They Both Die at the End
4.7
38
5
1
Paperback(Reprint)
USD
8.56
$8.56
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780062457806 |
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| Publisher: | HarperCollins Publishers |
| Publication date: | 12/18/2018 |
| Edition description: | Reprint |
| Pages: | 400 |
| Sales rank: | 842 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.20(w) x 7.90(h) x 1.00(d) |
| Age Range: | 14 - 17 Years |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
They Both Die at the End
4.7 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
41 reviews.
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This book portrays a topic that I think anyone can relate to. Nobody wants to face death, but this book shows that no matter how much time you have, you can achieve something. This something can be big, or it can be small, but it's something at least. The novel gives us this incredible lesson, and sense of belonging in our world.
A true Mastapiece
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So many words...it was beautiful and painful to read this story. You know how the ending will go yet still you hope with all hope for an alternate ending. Even knowing the outcome I was still blown away...
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Its so good! I seriously couldn't put it down!
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I would put down SPOILER but really the title already gave it all away. That is why I am actually disappointed that there's no twist in this one like there was for More Happy Than Not and History Is All You Left Me. Disappointed not because the story was awful, disappointed that it was mighty good, title didn't lie, and there's no twist to help make my life a little better post-They Both Die At The End.
Thanks for the feel trip. Mateo and Rufus is etched into my heart.
Either I am becoming soft or your book make me soft hearted. Nonetheless, thank you for turning your unique thought into your wonderful writing and sharing it with us all.
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Amazing writing, amazing characters, amazing plot! This book is wonderful! The switching of POV's is brilliant and insightful, it allows you to understand all characters not just Mateo and/or Rufus. The magical realism is a tad creepy and haunting, but its just the right amount to make it interesting and a total eye catcher. Combining relatable problems of teenage boys, and a living life to the fullest vibe, this book will make you laugh, cry and debate every single thing with your friends. It's mysterious, it's romantic, it's real! 10/10 recommend!
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Themes:
death, friendship, love, celebrating life, courage
There's something beautiful about death. When I picked this book up, I didn't even bother to read the synopsis because I had heard good things about it and I just wanted to charge right in. I would say spoiler alert, but the book itself is a spoiler.
Plot and World-Building:
Conceptually, the idea of Death-Cast is intriguing. The idea is that you get a call on the day you're supposed to die. No one knows how Death-Cast knows when you're going to die, but they are never wrong. The idea of knowing when you're dying has to be a heavy weight. Sure, some people get told they have a month, 6-months, a year, but these people get 24 hours maximum. And it's all via a phone call from people that their entire job is calling these will-be-dead people called Deckers. I could probably read a handful of books from this world because I have so many questions about it. Does this make people do more reckless things on days they don't get a call? Are people more outgoing? More violent? More loving? I think if we lived in this world I would get a panic attack in the middle of the night, just staring at my phone waiting for the inevitable and that just isn't healthy.
I need someone to talk to me about this because I find it very interesting and I want more details. Even though this story is told from the perspective of Mateo and Rufus, I like that Silvera added some snippets from other characters here and there. Not only did it show that effects of "the call" on other people, but it also showed how many paths crossed with Mateo and Rufus along the way.
Characters:
Overall, I really enjoyed the characters. Rufus doesn't necessarily have the best taste in friends, but they're loyal and they have his back until the end and I think that's really good. And yes, Peck, I would be extremely pissed off if my girlfriend's ex came out of nowhere and beat me up, but I don't think I would be so extremely pissed as to try and get him arrested or maimed on a day he is supposed to die. Just doesn't feel very worth it.
The characters in this were very diverse, which was a pleasant surprise. I particularly liked that Lidia was a single teenage mother that works hard to sustain them both. It shows a healthier side as opposed to what reality TV says about teen moms.
Mateo:
In all honesty, I thought Mateo was a recluse from the beginning and for the first half of the book I just wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him yelling "Live a little". Meeting Rufus was really good for him and watching that relationship grow and develop from the start isn't something easy to do in a 24 hour period of time.
The one thing I don't agree with is his initial feeling to not tell Lidia he's dying. It just isn't fair to her and that took precious hours that could have meant a lot.
Rufus:
Their contrasting personalities were interesting. Unlike Mateo, Rufus is tough and outgoing. But he has had a hard life, so I think meeting Mateo did him as much good. He needed someone to push the boundaries with him, emotionally, to help him open up a little.
Last Thoughts:
The fact that this is a YA book is earth-shattering. Usually, death is too real for people to handle, especially when it's set in a world so similar to ours and the characters so similar to people we know. I think that breaks a boundary and really drives home that life is short and we should take advantage of the time we have. Counting the
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This book was such an amazing journey from start to finish, and although it gives away the ending in the title, it pulls off the subject matter in such a clever, tragic, and wonderful way. I couldn’t put this book down as I read of Rufus and Mateo’s life-changing and tear-jerking adventure.
