who he is all over again (or truly, first time.) is something I really enjoyed.
Then, in come the girl.
I didn't like her or her abuse of Ezra. I don't think that she had much chemistry with Ezra. She creates this illusion of healing and adventure through sexuality and lying. She knows this, yet, she's portrayed as someone who's taught him a valuable lesson in how to live life. It doesn't seem like anything she's done is connected to how he recovers relationships and his sense of self. He took no risks, and merely lived through hers. I think there needed to be a more drastic experience that wouldn't pushed him, because usually that's what it really takes.
This girl left me perplexed; there was hardly any clarity in the anticipated moment of clarity we were building up to. Whenever she spoke, it was like beating around the sad and tragic bush. Was I supposed to feel confused as Ezra probably did? Maybe. But I think Cassidy Thorpe altogether as a character, well, crippled this plot's potential.
I liked Ezra a lot, and wished his character hadn't been wasted. He is what kept me interested and made me eager to flip the pages. Although, if a lack of clearness, direction, and derailing isn't for you, this book isn't for you. I give this a 1.8 out of 4 stars.
The Beginning of Everything is a read full of sharp, relatable narrative by one of my favorite male protagonists in the young adult genre. He gives me a kind of déjà vu to when I'd read John Green for the first time. If you've read all of his novels, and like authors similar to Bill Konigsberg or Rainbow Rowell, this is the first book I'd recommend (only because you've run out of the others.) It uses a lot of recycled ideas from the many manic pixie dream girl stories, and kind of derails towards the end, but it was fun. I read in within 72 hours. Times flies when you're having fun.
The opening is undeniably engaging, - filling you with curiosity about where all of it intends to go. With a hark back of Ezra's best friend, Toby, and the tragedy that caused them to drift apart. Some people found it overboard, but I found it hilarious and different. Maybe the best part of the book.
Throughout the next few chapters you see Ezra's fall from high school glory. How he handles it felt so realistic. How he used witty remarks, not just outwardly to make others believe he still had pride, but internally to help bear through him having to figure out who he is all over again (or truly, first time.) is something I really enjoyed.
Then, in come the girl.
I didn't like her or her abuse of Ezra. I don't think that she had much chemistry with Ezra. She creates this illusion of healing and adventure through sexuality and lying. She knows this, yet, she's portrayed as someone who's taught him a valuable lesson in how to live life. It doesn't seem like anything she's done is connected to how he recovers relationships and his sense of self. He took no risks, and merely lived through hers. I think there needed to be a more drastic experience that wouldn't pushed him, because usually that's what it really takes.
This girl left me perplexed; there was hardly any clarity in the anticipated moment of clarity we were building up to. Whenever she spoke, it was like beating around the sad and tragic bush. Was I supposed to feel confused as Ezra probably did? Maybe. But I think Cassidy Thorpe altogether as a character, well, crippled this plot's potential.
I liked Ezra a lot, and wished his character hadn't been wasted. He is what kept me interested and made me eager to flip the pages. Although, if a lack of clearness, direction, and derailing isn't for you, this book isn't for you. I give this a 1.8 out of 4 stars.