“Some risks are worth it.”
Title: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary / LGBTQ+
Page number: 368
Synopsis (from Goodreads)
On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.
Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day.
[5/5]
This book is, uh, how do I put this…
IT’S A STAB IN THE BACK.
A STAB IN THE BACK I TELL YOU.
So, naive me thought that, “Hey, I mean, at least I know they both die eventually…so I can prepare myself, right?”
Hahaha.
Haha.
…Ha.
Do yourself a favour and don’t lie to yourself. This book will crush you, and here’s why:
First off, I was pretty intrigued by the idea of this book. Getting a call on the day you die? There’s a lot of reasons why we would and wouldn’t want that. I kept on debating just that throughout the course of this book.
The story kicks off by introducing you to one of our adorable protagonists, Mateo, who is going to die that day. The worst part is that you start loving him despite knowing that his inevitable fate will destroy you.
I don’t know whether to thank Silvera or to just sit and cry my eyes out.
And then we have Rufus – rough around the edges but still has a heart of gold. Bless that boy. His inevitable fate will also destroy you.
I think what appealed to me the most in this book was the unlikely friendship between cautious, quiet Mateo and bold, fierce Rufus. Two boys who have less than twenty-four hours to live, desperate to spend it with someone who’ll be worth their while. It takes time, but their trust in each other slowly builds up, even as they wonder if they’ve made the right choice.
I love how they help each other overcome their fears – especially if you think about Mateo. At the beginning of the book, he’s very shy, anxious, afraid to take risks – he really wants to, but something keeps holding him back. Rufus sees that, and encourages him to try new things, and be more courageous, without pressurising him or making him feel like he’s worthless if he doesn’t! You’re doing it right, my friend.
It’s evident how much time and effort was spent on this novel. Throughout the book, we get little tidbits here and there from other characters. Small chapters that show us things from their points of view, and all their stories somehow connect to Mateo’s and Rufus’. They all have their own beliefs and morals and flaws, and each of them has an important role to play, right until the very end. This is one of the best aspects of this book, because it really shows you how Death-Cast has affected everyone’s life, not just our protagonists’.
This novel makes you stop to seriously think about the big things – taking risks, the people in your life who really matter, whether we’re happy in our current state or not. And even if we aren’t, it’s always possible that one person could pop into your life to turn all that around. Mateo, who thinks things are really over for good when he receives the call, has the best time of his life with someone he meets that very day; it just shows you that anything is possible. I think Silvera handles this topic very well. This is the first book by him that I’ve read, but I’m already eager to pick up more!
And I know I’ve warned you before, but I’ll do it once more for good measure:
BRING LOTS OF TISSUES. YOU WILL NEED THEM.
Have you read They Both Die at the End? Thoughts?
Stay creative,
Angel
invisible in ink 