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jannetommo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol and Murder
gracetiblem's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Death of parent, and Gun violence
Moderate: Murder and Fire/Fire injury
tetedump's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, and Death
mashed_potato221's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
fast-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
4.75
I cried so much, it's such a lovely yet heart wrenching story, you really get to love the characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Car accident, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
I clicked a lot of content warning tags, because I can understand how the things I mentioned could be triggering, but really the book just focused on the characters and any triggering content is only a brief part of the overall story.anton13's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It’s really enjoyable even though it’s such a sad book. I found it to be easy to read but not in a child book way. The changing of perspective kept me interested and I found myself not wanting to put the book down once I started to read. The end even though it’s truly heartbreaking gave some kind of closure that I really enjoyed. The author is a really good writer and I’m excited to read his other books
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Murder, Medical content, and Violence
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Suicide
pippamillerxoxo_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Violence, Child death, Death of parent, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, and Stalking
pinkupengu's review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Murder, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Bullying, Car accident, and Violence
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Toxic relationship, Ableism, and Classism
kris_reads's review against another edition
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
james1star's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? It's complicated
4.5
TW: this book mentions death, grief, suicide, mental health, terrorism and gun crime (latter four rather minor)
Now… whilst this book’s title is a massive spoiler in that ‘they both [do in fact] die at the end’ and death is a recurring theme throughout, it is more about life. It is certainly sad in places, heart wrenching and emotional but for me it’s primarily uplifting and impactful.
When I started, I was honestly quite unimpressed and didn’t jam well with the characters. This was partly because of the hype surrounding it specifically on BookTok and BookTube so I guess I was expecting a wow moment. Additionally, I didn’t see the realistic-ness of the books concept and character’s idiolect which I personally felt rather forced and I just felt I didn’t like them at first. But alas… I began to fall IN LOVE with them. They’re just lovely people.
The book follows two teenagers, Mateo and Rufus, who are alerted (via Death-Cast (DC)) at midnight they’re going to die within the next 24 hours. They both don’t have that many relationships, the former’s mum died at birth so was raised by his dad who’s in a coma but does have a bestfriend and goddaughter (who’s father died recently and alerted via DC) and the latter lost his parents and sister (also DC alerted) so was placed in a foster home where he gained a found family of three others. Mateo is basically a loner as such and afraid of the outside world restricted by the opinions of strangers (ooh who does that remind me of?? Of yh… me) and Rufus planned a funeral with his friends but this is sabotaged so he too is left alone. They then decide to download the Last Fried app which is basically a more depressing (in my case anyways) version of Bumble BFF where deckers (people who will die in 24hrs) and ‘normal’ people can meet and spend the day together… to have a last friend for the day. They both then talk on the app and decide to meet in person.
I feel like I’m explaining in too much detail but anyhow… they meet and we follow them on their last day. They both get to know each other and a great friendship (or more??) blooms. This is both a bittersweet journey as it’s so lovely seeing them live and learn to live, love, laugh (cliche… but it’s a cliche for a reason no??) again but also we know they’re going to die. This is especially prominent in the train scene when they’re making up their past and future - just very heart warming and breaking all together. I don’t want to give away anymore details as possible spoilers but I would so recommend this book as it’s rather varied and interesting what they do actually get up to and the messages shared. Rufus also documents this on instagram in full colour instead of his usual monochrome photography - I really liked this sorta-metaphor of brining colour and life back to his outlook… amazing.
There are also peripheral characters who we come across and see their POV via a 3rd person account as opposed the the 1st person chapters from Mateo and Rufus which interchange. These are good but I do find them slightly irrelevant and undeveloped but at the end of the day I guess they are just peripheral not the main characters but Yhh I’m slightly on the fence on this inclusion but certainly not enough to negate my opinion on the book.
Another point (I’m nearly done) is that I do have a soft spot (bias some may say) for queer characters and I did really LOVE the love blossoming between Mateo and Rufus. It was just so beautiful and innocent - exceptionally done in my opinion. I also found these queer sprinklings rather limited but done very well and relatable/realistic. I don’t know what more to say but I just really really really appreciated them and it made my depressed heart sing.
