The Random Bibliophile

by Renee Alexis

Renee Alexis
20-something Filipina, an introvert who loves young adult fiction, brush pens, Taylor Swift, and BTS. Coffee runs in my bloodstream.

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2023 Reading Challenge

2023 Reading Challenge
Renee Alexis has read 0 books toward her goal of 30 books.
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Ezra Faulkner and his Issues in Life

A book review of Robyn Schneider's Young Adult novel

Backstory: I bought this book from a friend who was cleaning up her shelves, along with 2 other books and I only paid a small amount of money for the three of them. It was such a steal, I wish more of my friends will clean up their shelves so that the books they're gonna be un-hauling will come to me. Hehe.

I read this one while I was on leave. I was at home and I was running out of things to do, so what's a more fun way to spend time with than reading? So I decided to pick The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider up from my shelf and started it. Again, being the typical Renee who just buys books without reading their synopsis first and only judging by their covers, I didn't know what to expect.

I was just into the first three chapters of the book but I was hooked up immediately, and it was all because of Ezra. Ezra Faulkner is the main character of the book. He is lovable and interesting, and having to read the book in his perspective was very refreshing to me. His character development was inspiring, you can see how his views on life changes and can be sad at times (especially with him going through the self-pity stage and all), and his desire to do and be better was just so beautiful to read. Ezra Faulkner is the very reason why I love this book so, so much.

“Words could betray you if you chose the wrong ones, or mean less if you used too many.” 

Then enter Cassidy Thorpe, the new girl, who intrigued Ezra by a thousand. She is witty and enigmatic and a total puzzle for our protagonist who then found himself slowly falling head over heels in love with her. But alas, this book isn't about love but about finding oneself and realizing what living truly is. With an ending not adored by many, I found it to be just perfect. I am a fan of happy endings but sometimes, a touch of reality in the books I read will make me adore it even more.

There are five major things in this book that I really love, let me enumerate them:

  1. The book was told from the boy's point of view (POV)
    Most of the books I have read recently were told from a female perspective so this book was a breath of fresh air. (I really like Ezra, haha!)
  2. The conversations inside are witty, especially between Ezra and Cassidy
    “There’s a word for it,” she told me, “in French, for when you have a lingering impression of something having passed by. Sillage. I always think of it when a firework explodes and lights up the smoke from the ones before it.”
    “That’s a terrible word,” I teased. “It’s like an excuse for holding onto the past.”
    “Well, I think it’s beautiful. A word for remembering small moments destined to be lost.”

    “The world tends toward chaos, you know," Cassidy said. You could too. Just write down a made up name, or even a fictional character. And the next person who finds this geocache, it's as though things really happened that way. You have to at least allow for the possibility of it.” 
  3. The way Ezra makes up thoughts and dialogues for his dog, makes me laugh
    In the final chapters of the book, my heart started to ache and I held back my tears because I was reading on the patio and I didn't want people to see me crying. Ezra and his dog had a bond and reading about their relationship filled me with joy, most especially when Ezra makes up silly dialogues for his dog which seems to be really accurate by how the dog grunts and makes eye contact! :D
  4. The way Toby Ellicott stuck with Ezra after all those time
    Toby was Ezra's childhood best friend and after the accident, Ezra thought that the bond they once had has been severed (no pun intended). But little did he know, Toby never stopped being his friend, he was just so caught up with his status to even notice that his one true friend is still sticking up with him. And it was such a delight for me to read about it. Toby is so selfless, choosing to see the good side in everybody, and I love him for that. :)
  5. The last paragraph of the book (I think it's perfect)
    “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.”
Fun Fact: This book was formerly called Severed Heads, Broken Hearts which, I think, is a far better representation of what is in the book. It's dramatic, it's intriguing, and it's quite funny if you really think about it. :)

I loved this book, I will definitely reread it in the future!

Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️


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