About
Seven days after his mother dies in a sudden, senseless accident, seventeen-year-old Will embarks on a search for meaning that leads him to the great philosophers-Plato, Seneca, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche-and to Taryn, the beautiful girl he meets at his mother's wake. In Lia Hills's The Beginner's Guide to Living, Will is desperate to find, however he can, something authentic, something ultimate, something so true he would live or die for it. But is he willing to risk losing Taryn-losing everything--to seek the answers he craves?
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Reviews
"Hills's rich imagery and masterful storytelling come together to create a tale that is both poetic and compelling. . . A well-crafted story from a new voice."
Kirkus Reviews, STARRED review
"…Acutely insightful…the mosaic of imagery and musings in [Will's] poetic, staccato narration offers thought-provoking ideas about grief and the universal drive to find a purpose. Although this novel begins with a death, it is a celebration of life, companionship, and love."
Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
"Set in Melbourne, Australia, Hills' debut explores grief, first love, and first sex with poetic frankness that although occasionally mannered is also refreshing, whether Will is feeling suffocated by well-meaning neighbors or awestruck and alive as he imagines a map of the universe in Taryn's freckled face."
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