By Nydia Ramos, Staff Writer
They Both Die at the End, by Adam Silvera, packs a story of fast-paced self-revelation into a modern world with a twist of science fiction. Silvera depicts a world where everyone gets notified of the day they will die, in an attempt to give people a chance to prepare for the end.
Although the title suggests nothing but dismay, to everyone’s shock, it is both a heart-wrenching and heart-warming novel. They Both Die at the End is one of those once-a-generation type of books that makes you reconsider everything you’ve done in life up to this point.
The two main characters, Mateo and Rufus, have been informed that somehow and some time in the next 24 hours they are going to die. Meeting through an app that lets people make friends on their death days, they find a new friendship in each other. The novel beautifully illustrates the values of friendship itself, saying: “You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.”
They spend their last precious hours of life saying their goodbyes and making their mark on the world by helping each other achieve a “no regrets” attitude. The characters’ thoughts deeply affect the way a reader may view life and everything along with it. Mateo and Rufus observe the fleeting moments of life, knowing it’ll be the last time they experience anything. They think to themselves: “People waste time and wait for the right moment and we don’t have that luxury,” making readers want to put the book down right then and go and perform some bold task to satisfy the itching urge to really live. As most books should, it also features a touch of romance and a dash of thrilling action to perfectly tie in the perfect equation of a successful novel.
In the end, this novel encompasses the philosophies of life, exceptional character growth, and several different point of views tied into one overarching plot that is situated in one ultimately epic, end day. Silvera does a spectacular job at suggesting readers be more passionate about life by illustrating that we are most definitely not permanent and need to take advantage of the time we have. Readers looking for a fresh perspective and an emotionally fulfilling read should most definitely pick up a copy of They Both Die at the End. They won’t be disappointed.