They Both Die at the End

“No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end.”

The concept is intriguing and Silvera has a pleasant writing style but this book left me feeling mostly nothing.

Leaving aside the lack of explanation regarding Death-Cast with all its plot-holes and whatnot, I just felt unexpectedly detached from Mateo and Rufus (I really like these names though) as a duo spending their last day together. I was not absolutely sold on them as individuals either, but I was surely more invested in their perspectives before they met.

The “falling in love in a day” for me is nothing but a gimmick, I didn't buy it in The Sun is Also a Star and it didn't buy it here. I don't see how something that meaningful can develop in such a short time span. When Mateo said "I love you" I couldn't do anything but roll out my eyes. I couldn't suspend my disbelief so I couldn't care much about their brief relationship and I didn't get much out of the story. If the book had focused more on them as individuals and maybe the start of a friendship it would've been a much better experience for me.

My favorite parts of the book are actually the little snippets about a few other people getting or not getting the call.