The Beginning of Everything

The Beginning of Everything explores tragedy, death, violence, and grief. A theme-park decapitation and a car accident that permanently injures the protagonist and kills the person who hit him are described or alluded to throughout the novel.

Although the author doesn't shy away from describing the physical aspect of Ezra and Cassidy's relationship (they never have intercourse but do get naked with each other and have oral sex), her language isn't overly graphic. She uses euphemisms like "outercourse," as a stand in for oral sex, and alludes to the fact Cassidy saw Ezra's penis and how Ezra's first time was in a hot tub without being too explicit.

Plenty of strong language, but it's not on every page: "f--k," "bitch," "a--hole," "s--t," "douche" as a prefix to everything from "bag" to "nozzle" to "canoodler," "crippled," and "Vomdoucher." Two uses of the homophobic slur "faggot" (but said by the gay character as something a jock has called him before).

Teens drink (beer, shots, wine) at a party and on away debate tournaments and other occasions. Minors play drinking games, such as beer pong.

Parents need to know that The Beginning of Everything is a contemporary coming-of-age novel about a star athlete whose life irrevocably changes after he's run over by car and left with permanent injuries. There are some mature themes in the story, like how tragedy can divide life between "before" and "after," and how some people, no matter how much they love each other, can't overcome the tragedy they share. There are descriptions of physical relationships, including passionate kissing, making out naked, and mutual oral sex. Three tragedies (a decapitation at a theme park, the car accident, a sibling's death) are discussed throughout the story, and there are many references and homages to The Great Gatsby and author F. Scott Fitzgerald.