Dying on Schedule
Oh, Thanksgiving break! A great time to catch up on reading. I just breezed through Denton Little's Death Date by Lance Rubin. It was not at all what I expected, and I was pleasantly surprised!
Imagine a world in which you knew the exact day you were going to die. In Denton's world, that's exactly what it's like. When you're born, they take a bit of your hair and blood and do some scientific mumbo-jumbo and boom, they can figure out the day the Grim Reaper is going to come knocking on your door.
Denton is what they an "early"- he's slated to die before he turns 21. Before he graduates high school, in fact, on the day of senior prom. He has been living his life as normally as he can, going to school and being an average joe. Two nights before his "death date", his average streak is shattered. After an alcohol-blurred night, things get weird. Strange people show up. Odd things start happening. Denton's death date is nothing like he imagined, and surprises and plot twists lie around every corner.
This book was a thrilling ride of quick jokes, subtle and endearing characters, and alternating scenes of irreverence and deep thoughts. Denton is quite a guy- he's very real, like any high school boy, and yet wise beyond his years in some areas. He's also pretty dumb sometimes. His banter with his best friend, Paolo, was one of my favorite parts of the story. Rubin spins us a tale of growing up too quickly, making tough choices, and the meaning of family. It also has a weird, almost sci-fi, tinge to it. Though it wasn't what I thought it would be, I thoroughly enjoyed Denton Little's Death Date.
Imagine a world in which you knew the exact day you were going to die. In Denton's world, that's exactly what it's like. When you're born, they take a bit of your hair and blood and do some scientific mumbo-jumbo and boom, they can figure out the day the Grim Reaper is going to come knocking on your door.
Denton is what they an "early"- he's slated to die before he turns 21. Before he graduates high school, in fact, on the day of senior prom. He has been living his life as normally as he can, going to school and being an average joe. Two nights before his "death date", his average streak is shattered. After an alcohol-blurred night, things get weird. Strange people show up. Odd things start happening. Denton's death date is nothing like he imagined, and surprises and plot twists lie around every corner.
This book was a thrilling ride of quick jokes, subtle and endearing characters, and alternating scenes of irreverence and deep thoughts. Denton is quite a guy- he's very real, like any high school boy, and yet wise beyond his years in some areas. He's also pretty dumb sometimes. His banter with his best friend, Paolo, was one of my favorite parts of the story. Rubin spins us a tale of growing up too quickly, making tough choices, and the meaning of family. It also has a weird, almost sci-fi, tinge to it. Though it wasn't what I thought it would be, I thoroughly enjoyed Denton Little's Death Date.
(picture courtesy of penguinrandomhouse.com)
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