I read They Both Die at the End years ago. And I honestly thought it was a one off. I loved the book, and I would have loved to see more of this world and it's characters, so imagine my shock when I scrolled through Instagram and came across it's prequel  — The First to Die at the End. I immediately went out to find and purchase this book because I wanted to know more. And I was not disappointed at all.

I loved it. And frankly, consider it stronger than the first book. Silvera has made a very compelling alternate world in which capitalism has taken over your life  —  and subsequently your death by subscribing (for a hefty price too) to Death-Cast, in which they will call when you have twenty-four hours left to live, and you will die before the day is done. How? The Decker (person called) doesn't know. You can only hope it's a painless and quick one.

So, to start off, this is a hefty book, 550 pages. And all of it takes place in less than twenty-four hours. Which makes it sound like a drag, but honestly it wasn't. With charming characters and various different POVs, it's actually a very compelling read and the world feels full and lived in. Each POV is uniquely different. From Valentino and Orion, the main protagonists, to Scarlett and Dalma, friends and siblings to the main boys, to Gloria  —  a mother who wants the best for her child, to Rolando, a former herald of Death-Cast, to Joaquin, the Death-Cast CEO, to even Mateo and Rufus from They Both Die at the End. We get various different POVs and while it can be distracting to some, I think this style works really well for the books.

Each character has such a unique voice and you find yourself caring for them, even if you spend a brief moment of time with them. The dialogue is  —  while cringy at times (which makes sense, they're teenagers)  —  is well done and realistic. I teared up when I saw Rufus and Mateo again, only as small children, knowing what would happen to them seven years after the book takes place. 

I also really love that Orion isn't just his tragedies. While yes, Silvera does focus on his viral cardiomyopathy or that his parents died on 9/11, he is first and foremost, an eighteen/nineteen year old, an aspiring writer and a hopeless romantic begging to come out of his shell. Valentino is the opposite, a healthy boy, on his way to becoming a model, extroverted and put together, with a twin sister he loves and cares for. My heart shattered when

it was Valentino who was called. Though Orion would have been too obvious, honestly and cruel.

Both boys learn to live in different ways through spending the day with each other, and despite the Instalove, it feels gradual and well done. 

There is so much heart (pun intended, for Orion) in this book, and it will definitely pull at the heartstrings (another one!). I cried at the end of this book as

losing Valentino via him being kicked down the stairs and experience brain death

was heartbreaking, too quick, unfair and brutal. I cried even harder when it was

his heart that saved Orion. That his death gave Orion his life is a cruel irony.

(When I catch you Adam...) It was a beautiful addition to the Death-Cast series. And I can't wait to see where Adam continues to take it.

Half way through this book I knew it was going to be a 5 star book. After reading "they both die at the end" I was a complete wreck - but this story broke me even more.

I absolutely loved watching the characters stories intertwine & even the sneak peak of Mateo and Rufus from the sequel and how Dalma is the one who invented the app that allowed them to meet in the future. 

I am really hoping there is another book which explores *how* death cast actually predicts the deaths of people & more on the different side stories of Rolando/gloria & Paz as well as naya & joaquin.

I really loved the first book when I read it last year, but sadly this one didn’t blew me away. 

I do think Silvera’s language is quite easy which is something I liked last time, but now it just felt flat (?). I think the characters speech and actions feels unreal, but I do really like the plot and the thing with one of them dying. 

I just had higher expectations and they weren’t meet.

I have both books from “the infinity son” which I’m planning to read but be will see. 

Took me 9 hours and 48 minutes