The narrative style of this book was an intriguing aspect. Though Mateo and Rufus are the main characters, it switches to many other characters’ point of view throughout the novel; many of the characters besides Rufus and Mateo are only introduced once or twice. This explores an interesting concept: thousands of people die every day, including celebrities or even people we pass on the street, and many of them we will never meet or know of. We never really know what is going through people’s heads, we never know what they are going through, and in this case, we don’t know if they are dying within the next few hours, so who are we to judge how someone acts or looks, because in a second they could be gone. Also, showing how different people with vastly different personalities react when facing their mortality was simultaneously interesting and touching.
I fell in love with the characters in this book. Mateo and Rufus were such interesting characters and perfect foils. Mateo was an introverted shut-in with the kindest soul that could’ve done amazing things if only he lived past the too-young age of 18. Also, having his dad trapped in a coma while Mateo was given the death-cast alert was so heartbreaking, knowing that he would never get to say goodbye and his dad might wake up in a world without him there. Mateo was scared to take any chance, scared to show the slightest expression of bravery, and afraid to die, having never quite lived his life outside of his room, which is why Rufus was the perfect counter to his character. Rufus, on the other hand, was the sole survivor of a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of his whole family. He had experienced a close-up brush with death in that car accident, so he wasn’t as afraid to die. However, being somewhat of a screw-up foster child, Rufus regretted the life that he lived and the choices he made and sought to change himself, meanwhile also pushing Mateo to let loose and be brave while Mateo taught Rufus how to be a caring, kind person.
The way that Mateo died was so unceremonious and sudden, but I felt that it further expressed the idea that incredible people die all the time, and no matter how good of a person you are, you will still die, sometimes even a terrible, undeserving death, and no one can change that. Mateo deserved the world; he was such a beautiful soul, but not even he could escape an untimely fate. Although tragic, this was an astute move that helped convey the theme.
They Both Die at the End was an amazing story. It left me sobbing and both satisfied and wanting more at the end. Through this story, I fell in love with the characters and author and learned various vital lessons that I will remember for the rest of my short, human life. Never again will I waste a day second-guessing my choices or spend time worrying about all the ‘what ifs?’ of life.
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This story was an absolute delight, despite the tragedy of knowing two teenage boys will be dead by the end of it. I enjoyed every line of it as I followed Mateo and Rufus’s last day and the friendship and love that developed between them as the day wore on.
The premise of this book was incredibly interesting, that in this alternate universe, there’s a system called Death-Cast that somehow knows the day someone will die, and they send an alert so that this person can live out the last day to its fullest potential. It would have been nice to get a little bit of insight or explanation about how Death-Cast works, but I know that’s not the point of this story.
This story was all about life and death, and what it means to be living versus just being alive. And there is a stark difference between the two, as the story shows.
The two main characters are amazing. There’s Mateo, an eighteen-year-old boy who has so much anxiety and is a lonely, secluded boy who doesn’t have many friends. Then there’s seventeen-year-old Rufus who appears to be rough around the edges and not a pleasant person, but who is actually a very soft, kind, compassionate boy.
On the surface, they seem to be polar opposites, but they’re actually more similar than I’d expected. They’re both kind and big-hearted, and they love their friends dearly. The compliment each other nicely as Rufus helps Mateo out of his shell so that Mateo can actually live on his End Day, and as Mateo helps Rufus come to terms with the tragedy of what happened to his family, and to show Rufus that even the smallest acts of kindness can change the world.
I wasn’t fully on board the love these two boys claimed they had for each other by the end of the book, but I do believe that, if Rufus and Mateo had more time together, they would’ve had a beautiful relationship together. However, because they didn’t have that time, I think that their declarations of love came from a place of needing to give and receive comfort within their final hours. I believe they loved the idea of love, and they were wistfully in love with all of their lost time and potential together.
Watching these two boys on their End Day was a real treasure as they both grew and made the most of their final day of life. They had deep and philosophical conversations about death, the afterlife, etc which made me as a reader think about it too.
And even though I knew what would happen (the spoiler is in the title, after all), it was still a punch in the gut to see these two beautiful boys die. I didn’t find it overwhelming or underwhelming, and it didn’t make me sob, but it packed the right amount of emotional punch that left me feeling satisfied about the entire story, even as I fervently wished Rufus and Mateo could have more life together.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was reminiscent of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Fault in Our Stars, and this book tugged on the same heartstrings that those two books tugged on.
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This book left me stunned. It is beautiful, tragic, uplifting, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I cannot recommend this book enough. I was sad that there wasn’t a plot twist, but it wouldn’t have been as lovely or inspiring if it did. I think that everyone can learn something from this book, wether they agree with it or not. It is one of my absolute favorite books, and I will never forget it. I am unbelievably glad that this book was written. I didn’t know I needed it until I had finished it.
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This book left me sobbing at the end, but in a good way. I knew how the book was going to end based of the title of course, but i, i wasn't ready for it. I'm emotionally hurt and i want to see these sweet boys happy,,,
A really good book and i would recommend it to anyone!!
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i loved this book and i love how it made me think
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I don't even have words for this. This book was wonderfully made and it was such a pleasure reading it. Getting to know these characters and getting so attached in a short amount of time... Just wow. Major props to Adam Silvera for this beautiful work.
