Review: The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)

Title: The First to Die at the End (Death-Cast #0)
Author: Adam Silvera
Genre: Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this prequel to #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon They Both Die at the End, two new strangers spend a life-changing day together after Death-Cast first makes their fateful calls.

It’s the night before Death-Cast goes live, and there’s one question on everyone’s mind: Can Death-Cast actually predict when someone will die, or is it just an elaborate hoax?

Orion Pagan has waited years for someone to tell him that he’s going to die. He has a serious heart condition, and he signed up for Death-Cast so he could know what’s coming.

Valentino Prince is restarting his life in New York. He has a long and promising future ahead and he only registered for Death-Cast after his twin sister nearly died in a car accident.

Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.

Told with acclaimed author Adam Silvera’s signature bittersweet touch, this story celebrates the lasting impact that people have on each other and proves that life is always worth living to the fullest.

Review:

2010: Death-Cast is a new service that will call you between 12 AM and 2 AM on the day you will die. On the first night that they’re open, no one is sure if it will work or not, because the creator of Death-Cast, Joaquin Rosa, hasn’t shared his secret of how he will know when someone will die. On that night, Orion Pagan has signed up for the service. He lost his parents in 9/11 and he has a heart condition, so he has accepted that he will die young. Valentino Prince has moved to New York City to pursue a career in modeling after his parents cut him out of their lives for being gay. Valentino’s twin sister had a near death experience in a car accident, so Valentino signs up for Death-Cast to be prepared for his own death. Orion and Valentino meet by chance on the opening night of Death-Cast, which forever changes their lives. One of them gets the call that night, but the other doesn’t. They decide to spend this End Day together, knowing it will only end in heartbreak. 

This prequel completely blew me away. I knew it would be an emotional read, which I tend to avoid. I’m so glad I read this one because it was so beautifully crafted. There were cameos from characters from They Both Die at the End that were both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Every character had an important purpose that contributed to the ending of the story. 

The First to Die at the End is one of my favourite books of the year, and probably of all time. 

Thank you so much HCC Frenzy for sending me this copy!

What to read next:

Other books in the series:

• They Both Die at the End

Have you read The First to Die at the End? What did you think of it?