Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - The First to Die at the End

Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

178 reviews

tvintrs's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

The First to Die at the End is a book with an interesting premise and a diverse cast of characters. On the face of it, it seems like a pretty long book clocking in at 550 pages in the hardback edition but it reads quickly and the constant changing of POVs used within the story help to keep the pace strong throughout.
The book follows two young men in New York who meet for the first time on the eve of Death Cast's first day running

(a Service which calls people in advance to let them know that they would be dying within 24 hours of the call.)

Orion, a native New Yorker, meets Valentino - an aspiring model, new to NY - and they become fast friends when they find out that

it is Valentino's ''End Day'' and he would soon be dying.

The friendship between the boys is quite sweet and seeing Orion

doing everything he can to give Valentino the best last day is admirable and inspiring.

However, I couldn't help but feel that there was a lot crammed into the 24 hours the book takes place through, which sometimes left it feeling rushed particularly in regard to the relationship between the boys and Valentino's offer

of giving his heart to Orion (literally, as Orion suffers with cardiac myophathy and is also on somewhat of a life timer.) It felt, to me, a little manipulative given that Valentino probably shouldn't have been making such descisions in the state he was in, but it did help to highlight the ethical questions around Death Cast such as what is ethically correct when it comes to a Decker wanting to organ donate.

I really enjoyed the concept of Death-Cast and the legal and ethical implications it would have on the world, and was interesting to see how it impacted the fate of Valentino at the end. I do, however, wish we as an audience had come to know more about the workings of the company. Perhaps this is explored in a later book, or perhaps it is left as a mystery, either way the concept was an interesting read.
Ultimately, I feel as though for me this was a 3 star read. It was quick and easy, but I struggled at times with the dialogue of the younger characters (perhaps just as I am not American so the slang/nicknames at times just felt too foreign or forced (O-Bro particuarly)) which was a little grating. I also felt it was a little rushed and didn't fully invest in the relationship between Orion and Valentino, not helped I think by the fact I found Orion to be not a super likeable character - I'm not sure why. The ending I feel should have left more of an impact, but I didn't feel it myself. Other than being happy for Gloria's newfound hopeful freedom, anyway. I feel like it would have a better impact on a younger audience and do feel the themes in the book are very worth exploring. I look forward to reading more of Adam Silvera's writing in this universe.

Content Warnings