My final takes from this book. Go out and live your life. Yes be careful and have common sense on certain things (ie don’t walk across the road when cars are driving fast or into a gang or whatever) but take the opportunities given to you. Don’t always second guess yourselves. Don’t dwell on the possible (and very irrelevant) opinions of others. Sing, dance, tell the one you love you love them, tell the people who matter they matter. Tell yourself you are worthy and capable of living, of loving, of being loved. Because you are. Live as if today is your last day… who knows if it isn’t - we don’t have Death-Cast in our timeline… for better or worse. This is what I’m choosing to take from this book and what I believe we’re meant to. Yes there is certainly death and grief and negative elements to the book but threading it’s way throughout is the notion of life. The fact we’re only given one and we’re here to live it, not wast it. So yhhh, I’m done preaching and philosophising. Read the book if you want, don’t if you don’t.
Now… whilst this book’s title is a massive spoiler in that ‘they both [do in fact] die at the end’ and death is a recurring theme throughout, it is more about life. It is certainly sad in places, heart wrenching and emotional but for me it’s primarily uplifting and impactful.
When I started, I was honestly quite unimpressed and didn’t jam well with the characters. This was partly because of the hype surrounding it specifically on BookTok and BookTube so I guess I was expecting a wow moment. Additionally, I didn’t see the realistic-ness of the books concept and character’s idiolect which I personally felt rather forced and I just felt I didn’t like them at first. But alas… I began to fall IN LOVE with them. They’re just lovely people.
The book follows two teenagers, Mateo and Rufus, who are alerted (via Death-Cast (DC)) at midnight they’re going to die within the next 24 hours. They both don’t have that many relationships, the former’s mum died at birth so was raised by his dad who’s in a coma but does have a bestfriend and goddaughter (who’s father died recently and alerted via DC) and the latter lost his parents and sister (also DC alerted) so was placed in a foster home where he gained a found family of three others. Mateo is basically a loner as such and afraid of the outside world restricted by the opinions of strangers (ooh who does that remind me of?? Of yh… me) and Rufus planned a funeral with his friends but this is sabotaged so he too is left alone. They then decide to download the Last Fried app which is basically a more depressing (in my case anyways) version of Bumble BFF where deckers (people who will die in 24hrs) and ‘normal’ people can meet and spend the day together… to have a last friend for the day. They both then talk on the app and decide to meet in person.
I feel like I’m explaining in too much detail but anyhow… they meet and we follow them on their last day. They both get to know each other and a great friendship (or more??) blooms. This is both a bittersweet journey as it’s so lovely seeing them live and learn to live, love, laugh (cliche… but it’s a cliche for a reason no??) again but also we know they’re going to die. This is especially prominent in the train scene when they’re making up their past and future - just very heart warming and breaking all together. I don’t want to give away anymore details as possible spoilers but I would so recommend this book as it’s rather varied and interesting what they do actually get up to and the messages shared. Rufus also documents this on instagram in full colour instead of his usual monochrome photography - I really liked this sorta-metaphor of brining colour and life back to his outlook… amazing.
There are also peripheral characters who we come across and see their POV via a 3rd person account as opposed the the 1st person chapters from Mateo and Rufus which interchange. These are good but I do find them slightly irrelevant and undeveloped but at the end of the day I guess they are just peripheral not the main characters but Yhh I’m slightly on the fence on this inclusion but certainly not enough to negate my opinion on the book.
Another point (I’m nearly done) is that I do have a soft spot (bias some may say) for queer characters and I did really LOVE the love blossoming between Mateo and Rufus. It was just so beautiful and innocent - exceptionally done in my opinion. I also found these queer sprinklings rather limited but done very well and relatable/realistic. I don’t know what more to say but I just really really really appreciated them and it made my depressed heart sing.
My final takes from this book. Go out and live your life. Yes be careful and have common sense on certain things (ie don’t walk across the road when cars are driving fast or into a gang or whatever) but take the opportunities given to you. Don’t always second guess yourselves. Don’t dwell on the possible (and very irrelevant) opinions of others. Sing, dance, tell the one you love you love them, tell the people who matter they matter. Tell yourself you are worthy and capable of living, of loving, of being loved. Because you are. Live as if today is your last day… who knows if it isn’t - we don’t have Death-Cast in our timeline… for better or worse. This is what I’m choosing to take from this book and what I believe we’re meant to. Yes there is certainly death and grief and negative elements to the book but threading it’s way throughout is the notion of life. The fact we’re only given one and we’re here to live it, not wast it. So yhhh, I’m done preaching and philosophising. Read the book if you want, don’t if you don’t.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Violence, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Suicide attempt, Car accident, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
averyrembish's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Cursing and Gun violence