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The Beginning of Everything

Robyn Schneider (Goodreads Author)

3.74 · Rating details · 55,879 ratings · 6,008 reviews

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 girlfrie ...more

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Hardcover, 335 pages

Published August 27th 2013 by Katherine Tegen

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Apr 27, 2013 Keertana rated it it was ok

Shelves: why-the-hype

Rating: 1.5 Stars

I almost feel like laughing, but not quite. The Beginning of Everything is majorly over-hyped, but I suspect that's because of the nature of YA. We've come to expect a very standard, happily-ever-after-esque, unrealistic portrayal of life from YA. We assume the end of the book is the end of these characters lives and don't bother to think about them breaking up with their "true love" in three months or rushing off to college and possibly creating another screwed up parental rela ...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Emily May marked it as dnf

Shelves: 2013, arc, contemporary, young-adult

No rating because I didn't make it very far with this. No real review either but I'm going to share a few thoughts on my initial impressions, mostly because I want you to tell me if I'm wrong. I just got the feeling almost straight away that this wouldn't be my type of book. The first chapter starts very well, great male narrator's voice and a rather shocking opening with Toby. Then the next few chapters reminded me of a Taylor Swift music video. And I don't mean that in a general way, I mean it ...more

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Jun 03, 2013 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, own

I was waiting in line and happened to have this book with me, and after only 10 minutes I was already hooked. The first few pages recount a horrifying situation that is bound to shock anyone, and already I could put myself in their shoes and feel it changing these boys for life. Then shortly after, we're brought into the second shock of the book: the accident that changed Ezra's life.

The Beginning of Everything is narrated by Ezra, a one-time golden boy who's now feeling out of place with his ca I was waiting in line and happened to have this book with me, and after only 10 minutes I was already hooked. The first few pages recount a horrifying situation that is bound to shock anyone, and already I could put myself in their shoes and feel it changing these boys for life. Then shortly after, we're brought into the second shock of the book: the accident that changed Ezra's life.

The Beginning of Everything is narrated by Ezra, a one-time golden boy who's now feeling out of place with his cane and worthless self image. I loved this boy from the get go. His voice is brilliantly depicted as a teenager who used to have it all - or so he thought. You can not only feel his pain, but you also come to understand how hard it is for him to accept that he's not who he was anymore. Throughout this book Ezra searches for himself, and finds what he needs to find in the most realistic, though not easiest, of way. The start may be shocking, but it's a pretty mellow read for the most part. Robyn gives us a real teenage boy with genuine insecurities and flaws. Obviously I've never been a teenage boy myself, but I found him to be perfectly portrayed with a convincing - and refreshing - personality.

This is another of those plots that aren't necessarily about anything in particular; at least nothing cut and dry. We have Ezra who was once the most popular boy in school with tennis championships and prom King crowns in his back pocket, and, of course, the prettiest girlfriend, but after the accident his life takes a 180. All in all, this book is about ever changing life; or in Ezra's case, a life changed by tragic force. But, is it really the worst thing that could have happened? We see him question who he really is, if he really belongs anywhere at all. The book also has friendship as a major topic; he finds out who his true friends are. It's bizarre how sometimes it takes a tragedy to change people for the better; to make them see what they took for granted.

Romance is another large aspect of this novel, which is where Cassidy comes in. I adored this girl just as much. I found she brought a lot of energy to the book. She's intelligent and confident, but there's also something underneath her bright surface that is weighing her down. In a way, this made her perfect for Ezra's love interest. They bonded with this inseparable connection that you can sense through the pages, born from shared brokenness - even though they're good at hiding it. The mystery behind Cassidy's past becomes fairly predictable, however - at least I thought so - especially after her sudden change of heart. It was made obvious by the immediacy following a certain conversation if you pay attention. I knew then exactly what had happened, though not right away who exactly it involved. As for the ending, I think it's one that readers will easily love or hate. I fall more on the love side for how incredibly realistic it is. Life doesn't end neatly wrapped up with everything we expected and/or wanted, it just goes on. I appreciate realism over anything in these types of books.

Compelling characters, a strong narration, and great writing fill the pages of this book. The Beginning of Everything is sad, funny, hopeful, heartbreaking; it's about dealing with what life throws at you. Lemonade, anyone?

