I think it is a coincidence that the title of this book review is about beginnings because this is one of my first blog posts ever. I really don't think I could have picked a better novel. I first saw this book on my local library's website as a commonly checked out young adult novel and did end up checking it out that day. But, it fell behind some other books and I had to return it. It was not until a few weeks ago that I decided to buy it when I saw it again at the book store and I must say YOU HAVE TO READ IT! I really loved this book (if you can't tell already). It was an easy read, had a lot of twists and turns, and many excellent music references (Vampire Weekend to be exact...is it not ironic his name is Ezra?). But it was that sneaky underlying message that the author, Robyn Schneider, snuck in that really made me fall in love with this novel. I'd recommend reading it first before I reveal that message though. The book follows Ezra, the main character who tells us the story of how his life "began". He believes that one event happens in every person's life that indefinitely changes it forever, and after the said event, life truly begins. Its a lovely theory and when I read the first chapter I actually agreed. I still believe everything happens for a reason, but I also thought that those things are what changes, controls, and defines our lives just as Ezra did. But, as the book goes on, Ezra's point of view changes and I, the reader, start to see how very, very wrong his theory actually was.
The first chapter explains our protagonist's situation and that is, that during his junior year, he was the star athlete of his bland suburban town and was dating the prettiest girl in school. Sounds great, right? But then his life changes after he finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him and then gets in a horrible accident shattering his knee. He basically lost everything...or so he thought.
The book then transitions into the first day of his senior year and first appearance at school after the accident. He is no longer the "golden boy" and has lost both his popularity and his friends. That is when Toby, his old grade school buddy confronts him at a school assembly like they had not stopped talking for six years. He is not one of the so called "popular kids" but is exactly what Ezra needs at the time- a friend. One of the things I really liked about this book was watching Ezra and Toby's friendship redevelop and how Ezra sees how real friends treat each other. Before he was friends with the other jocks on his tennis team only having tennis in common with each other and never forming that deep bond. Ezra and Toby rediscover all the fun things they did as kids and remember what held their friendship together in the first place: trust, loyalty, reliability, depth, and actually having something in common.
Toby is the guy that leads Ezra to another high school experience altogether. Ezra is put in debate class and is signed up for the team too by, none other than Toby. He meets new friends and a new girl, Cassidy Thorpe. She is charming, impulsive, and unique, but nothing like the attractive but shallow Charlotte, yet Ezra falls for her. I won't say if they get together, etc. but she does affect Ezra's life. She is probably the one who shows Ezra that there is more beyond the suburbs and that there is more in life besides tennis, like books, knowledge, and exploration. She changes Ezra's life for the better. He discovers his dreams, goals, and aspirations. He really learns something new about himself and can see who he wants to be and who he is meant to be.
This leads back to Ezra's theory before and how it is proven wrong. It is true that if Ezra was not in that accident he probably would not have spoken to Toby or found Cassidy or realized new things about who he was, but if Ezra would not have made the decision to hang out with Toby and just went back with his old friends, it would not have happened either. Ezra's decisions are what changed his life. The accident was just a tiny beginning or door to what Ezra would discover. So, I learned that is not what happens to a person that defines how their life is going to go, but the decisions that they make. Yes, big life changing events do lead people in different directions and open new doors, but it is our own decisions that define us and take us forward.
For more information about this book and its lovely author, check this cite out!
http://www.robynschneider.com/
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