Review by Booklist Review
Rejected by his parents when he comes out, Valentino leaves Phoenix for New York City. At loose ends there, he makes his way to Times Square, which is packed with people who have come to witness the launch of Death-Cast, a technology that claims it can predict, within 24 hours, when a person will die. If registered, they will receive a phone call with the ominous news. Making the very first call is Joaquin Rosa, founder of Death-Cast. The rapt crowd watches the giant screens as he dials the phone, and it is Valentino's that rings. Will he be the first to die? Or will it be his new friend Orion, who--suffering from viral cardiomyopathy--has a heart attack? Rushed to the hospital, Orion recovers, but not before Valentino makes a remarkable offer. If Valentino does die, he will donate his heart to Orion. With this grand gesture, the two boys decide to spend Valentino's last day together, and they fall in love. This prequel to Silvera's They Both Die at the End (2017) is an extraordinary--no, make that a brilliant--book with a riveting plot. Despite its considerable length, interest never flags as the wonderfully crafted characters' relationship develops all the way through the book's unforgettable ending. Awards committees, don't miss this one.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
On the eve of the historic launch of a death-predicting corporation, two queer teens make the most of the time they have left together in Silvera's heart-wrenching standalone prequel to They Both Die at the End. Because of his heart condition, 18-year-old Puerto Rican writer Orion Pagan has spent most of his life waiting to die, terrified of not knowing when it'll happen. With the appearance of Death-Cast, a corporation that claims it can predict people's death dates, he takes comfort in the fact that "at least I'll know when it's game over." Meanwhile, white-presenting 19-year-old model Valentino Prince believes his life is only getting started. Having just arrived in N.Y.C. after moving out of his strict religious parents' house in Arizona, Valentino, eager to discover the city, ventures into Times Square, where Death-Cast prepares to celebrate its launch. The boys meet and strike up an immediate flirtationship amid the celebrations, but when midnight strikes, and Death-Cast informs one of them that he will die the next day, they resolve to spend a lifetime in 24 hours. Fans of the first book will enjoy pointing out familiar details while absorbing Death-Cast's riveting lore. Through the boys' vulnerable alternating perspectives, interspersed with vignettes that explore varied supporting characters' relationships with death, Silvera crafts a stunning and thought-provoking narrative that examines difficult existential questions without eschewing hope. Ages 13--up. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Silvera returns with this heartbreaking prequel to They Both Die at the End that's an exploration of grief as it happens. Death-Cast, an organization that can predict when someone is going to die, is moments away from making its public debut. Attendees at parties around the globe are anxiously awaiting the first round of calls to go out at midnight. The party in Times Square is crowded and where Orion and Valentino meet for the first time. Valentino is there to experience what could be a historic event or the biggest prank. He just relocated to New York City that night to start his career as a model. His twin sister will be joining him the following day. Orion is there with his best friend, Dalma, and has joined Death-Cast, against his family's wishes, to give him peace of mind while living with a serious heart condition. As the calls go out, one boy receives one while the other doesn't. Already feeling such a strong, instant connection to each other, Orion and Valentino don't know what's in store for the other's future, but they do know that they want to spend this final day together. While this book features different characters than the first, it carries similar feelings and can stand alone; Easter eggs to They Both Die at the End are planted throughout. This is subtle exposure to science fiction for readers who aren't ready to be fully immersed in the genre. VERDICT A first purchase. Fans of the previous book will be anxious to get their hands on this title.--Alicia Kalan
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Crowds gather across the United States for the launch of Death-Cast, a company that promises to change the world by predicting the deaths of everyone who subscribes in this prequel to They Both Die at the End (2017). Orion Pagan, an aspiring author with a heart condition, hopes his phone won't ring at midnight, but he knows Death-Cast's call is coming soon. Unlike Orion, Valentino Prince, a model on the verge of his national debut, has no reason to anticipate Death-Cast's call and isn't sure if he believes the company's claims. By coincidence or fate, their lives collide at a party in Times Square, and a single, historic phone call alters the courses of their futures. This heart-pounding story follows the final day of the first Decker, or person who is going to die, and the national chaos of Death-Cast's premiere. Silvera crafts a web of intricately interconnected character perspectives and conflicts around Orion and Valentino. Apart from Valentino and his twin sister, who are presumed White, most of the characters are Latine, including White-passing Orion, whose family is Puerto Rican. The story confronts heavy topics like grief, abuse, and religious faith with complexity and care. Despite the presumed inevitability of a fatal end to the central romance between Orion and Valentino, Silvera subverts the trope of punishing gay characters with violent tragedy. Familiarity with the original book provides additional context and depth but isn't essential to understanding the plot. A rush of emotion and suspense. (Speculative fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