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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Jan 08, 2017 ♛ may rated it liked it

Shelves: 300-pgs, contemporary, male-pov, standalones, decent, hilarious, real-problems

“Sometimes I think that everyone has a tragedy waiting for them, that the people buying milk in their pajamas or picking their noses at stoplights could be only moments away from disaster. That everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a moment when it will become extraordinary.

So, I picked up this book intending to escape into the cute little world of contemporary where the sun shines and daisies bloom and people live with bright smiling faces.

. . . and then I got this.

description

The Beginni ...more

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Sep 05, 2013 JTony rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: no one

I pretty seriously hated this book. Loathed it actually. I really only finished it so that I could write a scathing review because I really hated it that much.

The characters are barely more than cardboard cutouts made from restroom gender icons with pithy words scrawled on them in red sharpie. Not a lot of substance but indicators as to what we're supposed to think of them. I didn't think much of them, I can tell you that. They are shallow, immature, emotionally crippled and selfish with little ...more

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Feb 13, 2013 Brittany rated it did not like it

I think it’s possible for someone who didn’t really look at this book too critically to be tricked into wholeheartedly liking it. Otherwise, I can’t imagine someone actually thinking this is a good novel.
I read a review where the writer said this is the perfect book for the average tumblr user, and that is just so completely accurate (this also makes sense when you consider the fact that in the author's biography it describes her as an “internet personality”…).
This story caters to “nerds” by wri I think it’s possible for someone who didn’t really look at this book too critically to be tricked into wholeheartedly liking it. Otherwise, I can’t imagine someone actually thinking this is a good novel.
I read a review where the writer said this is the perfect book for the average tumblr user, and that is just so completely accurate (this also makes sense when you consider the fact that in the author's biography it describes her as an “internet personality”…).
This story caters to “nerds” by writing a main character who goes from being a textbook example of a Popular Guy to a textbook example of a Cool Nerd. The story romanticizes not being a part of the popular crowd by displaying how superior the uncool kids really are in comparison, with their constant witty banter and crazy, quirky adventures. The book is chock-full of nerdy pop culture references and there are entire conversations that have nothing to do with the plot or a deeper message, but just exist to display the vast intelligence and cleverness of the characters. I understand the message the novel was getting at, about finding yourself and all of that wonderful, coming of age junk, but it just tried too hard. Plus the fact that the message rested on the shoulders of unoriginal and snooty characters and a plot that fizzles out instead of actually wrapping up. I can’t help but imagine someone trying to shoot a target with an arrow and pulling on the bow so hard that it zoomed towards the target in a perfect shot only to overshoot it by a hundred feet.
The characters, man. I was not a fan of a single one of them, except maybe Toby. Maybe. I tried really hard to not find Ezra insufferable, but oh my gosh, what a superiority complex on that one! Was there anyone he didn’t think he was better than? First he was literally too cool for everyone, by being a star athlete and class president and prom king, and then he was too cool for everyone by being clever and dark and nerdy. He actually felt that he had to hold back his witty comments from his old friends because no one would get them, his intelligence was that vast. And then Cassidy… I tried to like her too, honestly I did. But she was just as high and mighty as Ezra. She makes me think of the quote by John Steinbeck, “Do you take pride in your hurt? Does it make you seem large and tragic?” She was so ~unique, with her vintage clothing and philosophy quoting ways. And she was abstinent! Can someone tell me why this was relevant? Why did we need to know that she was saving herself for marriage? I can only see this as another way Cassidy is superior to the girls Ezra used to surround himself with, who, when described, were always depicted as wearing little clothing or doing something to garner a boy’s attention. Gag. Fuck your slut shaming. Your virginity doesn’t make you an inherently good person. Cassidy also tries to sidestep the manic pixie dream girl title by outrightly stating, in an oh-so-eloquent way, “Ezra, the girl you’re chasing after doesn’t exist. I’m not some bohemian adventurer who takes you on treasure hunts and sends you secret messages. I’m this sad, lonely mess who studies too much and pushes people away and hides in her haunted house.” Okay. Denying exactly what you are doesn’t mean you aren’t it. And stating all the ways you’re too tragic to be loved doesn’t help. Ughhhh. I can’t with these characters.
And what is this plot? (view spoiler)
The only praise this book really garners from me is the voice. It was a really great teen male voice, not too contrived or over the top. But really, that’s mostly it. Which is a huge bummer, because I was really expecting to like this book. Oh well. I would recommend this book to people who proudly boast of being a nerd and think they’re superior for it as well. You’ll get along swell with the characters. ...more

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Oct 21, 2015 Christina rated it really liked it

Hmm...can't decide between 3.5 or 4 stars...but in that range somewhere.

