One Last Chance to Live
What would you do if you had one last summer to live?
Nico has always believed in his dreams. Especially the dream he has of becoming a writer; it’s the reason why he started taking a creative writing class his senior year of high school. But then Nico has a dream about his own funeral. A dream that feels too real to ignore.
In it, Rosario is beckoning to him. Rosario was Nico’s neighbor, his best friend’s girlfriend, and his inspiration. She was also the girl that Nico was in love with. And Rosario died last year.
Nico becomes obsessed with figuring out what Rosario was trying to say to him, and how she died. Surely if he can make sense of her death, he can find a way to prevent his own?
But at the same time, Nico’s mom is sick, and his brother is falling down a bad path with a local gang. Nico knows it’s on him to step up and take care of his family — but how can he keep it together when, like Rosario, he sees how easy it might be to just let go of it all.
This searingly beautiful and hopeful novel is about the search for a life of meaning and creativity, while also accepting the flawed life that we’re given. It’s a love story between a teen boy and the girl who still haunts his dreams.
Why Should You Read It?
Francisco X. Stork’s One Last Chance to Live is a poignant exploration of grief, love, and the search for meaning in a world that often feels overwhelming. Nico, a high school senior with dreams of becoming a writer, finds his life upended by a hauntingly vivid dream of his own funeral, where the presence of his deceased love, Rosario, leaves him questioning everything. Stork’s prose is lyrical, capturing the intensity of Nico’s emotions as he navigates the pressures of family responsibilities, the pull of his creative ambitions, and the weight of his unresolved feelings for Rosario.
However, while the novel has moments of profound insight, it sometimes struggles with pacing and focus. Nico’s internal conflict is compelling, but the narrative occasionally feels weighed down by the many issues it tries to address, from his mother’s illness to his brother’s dangerous choices. The supernatural element, while intriguing, could have been more fully developed to enhance the story’s impact. Despite these shortcomings, One Last Chance to Live offers a touching and thoughtful reflection on the complexities of life and the importance of finding hope, even in the darkest of times.