ashsparrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Death, Chronic illness, and Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Sexual content
sierranorgan's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
But overall I did enjoy this one a lot! I got so invested in all the interconnections between characters and seeing how everything played out in the end!
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Medical content, Gun violence, Homophobia, and Religious bigotry
j_emerson18's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Panic attacks/disorders
emmaciarciello's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content
hzcyr's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
There are points I also personally thought repetitive or would take a lot of disbelief. It definitely begins to explore some interesting questions but I don't think it goes hsrd enough. The love story itself is adequately good. I do think there are better LGBTQIA+, last-day death-love stories.
Spoiler
This is more a stream of consciousness for the self of issues I had:• Supposedly, ~8,000 USA citizens die each day [lazy Googling] and yet everyone complains that Death-Cast could be a fialure on launch, despite holding a 100% correction rate of people not dying that don't die and a 0.15% error rate (12/8,000) of people supposed to die but were not contacted. Like, it seems wild that everyone just assumed this system was supposed to be perfect or a complete wreck if anything less.
• On the topic of numbers, Death-Cast is staffed by (I believe) 20 therapists to make calls and an 'optimal' call should last 5 minutes. Assuming a 7.5hr work shift, that's only 90 calls at most or 1,800 if the entire staff worked all shift.
• Adding on that, it feels really cult-like that everyone just welcomes Death-Cast so openly. Some minor characters do question it and there appear to be some terrorist rebels but, even if people don't know how it's so accurate, they all just assume day 1 that one is a doomed individual.
• The CEO, Joaquin, and his wife, Naya, are just so...ignorant and apathetic to this very revolutionary technology. They keep saying it'll help improve lives and it spins as this technology being for the positive but, after the Valentino's call, Joaquin is more worried about press and how his technology looks. Meanwhile Naya is offering water fountains to therapists telling in 5 minute intervals to 90 people that they'll die in 24hrs and if they're not keeping to this optimum, they'll be at risk of poor job performance because 'it'll save many lives'. I would've been more interested if Joaquin, Naya, or their son was one of the people to get the call for launch day.
• Valentino and Orion's meeting, love, and death (for one of them) is all within 21hrs. It's very Romeo & Juliet energy. Like, in suspension of disbeleif, sure, they're in love. And they do have some cute moments. But there's also bits that just do not feel they match for the time they have.
• In a book of very many ethical questions, it feels very unfulfilling because it generally just assumes DeathCast to be good for all. At the end, Joaquin wants to expand and "make sure the military don't weaponise it etc." but it feels very "...and they all lived happily ever after" saccharine for DeathCast. It somewhat explores this, e.g., Doctors won't treat Deckers, flights won't take off if they contain a Decker, they'll be looters and rebellions in response to predictive death technology. But, I think it just misses a lot of nuance. Will the medical industry start an organ harvest system for deckers? Can I prove this system isn't perfect? For the 21hrs of expected death, Valentino is really restrcited and ostracised in many ways for being forced to be a decker and we just accept that as okay because "it'd save more lives if...".
• I don't like that, halfway through, the story decides to adjunct on this plot of "who ELSE will die?". Much as the side characters help add nuance or alternate perspective, it just felt that this added mystery of who else will die took away from the already mystery of when and how Valentino would die, or if he even would at all. I honestly think this story would've just been fine or better focusing in on Valentino & Orion without this B-plot.
I have more issues but on the positives:
• The potrayal of domestic abuse was well done. This was terrifyingly written that I was quite uncomfortable.
• The relationships between characters was generally well done. I like that Scarlett & Orion's sister and their relationships with Valentino & Orion aren't cast aside. The minor characters had some fun dynamics too. Rolando was a bae throughout.
• The potrayal of the message it presents at the end regarding embracing every moment pre-death is decent.
• About 55% way through, I felt like their was genuine connection between Valentino & Orion that felt reasonably believable.
Graphic: Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Child abuse, Death of parent, Gun violence, Grief, Homophobia, and Violence
Minor: Cursing and Religious bigotry
emmajh91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Cursing, Chronic illness, Car accident, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Murder, and Blood
priscilla's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One of my absolute favourite things about TBDATE was how all the different perspectives, save those of Rufus and Mateo, helped create the story. And, somehow, this book does the same thing, but differently. Dare I say - better? I am seriously in awe of the plotting of this book, how everything fits seamlessly together but doesn't feel written or unnecessarily convenient. Sure, there were some tiny details I didn't love as much - a twist of phrase here or a scene that had me feel second-hand embarrassment - but overall, this was a fantastic read. It was fun to see familiar characters, amazing to get to know new ones, and really cool to watch all of the political angles to Death Cast's first day unfold. And the PLOTTING, people!!! Yes. Yes, please.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Medical content, and Death
Moderate: Religious bigotry
Minor: Car accident and Death of parent
jbt1234's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death
Minor: Religious bigotry and Medical content
at806'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings
team_mosaic's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Gun violence, and Death
Moderate: Religious bigotry, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse
Minor: Homophobia, Transphobia, Infidelity, and Suicide