" I think that everyone has a tragedy waiting for them, that the people buying milk in their pajamas or picking their noses at stoplights could be only moments away from disaster. That everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a moment when it will become extraordinary - a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. "

For former golden boy Ezra Faulkner, his tragedy is in the form of a reck ...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Sophia rated it it was ok

2.5 stars

overall, I feel this book tries too hard. it tries to be meaningful and moving but, ultimately, it feels like a subpar imitation of a john green novel. the main character Ezra is an all right boy. he's relatable but nothing special. the love interest, Cassidy Thorpe, is so cliche. she strives too hard to be different and she consistently irritated me. she loves going on adventures and weaves flower crowns and dresses in vintage dresses--the same as any other girl who is meant to be dep ...more

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Sep 30, 2014 Angela rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-it-and-weep

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider is a book about a boy named Ezra Faulkner. He's the definition of a parents wet dream; that is until his world comes crashing down on him... Well its not the world it's more like a car. Ezra use to be a star tennis player, the most popular guy in school, had the most popular girl in school as his girlfriend, and makes pretty good grades. He's living the high school dream until he walks in on his girl friend cheating on him at a party; where he gets ...more

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Sep 08, 2018 Warda rated it really liked it · review of another edition

What an amazing, quirky read this was.

I can’t even begin to explain the premise of the story. But it’s about friendship, and realising who your true friends are, that it is much more valuable to be true to yourself rather than trying to fit yourself into a mould, that love really does assist in fixing things but that ultimately, the love you give yourself is what’ll allow you to truly live life to the fullest.
That you are enough.

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Dec 27, 2012 Jaime Arkin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: harpercollins, 2013, true-5-starers, favorites, don-t-even-ask-just-read-it, ya, stand-alone-books, ebook-format, read-in-2013, on-my-real-shelves

Sometimes I think that everyone has a tragedy waiting for them, that the people buying milk in their pajamas or picking their noses at stoplights could be only moments away from disaster. That everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a moment when it will become extraordinary-a single encounter after which everything that really matters will happen.

Ezra Faulkner thought he had everything. He was the Golden Boy of Eastwood High. Star tennis player hanging with the popular crowd and dating ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Robert rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-deals, robert-s-reads

I guess I’m a sucker for happy endings. I like it when life works out in a neat little package wrapped in red ribbon and blue paper, and I find the warm, gooey center filled with sugar and jam. But sometimes life kicks you in the ass, staples your forehead to the living room carpet, and then swipes your lunch money.

While it would have been easy to call this novel cheesy, and then add a bit of sap and honey for good measure, I don’t feel as though that truly sums up THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING. O I guess I’m a sucker for happy endings. I like it when life works out in a neat little package wrapped in red ribbon and blue paper, and I find the warm, gooey center filled with sugar and jam. But sometimes life kicks you in the ass, staples your forehead to the living room carpet, and then swipes your lunch money.

While it would have been easy to call this novel cheesy, and then add a bit of sap and honey for good measure, I don’t feel as though that truly sums up THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING. Of course, if that’s how you would like to view it, and then move on with your life, I can understand where you are coming from, and respect your decision. But I do think you have to dig a little deeper on this one, and pull out your backhoe (that you just happen to have lying around) instead of your shovel.

When I did this, I discovered a world where Ezra Faulkner had a big head on his shoulders, and brushed off all the folks who could have helped him make a difference. But then his leg was shattered in a tragic accident, and he was forced to reinvent himself. Rather than crying over his iPhone, and watching House reruns, he got his shit together, and took the racket off his shoulder. And I respected and admired his decision.

Cassidy Thorpe might have more than a few pairs of boy shorts and button down shirts in her possession, but she’s beautiful on the inside and out, even if she has a slightly different perception of herself in the bathroom mirror. And, yes, I may have looked at her with a bit more than just fond affection.

