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injiofthebooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Mental illness, Gun violence, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
robinks's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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? Yes
5.0
Such a fascinating premise. I loved getting to see how all the characters’ stories tied together and the interesting conversations about death, which were honestly more interesting to me than the romance. I would’ve liked to see more build up of romantic glimpses into Mateo & Rufus’s last day (though maybe that wasn’t really intended to be the focus), but overall I was really satisfied and thought the ending was fitting.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Death of parent, Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Blood, Child death, and Medical content
amazelan's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content and Car accident
Minor: Sexual content, Lesbophobia, and Suicide attempt
kirstenf's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Violence, and Grief
Moderate: Animal death, Suicide attempt, Medical content, and Terminal illness
m_riaelle's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? Yes
5.0
No.
"No one should feel bad for trying to be good."
Mateo deserved every good thing in the world because he believed there is a good part in everyone deep inside. He'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. He's pure, innocent, and kind that I would willingly save him in the face of danger, and he'll do the same. He lived for everyone. My love for this character will be endless.
If anyone would ask if this made me cry, the answer is no. But it felt like my heart squeezed with every passing chapter because of how attached I felt to Mateo. The fact that deep inside, I was rooting for Mateo to beat Death-Cast. Deep inside, I wished death for him was not inevitable. With my all, I wish he's real and knowing that a person like him is living would be comforting.
Mateo is 97% reason I'm giving this five stars, 1% because of how great that everything and EVERYONE are connected (in some way) and have their own POVs, and 2% because Rufus helped Mateo be everything he wanted to be in his last hours and Mateo, helped Rufus found colour in his life in his last hours.
CW: Violence, Blood, Death of Animal (Bird), House on Fire, Car Accident, Bomb Explosion, Suicide Ideation, Gun, Anxiety, Attempted Murder, Bullying, Death, Depression, and Grief (search it up for more specifics or correct CW as mine is what I thought is triggering while I read it)
"No one should feel bad for trying to be good."
Mateo deserved every good thing in the world because he believed there is a good part in everyone deep inside. He'll give everyone the benefit of the doubt. He's pure, innocent, and kind that I would willingly save him in the face of danger, and he'll do the same. He lived for everyone. My love for this character will be endless.
If anyone would ask if this made me cry, the answer is no. But it felt like my heart squeezed with every passing chapter because of how attached I felt to Mateo. The fact that deep inside, I was rooting for Mateo to beat Death-Cast. Deep inside, I wished death for him was not inevitable. With my all, I wish he's real and knowing that a person like him is living would be comforting.
Mateo is 97% reason I'm giving this five stars, 1% because of how great that everything and EVERYONE are connected (in some way) and have their own POVs, and 2% because Rufus helped Mateo be everything he wanted to be in his last hours and Mateo, helped Rufus found colour in his life in his last hours.
CW: Violence, Blood, Death of Animal (Bird), House on Fire, Car Accident, Bomb Explosion, Suicide Ideation, Gun, Anxiety, Attempted Murder, Bullying, Death, Depression, and Grief (search it up for more specifics or correct CW as mine is what I thought is triggering while I read it)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Bullying, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Death, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Grief, and Animal death
cookiecat73's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Physical abuse, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Car accident, Cursing, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Lesbophobia, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Drug use, Pregnancy, Outing, and Panic attacks/disorders
mandel's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Medical content and Suicide attempt
cassie12_21's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Suicide attempt, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Death of parent, and Car accident
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
jessicohen15's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-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
Beautifully written and the ending essay from Silvera really helped me appreciate his choices and intent for the story. Don’t get wrapped up in the inevitable and enjoy the journey of two boys growing and learning about themselves and the world around them.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Biphobia, Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Terminal illness