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The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera Review: Emotional YA Prequel With Real Stakes
Adam Silvera's The First to Die at the End is a YA speculative fiction prequel to his bestselling They Both Die at the End, set on the night before the fictional Death-Cast service goes live. It centers on two new protagonists — Orion Pagan and Valentino Prince — whose lives intersect in Times Square as the world holds its breath over whether Death-Cast's death predictions are real. A #1 New York Times bestseller, it earned a "Get It" verdict from Kirkus Reviews for its interlocking character work, its treatment of grief and faith, and its deliberate subversion of the "bury your gays" trope. The audiobook adaptation, while expansive, received a more measured reception from Kirkus for issues with unattributed dialogue and a perceived lack of the original's novelty. Readers who prized They Both Die at the End will find additional texture here, though the prequel stands on its own terms.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
YA readers drawn to emotionally high-stakes stories about mortality, queer identity, and found connection who want a structurally independent entry point into Silvera's Death-Cast universe — no prior knowledge of They Both Die at the End required.
Worth it if
You respond to ensemble, multi-perspective YA fiction that confronts grief, faith, and the fear of death with emotional intensity, and especially if you value stories that deliberately and structurally subvert the trope of punishing gay protagonists.
Skip if
You prefer compact, single-viewpoint storytelling — the 576-page multi-perspective scope can dilute emotional intensity, and audiobook listeners in particular should be aware that Kirkus found unattributed dialogue exchanges difficult to follow in that format.
What readers & critics say
Kirkus Reviews awarded the novel a "Get It" verdict, calling it "a rush of emotion and suspense" and praising Silvera's intricately interconnected character perspectives and his handling of grief, abuse, and religious faith "with complexity and care," while noting the audio adaptation lacks the predecessor's novelty. YABooksCentral describes it as a "bittersweet and heartbreaking" story "filled with hope" that couldn't be put down, and Bookishelf characterises it as a prequel that "doesn't just set the stage — it deepens it."
“A rush of emotion and suspense.”
— Kirkus Reviews4.6from 2,832 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Is and What It Sets Out to Do
- Place in the Series and Accessibility for New Readers
- Character Construction and Representation
- Subverting the Trope — and the Limits of the Audiobook
- Who This Book Is For — and Where It Strains
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- A #1 New York Times bestseller that earned a 'Get It' verdict and 'rush of emotion and suspense' praise from Kirkus Reviews
- Stands independently as a complete story — Kirkus confirms prior knowledge of They Both Die at the End is not required to follow the plot
- Deliberately subverts the 'bury your gays' trope, building the refusal to punish its gay protagonists into the novel's core structure
- Silvera constructs an interlocking web of character perspectives, with a predominantly Latine cast handled with specificity and care according to Kirkus
- Confronts heavy themes — grief, abuse, and religious faith — with what Kirkus describes as complexity and care
What Doesn't
- The audiobook edition received a more critical Kirkus assessment, citing unattributed dialogue exchanges that are difficult for listeners to follow and a sense that the audio adaptation lacks the original novel's novelty
- At 576 pages in the paperback edition, the book's scope and multi-perspective structure may challenge readers who prefer compact, single-viewpoint storytelling
The First to Die at the End is a #1 New York Times bestseller and a worthy companion to They Both Die at the End — one that functions as its own complete story while deepening the world Silvera built.
What the Book Is and What It Sets Out to Do
The First to Die at the End: TikTok made me buy it! The prequel to THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera front cover
The First to Die at the End is a YA speculative fiction novel set on the eve of Death-Cast's public launch — the night before a company promising to predict subscribers' deaths within a 24-hour window becomes real to the world. The central question driving the story is both societal and intensely personal: is Death-Cast genuine, or an elaborate hoax? Into that charged atmosphere, Silvera introduces Orion Pagan, an aspiring author living with a heart condition who has every reason to fear the midnight call, and Valentino Prince, a model on the cusp of his national debut who has left his homophobic family in Arizona to start over. Their collision at a Times Square party — coincidental or fated — sets the narrative in motion. The novel tracks the final day of the very first "Decker" (the term for a person notified they will die) against the backdrop of national chaos surrounding Death-Cast's premiere.
Place in the Series and Accessibility for New Readers
Originally published October 4, 2022 by Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, and later available in a Simon & Schuster paperback edition, the novel is positioned as Book 2 of 3 in the They Both Die at the End series — functioning as a prequel rather than a sequel. Kirkus Reviews notes that familiarity with the 2017 original "provides additional context and depth but isn't essential to understanding the plot," meaning readers new to the series can enter here without being lost. That structural independence is a genuine asset: Silvera introduces an entirely new central cast rather than revisiting Mateo and Rufus, allowing the prequel to carry its own emotional weight rather than coasting on nostalgia.
Character Construction and Representation
One of the novel's most discussed strengths is Silvera's approach to character diversity and the complexity with which he handles it. Kirkus Reviews observes that most of the cast is Latine — including White-passing Orion, whose family is Puerto Rican — while Valentino and his twin sister are presumed White. The story weaves through multiple interconnected perspectives, and Kirkus describes Silvera as crafting "a web of intricately interconnected character perspectives and conflicts" around the two leads. Crucially, the novel confronts grief, abuse, and religious faith, according to Kirkus, "with complexity and care" — not as backdrop, but as active forces shaping how characters respond to the arrival of Death-Cast.