I sucked this novel up through a straw in three days’ time, and the teenager inside of me (and all of us) was more than happy with my decision. The romance was beautiful and thrilling, even if it kicked me in the pants at the end, the dialogue was intriguing and spot-on, the pace proved to be both intriguing and interesting and just about right, and the characters were just odd and awkward enough to help me reminisce my high school years.

If you’d like to rediscover your teenage self, then you might want to take a peek behind the curtain, and see what this particular book has in store for you. You might just be glad you did.

Cross-posted at Robert's Reads ...more

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Aug 17, 2015 Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤ rated it really liked it

Shelves: author-betrayal, could-read-over-and-over-again, tearjerkers, male-pov, my-favorite-covers, blur-rating

*3.5 Stars*

I thought about the metal in my knee, replacing this piece of me that was missing, that no longer worked. And it wasn't my heart, I kept telling myself. It wasn't my heart.

Ah, okay...so. So. I'm going to venture out and say I have no clue what I want to say. There. Simple. I said it. Except...I had so much to say. I had little notes written here and there and I found some great enjoyment and humor from page one to the end. And then there was so much sadness entwined in eac ...more

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Aug 05, 2014 Aj the Ravenous Reader rated it really liked it

Shelves: physically-owned-books

3 to 4 stars

I liked it as much as I liked Looking for Alaska. I think both books seem to be talking about similar themes and even some of the patterns and characters are a bit similar though I would have to say that reading this book is a bit lighter than reading LFA maybe because of the more familiar high school cliches in this book. But despite mentioning the existence of high school cliches in this book, I still liked this. This is another young adult novel that implicitly helps or teaches r ...more

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Sep 02, 2013 Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) rated it it was ok

Ugh. This ended up being such a disappointment. For the first 2/3rds of this book I was cruising steady at 4 stars, but it just totally fell apart at the end. I have no idea what even happened or why. So unsatisfying.

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Jul 01, 2015 Kels rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: readers who like pretentious books that lacks a true plot

Shelves: contemporary, i-saw-that-one-coming, is-it-over-yet, poof-insta-love-be-gone, why-oh-why, yawn, blah, realistic-fiction, sorry-not-sorry, unnecessarily-long

I picked up this book solely off of my love for Robyn Schneider's latest novel, Extraordinary Means, aching to see if her other works were just as good. Unfortunately, The Beginning of Everything failed to impress me, and I had to force myself to finish it.

What started off, at the very least, as an intriguing premise, quickly turns into a tedious and unimaginitive story that is laughably predictable. Ezra is in the center of the school's spotlight when a car crash leaves him suffering from a cr I picked up this book solely off of my love for Robyn Schneider's latest novel, Extraordinary Means, aching to see if her other works were just as good. Unfortunately, The Beginning of Everything failed to impress me, and I had to force myself to finish it.

What started off, at the very least, as an intriguing premise, quickly turns into a tedious and unimaginitive story that is laughably predictable. Ezra is in the center of the school's spotlight when a car crash leaves him suffering from a crippling injury. From there, he loses his girlfriend, his dreams of being a tennis all-star, and his tier one friends. He struggles with accepting his new affliction, reconnects with old friends, and then meets a mysterious and humourous new girl, Cassidy, who is hiding a big puzzle piece of past that suddenly and dramatically effects their relationship.

Cliches, cliches, cliches...

Seriously, this book is filled with them! The storytelling lacks flair and originality, and the dialogues are so over-the-top and ludicrously pretentious (even his dog responses--because his dog apparently talks--were so outrageously bombastic). The narration had such an overblown and unnatural flow to it that made it impossibly hard for me to get into the story and invest my interest in the characters. There were some sparse moments where I enjoyed Robyn Schneider's wit, but that eventually became too strained and contrived. The whole time reading this novel I wondered, Where exactly is this going, and why is it taking so long to get there? I couldn't help but feel like there was no point to Ezra's story--certainly there was no excitement to it--and by the time the text reached a crest (which was pages from the end), I was too bored to care about it. And that ending was so crappily wrapped up. Smh. I'm just sad at the wasted hours that I could have been reading something better.

The Beginning of Everything should have been more aptly titled The Start of Nothing Remarkable. This is a novel that is enough to past the time by if you have a great deal of patience, but it is also easily forgettable and mediocre in every other way. ...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Nicay rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: c-3-it-was-okay

“There’s a big difference between deciding to leave and knowing where to go.”

