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Reread March 2024:

It’s just as amazing as I remembered it and the ending still wrecked me even when I knew what happened. Continues to be one of my favorite books of all time.

Original Review June 2018:

This book has emotionally wrecked me. I just keep thinking about it. Just looking at the title, you know this book is going to be sad but you don’t realize how much it will keep you thinking. I’m just sitting here cradling the book to my chest and thinking about it. That’s how good it is.

It is set in a world just like ours except there is a company called Death-Cast that will call you to let you know you are going to die that day. Just the concept alone can get you thinking. Is it good or bad to know when you’re going to die? It’s just such a mix because you can live your best day when you know but at the same time you can spend your whole life wondering. I feel like he explained Death Cast really well. I understood how it worked and there were some perspectives from employees at Death Cast. We also see the emotional aspect on how it affects everyone not just the two main characters.

The characters are so well developed. Even though you’ve only known them for almost a whole day, it feels like you’ve known them for much longer. At first I thought there were only going to be two perspectives: Mateo and Rufus. Instead we got multiple perspectives, some from secondary characters and others we only got to see once in passing. I thought it would take away from the story but instead it brought something to it. It showed that people are affected by people’s actions and get a good moment. I’m explaining it very weirdly but the point is that one small act can affect someone even if it’s someone you don’t know.

The main characters are Mateo and Rufus and of course I love them. They are both so different but they let their real selves show and it helps them grow into the best person they can be. Mateo is the sweetest, kindest, and selfless guy ever. He is so pure but he is also very paranoid. He gives kindness to anyone who deserves it and he is so shy. He is super loyal as well and all I want to do is give him a hug. Rufus, on the other hand, seems tough but is broken. He couldn’t get past over what happened to his parents. He likes to capture every moment in pictures. He is very emotional but hides it behind aggressiveness. He cares about his friends deeply. He is more outgoing than Mateo and likes to ride on his bike because it gives him freedom. They both bond over experiences and open up to each other. Even though they just met that day, the romance felt natural. It was as if the whole day was more than just a day. They got to connect and even though it was just a day, there was no insta-love. It happened naturally just like in any other relationship.

The writing really was powerful as well. There were times that I read a sentence and related to it. There were funny moments, moments that made me smile, moments that made me think, and definitely moments that made me cry. I felt every chapter had a purpose and there were no filler chapters. I just thought the pacing was so well done and sentences that just clicked. Just the writing alone made me want to keep reading it.

There are so many lessons that can be learned. Live in the moment. Don’t waste time worrying about the little things. Love doesn’t have a calendar. Always be your best self. A little kindness goes a long way. Others around you have lives you don’t know about. One little thing you do can make their day. You can take a lot of things away from this book and it’s not just one certain thing. I think that is very inspiring.

Overall, I loved it and this is definitely one of my favorites of this year and maybe of all time. I will never forget a story like this and will always think about it. I will never forget Mateo and Rufus. If you want a book that will make you think about life and will also wreck you at the same time, I recommend this. I highly recommend it for everyone actually. Especially for people who love contemporaries with a deeper meaning. I definitely need to check out his other works. This was so amazing.