They Both Die at the End Book Review

Book title: They Both Die at the End

Author: Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End is a heartbreaking novel revolving around two young men on their final day alive. Although it has many science fiction elements, it takes place in 2017. This was a hard book to label because it falls under so many categories: romance, drama, young adult, and more. Featuring an creative plot, Adam Silvera executes an impactful third novel. Leaving you guaranteed to shed some tears throughout the novel. Regardless of its morbid premise and foreseen ending, They Both Die at the End remains a hopeful novel.

"Hello. I'm calling from Death-Cast. I regret to inform you that sometime in the next twenty-four hours you'll be meeting an untimely death. On behalf of everyone here at Death-Cast, we are so sorry to lose you. Live this day to the fullest, okay?"

At midnight, two New York City teens are greeted with a call from Death-Cast, a service that informs people of their death. Although Mateo and Rufus lead two completely different lives, they are united by an app called "Last Friend". The app's purpose is to connect people who find themselves spending their final day alone. Now the two teenagers will be greeted with the mission to live an entire life in one day.

"I've spent years living safely to secure a longer life, and look where that's gotten me. I'm at the finish line, but I never ran the race."

First of all, the representation in this book is impressive; with themes of mental illness, Latino heritage, and discovering your sexuality. However, the representation does not feel forced. It is quintessential to the development of the plots and to the understanding of the characters while still not being a central element of the character's identities. In fact, it reflects Adam Silvera's personal experiences excellently. This type of representation is appreciated by minorities, but also allows non-minorities to see the emotional side of often marginalized groups. Without the personal identities of the characters, this story would be much different. Personally, it would not resonate with me as much if the characters were white and heterosexual.

“Maybe it's better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs.”

Part of me liked how Adam Silvera took his time to develop his characters, but another part told me that it could've been shortened by 100 pages. When you stretch ten hours into 368 pages, the result is a lot of dragging. This is the only criticism I had for the book, yet it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The length of "They Both Die at the End" reflected the character's true selves by allowing us to observe them every hour of their last day. As we near the end of the book, we face the same apprehension that our characters face when the end of the day approaches. This writing style is realistic, allowing us to truly be in the shoes of Mateo and Rufus.

Finally, I was enthralled with this book because its message transcended the words on the page. Even with the melancholy tone, the book managed to remain happy. Not in the sense that the characters overflowed with joy, rather in the sense that if the day ended abruptly, they'd leave the world feeling happy. Even if you do know the ending, it is worth the read. Because the book conveys a deeper message, that life is beautiful. Even if your moments are short, taking risks and opening yourself to the beauty around you can turn a single day into a lifetime. This is what struck me the hardest, that the characters were only able to recognize the beauty around them on the final day of their life. Their youth and openness truly make this message resonate and will leave you thinking about this book for the weeks to come.

"Twelve hours ago I received the phone call telling me I'm going to die today, and I'm more alive now than I was then."

Verdict: Overall, I fell in love with They Both Die at the End. I will surely be reading more by Adam Silvera in the following months. For the reasons stated, I'd give this book eight out of ten stars.

Reviewed by: Mai Ly Hagan'21