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4riareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I feel like a peasant and don’t like leaving them and most often, I will only leave them if I vehemently despised a book. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
As everyone knows, this is the prequel to TBDATE & it covers the first day that Death Cast launches, which is so intriguing because it rang true to how I thought our current society would treat the service too. There would absolutely be naysayers & doomsdayers galore! I felt Adam did an excellent job in illustrating the many emotions and wonders of the characters when it came to Death Cast's new service and what it meant for their lives.
Was I as wrecked as TBDATE? No, but that's because I fully knew what was coming. My dumbass really thought the title was clever and that the author was trying to trick readers and not actually a spoiler of how that book would end hahaha. However, I did get attached to and root for Orion and Valentino, two boys who deserved to be happy and healthy.
I listened to the audiobook, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration. These books call into question how we shouldn't take our days for granted, and I love those reminders.
ALSO !!! Rufus + Mateo cameos?! Like are you kidding?! BE STILL MY HEART <3
As everyone knows, this is the prequel to TBDATE & it covers the first day that Death Cast launches, which is so intriguing because it rang true to how I thought our current society would treat the service too. There would absolutely be naysayers & doomsdayers galore! I felt Adam did an excellent job in illustrating the many emotions and wonders of the characters when it came to Death Cast's new service and what it meant for their lives.
Was I as wrecked as TBDATE? No, but that's because I fully knew what was coming. My dumbass really thought the title was clever and that the author was trying to trick readers and not actually a spoiler of how that book would end hahaha. However, I did get attached to and root for Orion and Valentino, two boys who deserved to be happy and healthy.
I listened to the audiobook, and thoroughly enjoyed the narration. These books call into question how we shouldn't take our days for granted, and I love those reminders.
ALSO !!! Rufus + Mateo cameos?! Like are you kidding?! BE STILL MY HEART <3
"While Death-Cast can only tell someone when they will die, they can't predict how someone's life will change on their End Day. The Decker must make those discoveries themselves by living with the fullest of hearts, down to the last beat."
"I don't want to mistake another day as ordinary again."
"I understand that the person who gets the Death-Cast call isn’t the only one dying. If you really hold someone in your heart, you die too."
"Life shouldn't be about to end before someone begins living."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Abandonment
Moderate: Cursing, Medical content, and Grief
Minor: Sexual content and Car accident
baileyraebooks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
3.5 rounding up
every time the 9/11 stuff came up it caught me way off guard. longer than i personally thought it needed to be.
every time the 9/11 stuff came up it caught me way off guard. longer than i personally thought it needed to be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Violence
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Child abuse
bug_lightyear's review against another edition
4.5
First read in 14 hours about 1 year ago
Second read in 27 hours at 70% speed
I really enjoyed this book on the first read as I read it over a couple of days and it felt like I was visiting New York with the boys, and it's a super sweet love story despite the fact that it all happens in around 24 hours.
On second read I was more bothered by the violence (guns, domestic abuse, fights) and the visiting New York was shorter than I remembered, but I went to watch some videos about the Highline, Brooklyn Bridge and 9/11 memorial for my virtual trip to New York and it was nice to follow along on their adventures and have some inspiration on what to see next.
Second read in 27 hours at 70% speed
I really enjoyed this book on the first read as I read it over a couple of days and it felt like I was visiting New York with the boys, and it's a super sweet love story despite the fact that it all happens in around 24 hours.
On second read I was more bothered by the violence (guns, domestic abuse, fights) and the visiting New York was shorter than I remembered, but I went to watch some videos about the Highline, Brooklyn Bridge and 9/11 memorial for my virtual trip to New York and it was nice to follow along on their adventures and have some inspiration on what to see next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse
greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
xomandymoo's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
axel_p's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, and Murder
rebeccabryson21's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This was heartbreaking good, I can’t even out into words how much I loved this.
Ten out of ten
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
thebookpaiges's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Car accident
Minor: Cancer and Sexual content
hzcyr's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- 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
I havent read "They Both Die At The End" so this is my introduction to Adam Silvera's world. Personally, I left feeling it was the genre of dystopian tragedy masequeraded as gay love story contextualised in death.
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.
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.
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.
• 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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing and Religious bigotry