breadedbookpages's review against another edition
5.0
Reviewing this book is taking everything out of me. I seriously need to rethink next time I request any Silvera books. They always leave me feeling so bare and open to be picked at by crows. Silvera is such a talented voice in today's YA scene that I'm both blessed and cursed to cry over his words.
I was going to rate this four stars out of sheer pettiness but writing this review made me realize there is no need to deduct any stars.
Silvera brings back his little inserts of technology like in More Happy Than Not and his diverse cast of a Cuban boy and a Puerto Rican boy meeting on their last days on earth to try and spend it in a way that won't let them be regretful. You might be familiar with this style of one-day spanning book if you've read The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, which is a beautiful book. Both authors are successful in capturing the finality that comes with a single day's inevitable ending.
In this book, the ending is literal. Both die at the end, it's in the very title, so I don't know why I was still shocked and surprised and cursing Silvera. I guess it's part of the experience.
Mateo, personally, was such a beautiful soul. His kindness shines through the pages not only to the readers but also to Rufus. He refuses to leave the earth without sharing his caring with others. From giving his money to a homeless person, and not telling said person that it's his last day on earth, lest the man think Mateo is giving the money because there won't be any use for it, or burying a dead bird. Mateo's anxiety is also connected to the Death-Cast, which makes me wonder how he'd been had the Death-Cast never existed.
Rufus gets his call while he is beating up his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend, who's been running his mouth, hence making Rufus do something he regrets for all the good reasons. Rufus isn't violent. He loves photography and his foster siblings, who he's known for four months following the tragic incident in which his entire family died. Rufus, for me, was the perfect example of survivor guilt. The fact that he gets to live and his beloved family doesn't never leaves him except for small moments with Mateo in which he finally allows himself to forgive that it just wasn't his day.
The two combined is a beautiful thing. Mateo makes Rufus' life colorful with his suggestions, while Rufus pushes Mateo to get out of his house, where he's kept himself secluded out of panic.
The concept of Death-Cast is truly fascinating. At several points in the book, like me, you might stop and think: Would any of this happen if Death Cast wasn't a thing? Or was life a series of coincidences? Was anything a consequence to a direct action? Like the question Mateo asks Rufus: Is his existence in Rufus' last day a cause that it is Rufus' last day, and vice versa?
If Silvera wrote this book with the intent to push his reviewers to experience life in color, to get on that stage and sing that song, to not push away your dear ones when you're going through something, to allow strangers to change you in the smallest and most significant ways, then he's succeeded.
The characters push out of the book and are alive before me, Malcolm, Tagoe, Aimee, Lidia, even the little piece of shit Peck, all managed to weasel their way into my heart through their connection to Rufus and Mateo. What adds even more charm is the chapters in which minor characters with very SIGNIFICANT actions relay the fifth of September. You'll find the world that Silvera has built in one day more vibrant and tangible with the addition of these chapters.
Has this book killed me? Yes. I am easily the biggest cry baby I know, especially when it comes to Adam Silvera books and character death(s) in general, so there was no questioning that I'll end up sobbing my ass off. Did I enjoy every tear? Yes. I'm a glutton for misery.
I was going to rate this four stars out of sheer pettiness but writing this review made me realize there is no need to deduct any stars.
Silvera brings back his little inserts of technology like in More Happy Than Not and his diverse cast of a Cuban boy and a Puerto Rican boy meeting on their last days on earth to try and spend it in a way that won't let them be regretful. You might be familiar with this style of one-day spanning book if you've read The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon, which is a beautiful book. Both authors are successful in capturing the finality that comes with a single day's inevitable ending.
In this book, the ending is literal. Both die at the end, it's in the very title, so I don't know why I was still shocked and surprised and cursing Silvera. I guess it's part of the experience.
Mateo, personally, was such a beautiful soul. His kindness shines through the pages not only to the readers but also to Rufus. He refuses to leave the earth without sharing his caring with others. From giving his money to a homeless person, and not telling said person that it's his last day on earth, lest the man think Mateo is giving the money because there won't be any use for it, or burying a dead bird. Mateo's anxiety is also connected to the Death-Cast, which makes me wonder how he'd been had the Death-Cast never existed.
Rufus gets his call while he is beating up his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend, who's been running his mouth, hence making Rufus do something he regrets for all the good reasons. Rufus isn't violent. He loves photography and his foster siblings, who he's known for four months following the tragic incident in which his entire family died. Rufus, for me, was the perfect example of survivor guilt. The fact that he gets to live and his beloved family doesn't never leaves him except for small moments with Mateo in which he finally allows himself to forgive that it just wasn't his day.
The two combined is a beautiful thing. Mateo makes Rufus' life colorful with his suggestions, while Rufus pushes Mateo to get out of his house, where he's kept himself secluded out of panic.
The concept of Death-Cast is truly fascinating. At several points in the book, like me, you might stop and think: Would any of this happen if Death Cast wasn't a thing? Or was life a series of coincidences? Was anything a consequence to a direct action? Like the question Mateo asks Rufus: Is his existence in Rufus' last day a cause that it is Rufus' last day, and vice versa?
If Silvera wrote this book with the intent to push his reviewers to experience life in color, to get on that stage and sing that song, to not push away your dear ones when you're going through something, to allow strangers to change you in the smallest and most significant ways, then he's succeeded.
The characters push out of the book and are alive before me, Malcolm, Tagoe, Aimee, Lidia, even the little piece of shit Peck, all managed to weasel their way into my heart through their connection to Rufus and Mateo. What adds even more charm is the chapters in which minor characters with very SIGNIFICANT actions relay the fifth of September. You'll find the world that Silvera has built in one day more vibrant and tangible with the addition of these chapters.
Has this book killed me? Yes. I am easily the biggest cry baby I know, especially when it comes to Adam Silvera books and character death(s) in general, so there was no questioning that I'll end up sobbing my ass off. Did I enjoy every tear? Yes. I'm a glutton for misery.
livviavv's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
plantedbased_elise's review against another edition
5.0
The title might spoil the end, but the path to it is made all the more devastating because of it.
The definition of I couldn't put it down
The definition of I couldn't put it down
abelpintu's review against another edition
4.0
I think the story was okay, i personally am not a big fan of his writing style and felt that it way just okay. But i liked how he explained the relationship that built up but to me it felt kinda rushed, but either way this book was heartfelt and i liked it.
annabellereadss's review against another edition
3.0
(3.5) i liked this book a lot, it was such an interesting concept but i wish it could have been explored a bit more? like if Adam Silvera wrote another book that took place in the same world, and it explored the lives of more than just a few people, i would 100% be down to read that! this book did explore more than one perspective, but a lot of the other perspectives could have been developed more. for example most of the other characters story lines besides rufus and mateo’s ended on a cliff hanger. i wanna know what happened to them!!
other than that, this was such an enjoyable read! i didn’t cry (lol!) but it was still an incredibly sad story. the concept of death cast and the last friends app, etc. was so unique and i loved learning about how all of that worked!
other than that, this was such an enjoyable read! i didn’t cry (lol!) but it was still an incredibly sad story. the concept of death cast and the last friends app, etc. was so unique and i loved learning about how all of that worked!
korcek's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
n_0_v_a_'s review against another edition
emotional
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
made me cry
richie_h20's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know how to explain how MUCH this spoke to me, Adam was able to slowly bring a nervous, anxiety person out of their shell in less than 24. The pain, the happiness, and the remorse which slowly made it harder to let go of two people in less than 24 hours of their life. The romance and the amazing representations of Lgbtq+ are amazing and so real. Thank you so much, Adam, for this story
laurensmind's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0