I enjoyed the first half of the book much more than the second half. As I mentioned the second half was repetitive at times but did show the sad ways that a child's death can affect a couple. Not only the child's death but what happens when two people cannot agree on something. How it can wear on them, their relationship and those in their lives. Many couples and marriages do not last after the loss of a child. What will happen to this one? Then there’s Sisekelo. This boy is very instrumental to what I think this book is all about. Yes, everyone is somehow entangled in this thing; Hlomu, baby Nyanda, young Langa, Naledi and, and, and… But this young boy who has a soul of a very old man and sees things that most people call creepy is very instrumental to helping the entire family deal with something Herculean task: Labor is a Herculean task, a phrase which here means "something you would rather not do on a library raft floating on a flooding coastal shelf." After The End continues with a different tone at midway through. I agree with other readers that the first part was absolutely excellent of a novel, perhaps better than the rest, but I stand by my high rating as a whole because that second part of the book focuses on the actual unravel/undoing of the life of the parents. A closer look afforded into the shattered hearts and minds of Pip and Max as individuals. Where Silvera's other two books had me gripped with emotion, huge chunks of this book were very slow. I also expected it to be deeper than it was. It was kind of a mediocre take on an exhausted message - the old "carpe diem", "live your life to the full", "make the most of today", etc. Because it is driven by its message, many of the conversations feel unnatural and didactic and, perhaps because of this, I wasn't sold on the development of "love" between Mateo and Rufus. Though, as in Yoon's The Sun Is Also a Star, I'm always skeptical of one-day love stories.

Max and Pip must decide if they should explore a treatment which will NOT cure him, but MAY extend his life..or allow the Doctors to provide only comfort care and allow him to die. Acquired taste: Ceviche is an acquired taste, a phrase which here means "something you don't like the first few times you eat it." The first half of the book is mostly “Before” – the life of a loving couple Max and Pip and their adorable toddler son Dylan. Tragically, Dylan’s health takes a dreadful turn and the prognosis is terrible for his future and damaged brain. The doctors recommend taking Dylan off life support as there doesn’t seem to be a way for him to recover and have a pain-free life. The big twist is that both parents have to agree to this course of action. One parent wants to seek an alternative treatment in the US (that would just extend his life, not cure him) while the other parent agrees with the doctor. It is up to the courts to decide Dylan’s fate. Seeing as neither parent can come to an agreement it is up to the court to decide, leaving Max and Pip’s facing an impossible situation.Interestingly, and on a more positive note, one of my absolute favourite parts of the book also reminded me of Yoon's The Sun Is Also a Star. This was the inclusion of random chapters from other characters' perspectives. In between Mateo's and Rufus's story, we get a brief glimpse into the lives of many other characters. There's something about this that I love - the suggestion that no character is throwaway, that even though some characters are not central to the story being told, they all have their own lives and stories going on. I listened to this audiobook on a road trip and will admit to sobbing at times while in my car - I cannot imagine what passerby’s must have thought of me. Admittedly, I felt more for Pip than Max. I found Max to be selfish and just wanted to shake him.. and yet at the end of the novel I had a better grasp as to where he was coming from. Look a gift horse in the mouth: The children did not want to look a gift horse in the mouth, a phrase which here means "turn down an offer of a hot meal, no matter how disappointed they were in the person who was offering it."

Most of the story is told from Pip and Max perspectives, but we also hear from Dylan's doctor. Dr. Khalili works hard for the children she treats. We see how difficult it is being the person who often has to give bad news, and how hard it is to not get emotionally involved with patients and family members. Three point five rounded up four but I still have my deep concerns about this book because this is not what I expected stars… An interesting concept & premise that paves potential for bigger world building (which unfortunately was not explored). I appreciate that this book has emotionally resonated so many people, and that it is centered around queer latinx boys with a healthy and wholesome relationship. I think about all the young boys grappling their sexuality and reading this book and seeing themselves in it, and that means a lot for such a marginalized and underrepresented group. This book is literally the best work from the series. I really appreciate the different character perspectives. It helps to understand them so much more. I am in awe of how well Dudu can write from both the female and male perspective and still give them their own voice. Dudu also tied a lot of loose ends and the important one being of the Zulu Family curse.

I loved the first part of the book. It's a difficult subject, a dilemma, a decision you should never judge unless you're making it yourself. There is the painful reality of losing a child without being able to do anything. The emotions of Pip and Max were so brilliantly portrayed. The joint was hopping: By the time the Baudelaire orphans returned to Ishmael's tent, the joint was hopping, a phrase which here means "full of islanders in white robes, all holding items they had scavenged from the coastal shelf"

Utz, Judith (August 31, 2017). "8 Fall Queer Reads You Need". Teen Vogue . Retrieved January 3, 2022.Reiterated: "I've triumphed!" Count Olaf reiterated, a word which here means "announced for the umpteenth time" Prepare to elevate your performances to new heights with The End - a remarkable book test that simplifies the art of mind reading, allowing you to effortlessly reveal your spectators' innermost thoughts. Angelo has ingenuously transformed a known principle to create the most fooling and astonishing experience. The End by Angelo Carbone is typical of his creations. Streamlined and very workable! It is now a more natural way to get the thought of word. If book tests are your thing, GET THIS!" You may be born into family, but you walk into friendships. Some you'll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk."

Unfavorable light: If the Baudelaires had told Ishmael the whole story, they would have had to tell the parts that put the Baudelaires in an unfavorable light, a phrase which here means "the things the Baudelaires had done that were perhaps as treacherous as Olaf" The book was written in quite a fascinating way. It's narrated in dueling chapters from the perspectives of Pip Adams (mother), Max Adams (father), and Dr. Leila Khalili (Dylan's physician). But when the judge reaches his decision, the book takes off in two different tangents that leave you momentarily disconcerted. Quite unexpectedly, both decisions, their medical outcomes, and effects on their marriage- are explored, in the same dueling narratives from Pip and Max (and occasionally Dr. Leila Khalili). At times I would get a bit thrown off as to which outcome I was reading, but it just took seconds to adjust and get grounded again. Both outcomes were brilliantly explored and left me in amazement at how life can play out. The moral of the story is, that no matter what decision you would make, you would always be second guessing yourself if you made the right one. A family torn apart during an impossible time. Palliative care or alternative treatment? That is the question.

This is a major change of pace novel for this author who writes thrillers. What a feat for her to successfully transition into such a serious and emotional genre. I’m in awe of her talent and look forward to what she comes out with next! Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2017. January 1, 2018 . Retrieved January 3, 2022– via Booklist. This was, for the first half of the book, one that caused the tears to freely flow as you accompany Pip and Max on this journey through hell. How can they reconcile the love and need for their son when in reality things seem to point to his demise. This part of their story was so well done. You could feel the sorrow, experience the pain, and pray along with them that things would get better. It was truly a journey that many have traveled and it's one you hope and pray you will never know.