Honestly, I don’t know what to feel about this book. It doesn’t really make an impact for me as I expected. The story revolves when Ezra Faulkner had an accident that made his other leg disabled. From a famous tennis player and a heartthrob to a simple student now. Everything changes the day he became incapacitated, the popularity, parties, the tennis team, and even friends. Until Cassidy “The Mysterious ...more

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Apr 30, 2015 TL rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to TL by: impulse buy at the bookstore

3.5 stars

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This one took awhile to pick up for me... I considered throwing in the towel a couple times but kept going,hoping it would get better.The beginning is shocking horrifying with Toby... nice opening section to pull your readers in hmm?

The characters and story grew on me but I never got fully invested in the story. There'a plenty of wit, humor, and sadness sprinkled throughout with some drama in as well. A couple scenes did have me tearing up and everything coming together at the end w ...more

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May 18, 2015 Maureen rated it liked it

3.5/5 stars
This was a really enjoyable read! I enjoyed it.
At the beginning it felt a lot like it was trying too hard, and there were parts of the book that felt like that it was trying to be a really deep and meaningful book. Overall, though, it was a really enjoyable contemporary and I liked the characters a lot! I would probably read it again.

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Oct 26, 2012 Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, yabc-reviews

Robyn Schneider's novel underwent a title change from Severed Heads, Broken Hearts to The Beginning of Everything. Both titles I think are fitting for the story within, though I must say I feel a certain affection for the original, which conveys both the humor and the darkness of Schneider's witty, brilliant debut.

Ezra Faulkner theorizes that no one's life really begins until they go through a personal tragedy. This may seem an odd sort of belief, but it makes sense. Tragedy has a way of puttin Robyn Schneider's novel underwent a title change from Severed Heads, Broken Hearts to The Beginning of Everything. Both titles I think are fitting for the story within, though I must say I feel a certain affection for the original, which conveys both the humor and the darkness of Schneider's witty, brilliant debut.

Ezra Faulkner theorizes that no one's life really begins until they go through a personal tragedy. This may seem an odd sort of belief, but it makes sense. Tragedy has a way of putting things in perspective. The loss of a family member, of mobility, or of social standing has a way of forcing a person to reevaluate life and decide what is really important. Realizing how tenuous and random life can be, it's crucial to spend what life you have being who you really are and with the people who really get you.

Ezra and Toby were best friends until they were fourteen. That friendship came to a halt after a tourist stood up in the row in front of them on a roller coaster at Disney, the tourist's severed head landing in Toby's arms for the rest of the ride. For the rest of high school, Toby will be that kid with the severed head. Meanwhile, Ezra grew up well, attractive and athletic, and became friends with the popular kids. He partied, dated hot girls, and planned to get a college scholarship for tennis. Then, at a party one night, a driver hit his car, leaving him crippled.

As school starts up for his senior year, the former Homecoming King doesn't feel like he belongs anywhere. He walks with a cane, his girlfriend has hooked up with his former best friend, and his plans for the future are shot. In his life's nadir, he finds a sort of freedom, though. He can now admit to being intelligent and nerdy, rediscover his friendship with Toby, and cultivate a spot with some of the school's nerds. Tragedy serves as a bridge to help him realize how unsatisfying his life up to then truly was.

Schneider's writing is fantastic. First of all, she completely captures an authentic male voice. Ezra never read like a girl to me, but neither was his narrative over the top in an effort to sell his maleness. Secondly, Schneider peppers the narrative with literary references, which, admittedly, might be alienating to some teen readers, but that I loved. Finally, there are the puns. If you do not appreciate finely tuned wordplay, you might find The Beginning of Everything pun-ishing. However, if you deem puns fine humor, you may well laugh your head off (don't worry; Toby will catch it for you).

The romance in The Beginning of Everything falls a bit into manicpixiedreamgirl territory, but it works. Ezra is taken with Cassidy immediately, with her mystery, her intelligence, and her vibrancy. She appreciates his puns and can give them back. They have great chemistry, but she always keeps her walls way way up. Why this worked for me is that Ezra falls in love with her, but in a totally high school first love sort of way, and not in a true love forever sort of way. Also, there's a realization of how little she actually was the perfect girl of his dreams.