Subverting the Trope — and the Limits of the Audiobook
Perhaps the most talked-about craft decision in the novel is Silvera's deliberate refusal to punish his gay protagonists. Kirkus Reviews specifically highlights that despite the presumed inevitability of a fatal outcome for the romance between Orion and Valentino, Silvera subverts the trope of killing off gay characters as a narrative device. This is not a subtle authorial stance — it is built into the architecture of the plot. The book's publisher describes its tone as characteristic of Silvera's "bittersweet touch" and frames it as a celebration of the lasting impact people have on each other. The audiobook version, narrated by Jason Genao, Anthony Keyvan, and Kyla Garcia, received a more reserved assessment from Kirkus: while Kyla Garcia is noted to narrate the side plots "fluidly," Kirkus found that "frequent exchanges of unattributed dialogue are difficult for listeners to follow" and that "the story lacks its predecessor's novelty and magic" in audio form. Readers sensitive to audio production choices may want to factor that in.
Who This Book Is For — and Where It Strains
Readers who respond to emotionally high-stakes YA fiction dealing with mortality, identity, and found connection will find The First to Die at the End operating squarely in that register. Kirkus calls it "a rush of emotion and suspense" and awarded it a "Get It" verdict — strong praise from a discerning trade outlet. The novel's multi-perspective structure, which Silvera uses to capture both the intimate experience of Orion and Valentino and the wider societal upheaval of Death-Cast's launch, rewards readers who enjoy ensemble storytelling. Those who come primarily for the mythology of They Both Die at the End and hope for the same first-entry spark may find, as Kirkus suggested of the audio version, that the prequel registers differently from the original — though that observation applies specifically to the audio adaptation in Kirkus's framing, not the print text, which earned unambiguous praise. At 576 pages in the Simon & Schuster paperback edition, it is a substantial commitment, and readers who prefer tightly plotted standalone fiction over expansive, character-dense YA may find the scope demanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
is The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera worth reading if i haven't read They Both Die at the End
Yes — Kirkus Reviews notes that familiarity with the 2017 original "provides additional context and depth but isn't essential to understanding the plot," meaning you can start here without being lost. Silvera introduces an entirely new central cast — Orion Pagan and Valentino Prince — rather than revisiting Mateo and Rufus, so the prequel carries its own emotional weight and stands on its own terms.
what is The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera actually about
It's set on the eve of Death-Cast's public launch — the night before a company promising to predict subscribers' deaths within a 24-hour window becomes real to the world — and follows Orion Pagan, an aspiring author with a heart condition, and Valentino Prince, a model who has left his homophobic family in Arizona to start over in New York. Their collision at a Times Square party sets the story in motion, tracking the final day of the very first "Decker" against the backdrop of national chaos surrounding Death-Cast's premiere.
does The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera kill off the gay characters
Silvera deliberately subverts that expectation — Kirkus Reviews specifically highlights that he refuses to punish his gay protagonists, calling it a built-in architectural choice of the plot rather than a subtle authorial stance. The publisher frames the book's tone as characteristic of Silvera's "bittersweet touch" and as a celebration of the lasting impact people have on each other.
what age is The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera appropriate for
Best for ages 14 and up — the book deals in sustained, emotionally heavy territory including death, grief, abuse, and homophobia that suits more mature teen readers. Younger readers who pick it up may find those themes overwhelming, as the story confronts them, in Kirkus's words, "with complexity and care" rather than keeping them in the background.
is The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera too long
At 576 pages in the Simon & Schuster paperback edition, it's a substantial commitment, and the review notes that readers who prefer tightly plotted standalone fiction over expansive, character-dense YA may find the scope demanding. That said, the multi-perspective structure — weaving through Orion Pagan, Valentino Prince, and a web of interconnected side characters — is a deliberate feature that Kirkus praised as "a rush of emotion and suspense."
is the audiobook of The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera any good
The audiobook received a more reserved reception than the print edition — Kirkus found that "frequent exchanges of unattributed dialogue are difficult for listeners to follow" and felt that "the story lacks its predecessor's novelty and magic" in audio form. Narrator Kyla Garcia is singled out as narrating the side plots "fluidly," but readers sensitive to audio production choices may prefer the print version, which earned Kirkus's unambiguous "Get It" verdict.
is The First to Die at the End Prequel By Adam Silvera good for fans of emotional YA about identity and grief
It's very much built for that readership — the novel confronts grief, abuse, and religious faith, according to Kirkus, "with complexity and care," and most of the cast, including White-passing Orion whose family is Puerto Rican, is Latine, giving the identity themes real specificity. Kirkus awarded it a "Get It" verdict, calling it "a rush of emotion and suspense" and praising Silvera's "web of intricately interconnected character perspectives and conflicts."
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
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- Further reading
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Adam Silvera, Wikipedia
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kirkusreviews.com
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summarybook.net
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newbookrecommendation.com
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