The Beginning of Everything Review

The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider

4 Stars

I liked this book and I feel like maybe I could have loved it, had I not read it right in the middle of a slump. The characters were funny and I kind of found myself wishing I could be friends with some of them, specifically Toby. I'm not going to dive into my thoughts on Toby because, I feel you need to discover him for yourself. The main character, Ezra Faulkner, started out seeming a tad whiny to me, rightfully so, but at some point I found myself really just wanting to give him a hug and cheering him on. I couldn't tell you the exact moment that this happened only that it did. While The Beginning of Everything is about how everyone gets a tragedy, you might find yourself laughing the way I did. I laughed, I cried, I got angry, this story just plays with you in the best way. I did hit a patch within the last three chapters where I was crying and unsure whether or not I wanted to finish. I'm glad I did. Robyn Schneider changed the way I look at certain moments in my life. I can honestly say that not many books have touched me in quite that way. I strongly suggest picking it up and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

"I STILL THINK that everyone's life, no matter how unremarkable, has a singular tragic encounter after which everything that really matters will happen. That moment is the catalyst -- the first step in the equation. But knowing the first step will get you nowhere -- it's what comes after that determines the result. So who was I in the aftermath of my personal tragedy?" (The Beginning of Everything)

I would love to hear the thoughts of anyone who has read this. You can even let me know if you plan on reading it.

Xoxo,

Gabriella