The only aspect of the book that left me wanting was the ending. The climax that leads to the spilling of Cassidy's secrets was unexpected, despite the foreshadowing that lead up to it. That scene did not rub me the right way, and just felt a bit out of place in the novel. Plus, Cassidy's sudden opening up didn't seem fitting with what went down either. Without explaining what happened, it's hard to put this clearly, but I found what happened a bit puzzling and melodramatic.

Robyn Schneider's novel is highly intelligent and full of black humor. Fans of John Green, particularly Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, will most definitely want to read The Beginning of Everything. ...more

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Apr 17, 2015 Theresa rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

I felt like this book was misleading. The first 3 chapters were really good but after that, I felt like the plot shifted and focused too much on Ezra and Cassidy's relationship. Also, I did not like Cassidy. She didn't seem like a believable character to me. I couldn't figure out why Ezra was so intrigued by her? I wanted to hear more about Ezra's strained friendship with his childhood buddy, Toby. This book just never got "off the ground" for me. Very draggy and disappointing. Robyn Schneider's ...more

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Jun 25, 2015 Leahxx rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, favorite-contemporaries

I honestly liked this more than I liked any John Green book. Not that I don't love his books, but I just thought this book was so special, I guess. It really spoke to me and made me feel all kinds of things. And the characters were amazing and brilliant and it was a great representation of wasted potential in high school found in stuck up populars. It's about a classic jock that doesn't have any real ambitions outside of sports and popularity and the struggle of overcoming that by becoming a soc ...more

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Oct 09, 2013 Jessica rated it it was amazing

"Oscar Wilde once said that to live is the rarest thing in the world, because most people just exist, and that's all. I don't know if he's right, but I do know that I spent a long time existing, and now I intend to live." - Ezra Faulkner

Wow. So this book surprised me. I REALLY, really enjoyed Robyn Schneider's writing. She really knows how to create really realistic, witty, amazing characters. I definitely related to most of them and loved all of the Harry Potter and Doctor Who references. If I ...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Roan marked it as to-read

OCT. 27, 2012 and there it is..... the cover.

description

Very nice. pretty cool.

description

...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Melanie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: death, mystery, contemporary, young-adult, arc, books-i-own, not-bad-at-all, romance, swoony-guys

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

“You have this maddening little smile sometimes, like you've just thought of something incredibly witty but are afraid to say it in case no one gets the joke.”

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts (or The Beginning of Everything) was one of my most highly anticipated novels of 2013. So when going into this, I had high expectations. And for what see See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

Thank you Simon and Schuster Australia for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

“You have this maddening little smile sometimes, like you've just thought of something incredibly witty but are afraid to say it in case no one gets the joke.”

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts (or The Beginning of Everything) was one of my most highly anticipated novels of 2013. So when going into this, I had high expectations. And for what seems finally, my expectations were fulfilled. Before I go into this review I'd just like to point out that I much prefer the old name, Severed Heads, Broken Hearts which also happens to be the UK/AUS title, I mean it describes this book perfectly in the most direct and indirect ways.

Golden boy Ezra Faulkner believes he has just encountered his worst tragedy ever. And he is relatively correct- his life basically did a 180 spin. Now not-so-golden-boy Ezra with a shattered knee finds himself falling lower down the social ladder with his passion for tennis disappearing as well. Severed Heads, Broken Hearts is all about finding yourself, finding true love and friends, as well as learning from old mistakes. Robyn Schneider does a remarkable job at creating such a credible male voice that will and have moved readers significantly.

Being a fan of Pretty Little Liars, my main concern when going into Severed Heads, Broken Hearts was the characters. Ezra and Toby, two of the main characters in Severed Heads, Broken Hearts also happen to be two of the leads in Pretty Little Liars. I was quite afraid for my prejudice to kick in and paint them with my natural instincts towards the PLL personalities. However, this was totally not the case. Robyn Schneider's characterisation was glaringly distinct and strong, I was utterly enthralled into the story no prejudgement issues. Ezra's character arc was a momentous leap, after giving up his passion for tennis and old 'friends'- ones on the highest peck of high school no longer talking to him; he was lost, with his growing self-consciousness. Faultlessly portrayed and created, Ezra's flaws, blemishes and mistakes were just more reasons to love and empathise him.

