The First to Die at the End

The heart is a recurring motif throughout this novel, as it is particularly embodied by Orion’s heart condition and the feelings that emerge between him and Valentino. Dalma sums it up succinctly in saying to him that he has “heart-eyes [for Valentino]. How quickly you opened up your heart about your parents. Most important, the heart attack you had after saving this boy. Lots of heart-adjacent things” (146). Feelings of love become intertwined with Valentino’s decision to give Orion his heart after he dies. Orion falls deeply and quickly, and Dalma worries about Orion’s physical heart and his romantic heart, wanting to protect him as much as she can.

Because of Orion’s heart issues, how his heart feels comes up regularly, as he tries to keep up with Valentino’s pace or even has a heart attack after saving the other boy. However, at the same time, he and Valentino also feel in their hearts a romantic connection to one another. Orion frequently refers to Valentino’s lips as “heart-shaped,” becoming a physical embodiment of his love for the other boy.

Additionally, the heart is a symbol of life. As Joaquin Rosa insists, Deckers can figure out how their lives can change “by living with the fullest of hearts, down to the last beat” (541).