Relationships seem to be one of the main orbiting themes in Severed Heads, Broken Hearts. We have Toby, sweet and humorous just like Ezra. He can see through the slightest of lies. Toby's part in this novel was quite compelling. Once upon a time best friend, who had a bad history with Disneyland- the result of a severed head. I loved Toby for his reacceptance towards Ezra, who had left Toby after the Disneyland tragedy. Romance is another element that was focused on. I wasn't awfully convinced with it for majority of the novel but at the end I was shipping Ezra and Cassidy hard. I wasn't too convinced with the romance mainly due to Cassidy's mysterious behaviour which I began to figure out a while into the novel. Her personality was energetic, intelligent and defiant in the sense that she didn't care what other's thought of her. Therefore, a perfect match for Ezra who was failing to feel comfortable with a cane all the time.

Like nothing I have read before, Severed Heads, Broken Hearts is a strong, cogent novel about finding your true self, and picking up from where you fall no matter how hard it is. It's about love, friendships and trying new things. It's about people like Ezra, whose narrative so conceivable can face new and unexpected realities. Life is hard, but like so many characters in this novel do, they keep going, head held high. ...more

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May 23, 2013 Kelly (and the Book Boar) rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2014

Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/

Ezra Faulkner had everything going for him – prom king, tennis star, hot girlfriend, etc., etc., but a tragic accident has left him broken – both physically and mentally. Without his status as a top athlete, how will he fit in with his old friends Senior year? Does he even want to? When new girl Cassidy enrolls at his high school and an old elementary school pal pops back into his life, Ezra begins to realize maybe he wasn’t the person ...more

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Nov 08, 2013 Abida's Book Adventures rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 05, 2019 Alaina rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, 2019, books-i-own, audiobook, romance, fiction, young-adult

Cute book.

The Beginning of Everything was a pretty realistic book. In it, you will meet Ezra and Cassidy. At first, they were kind of cute. Unfortunately, Cassidy became unbearable rather quickly. Especially towards the end, so I wasn't the least bit unhappy with where this book or their relationship was heading.

Besides the two main characters, pretty sure my favorite character was Toby. He was just something special that this book needed. He was sweet and probably the only friend that Ezra had. ...more

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Sep 11, 2014 Camilla rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2016, unhauled-read

2.5 stars!

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Apr 23, 2015 Emily rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: Fans of John Green

Shelves: read-in-2015

Paper Towns.. without the road trip?

Let me start out by saying that I kind of liked Paper Towns. I mean, I had never read anything like it before so when I finished it I was feeling pretty positive. I like it considerably a lot less the second time around. Just like PT, The Beginning of Everything involves a MPDG (Manic Pixie Dream Girl) who turns out to be extremely lost in life, and a boy who falls victim to it.

I feel like this book is marketed towards being more of a romance, but it really is ...more

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What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA/ Childrens read in middle school library: A boy and a girl that are a part of some knowledge contest. [s]	4	20	Nov 11, 2021 11:15AM
2022 Reading Chal...: The Beginning of Everything	9	31	Nov 29, 2020 11:41PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. YA unlucky teen as a kid went on a rollercoaster and the kid infront stands up, get decapitated and the head falls in the lap of the protagonist. [s]	6	343	Aug 08, 2020 11:11AM
Challenge Corner: The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider - > Starting August 4th, 2019	5	3	Aug 30, 2019 07:23AM
It's Lit (The Beg...: Impressions	1	2	Apr 08, 2019 09:56AM
what are your thought on this book?	11	86	Nov 14, 2018 09:24AM

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About Robyn Schneider

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Robyn Schneider grew up in Southern California, where she spent her childhood reading fantasy novels and searching for secret passages. She’s a graduate of Columbia University, where she studied creative writing, and the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, where she earned a Masters of Bioethics. Robyn is the bestselling author of The Beginning of Everything, Extraordinary Mean ...more

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“And I realized that there's a big difference between deciding to leave and knowing where to go.” — 502 likes

“Oscar Wilde once said that to live is the rarest thing in the world, because most people just exist, and that’s all. I don’t know if he’s right, but I do know that I spend a long time existing, and now, I intend to live.” — 497 likes

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