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The concept of this book is so cool. On your Death Day, you get a phone call letting you know that you are going to die. What a heavy reality to carry for your last hours on earth? I like the fact that the two main characters live these two completely different lives and in the end they not only become friends but they experience a connection deeper than that. One that could have formed into love if they had more time. I was kind of mad that they had to encounter so many obstacles on their last hours, but when I look back on the book as whole, those obstacles were needed.
At the end of the book I knew by the title that something tragic was going to happen and my emotions were going to be all over the place. But I was not prepared! My heart was shattered and is still shattered in a million pieces and I am still NOT okay
This was my first Adam Silvera read, and I was not disappointed!
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I love how powerful the emotions were and the twists. The way things came together were perfectly written. I definitely found a new favorite author.
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MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOOK:
Before you call me heartless and immune to the power of diverse books, please know I appreciated the solemness of this book. I appreciate it going against the grain. The reason this is not rated higher for me was that it made me anxious. Every single time I picked it up. The only other book that made me feel this way was I'll Give You the Sun.
CHARACTERS/DYNAMICS:
Mateo: Mateo is our soft gay . I totally relate to his thought process, which initially made me not want to read on. I like reading different perspectives sometimes. They bring the unexpected! As the story progresses, all I cared about was his unfortunate story.
Rufus: Rufus was rad to start off with, but I soon felt disconnect to his life-story. Also I got sick of him saying "yo", "mad" and "man". It seemed way to artificial, but who am I to judge???
PLOT:
It's modern day, but allegedly everyone (though I'm sure it's more exclusively Americans) are told the day they're going to die. The catch: it's on the day, usually at 12am.
Mateo and Rufus are like: oh man that blows.
So through the beauty of social media, they befriend each other. They say goodbye.
That's about it.
I was expecting cooler sci-fi elements where they try to defy the system or discover how the Death Cast works.
STRUCTURE:
This story alternates mainly between Mateo and Rufus, but there are fun elements of other characters who cross paths with the boys, who may or may not be dying. I really enjoyed Silvera starting each new perspective with "___ is/not going to die today, because Death Cast did/not call them."
THEMES:
- ... death
- gay latin dudes
- all the sad moments in John Green but slightly warped and stretched so it's a bit "meh" than WOW KILL ME.
THE ENDING:
(view spoiler) It was a little drawn out, since this entire book is leading to their deaths. I was still surprised about Mateo at the end, though. So... props to that!
IMPACT:
Yeah so I now know that Silvera certainly isn't so epically profound for me, but I do appreciate his writing style. It's poetic. However, I generally dislike YA contemporary and his writing is no exception for turning me over.
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It's right there in the title, but I still cried
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This book is AMAZING. No other words to describe it.
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YES JUST YES
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I loved and hated this book. In an alternate present day, people receive a call just after midnight letting them know it is their "end day." Teenage boys Mateo and Rufus, two strangers, each receive the call within hours of one another. Both boys are parent-less (Mateo's mother dead, his father in a coma; Rufus's entire family killed in a tragic car accident). Seeking solace in a friend, they find one another on the Last Friend App.
The next 24 hours are filled with adventure, friendship, love, loss, and impending doom. As a reader you are continually reminded that no one has ever eluded Death-Cast's prediction for death. The boys will die but we don't know when or how.
As the clock ticks down, the reader can't help hoping for a happy ending, a miracle that will save them both. But the title of this book is The Both Die At The End. There are no spoilers, the ending is announced before you open the book. But it's what happens between the pages that matters most.
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Before I get into the story, I want to say that I loved the diversity/representation portrayed in this book. There are people from different races, ethnicities, walks-of-life, social status, and sexual orientation. It all flowed very beautifully and it wasn't forced and there was no tokenism. It's refreshing to see and it was well written, which makes it even better.
So the whole premise of this story is that a company has created a way to predict death. Now, each day between the hours of midnight and three a.m., certain people receive a call letting them know that at some time within the next 24-hours, they will die. That's pretty messed up, right?! I kind of get the idea, if you knew you were going to die, you could say 'proper' good-byes and maybe do things you never had the courage to do. But at the same time, would you really want to know? Personally, while I would get a chance to spend time with my loved ones, I would also have to live the entire day with the knowledge that I was going go die in some mysterious, unnatural way.
The story follows (specifically) Mateo and Rufus who are 17/18-year-olds and they have both received the telephone call letting them know that they are going to die. They aren't told how or exactly when; they just know they are going to die. Both are, obviously, in a state of shock and disbelief. Rufus had just lost his entire family four months prior and was living with a serious case of survivor's guilt. Mateo is a frail, and paranoid kid whose mother died giving birth to him, and his father is currently in a coma. He's sad and angry that if--when his father wakes up, Mateo will be gone without having had a chance to say good-bye.
Their stories intersect when they each decide to use an app called "Last Friends". It was created for people who get the death call and want/need someone to spend their final day with. Together Mateo and Rufus spend their last day in various places around the city, getting to know one another, and helping each other come to terms with their impending doom. There are all sorts of services throughout the city aimed toward "deckers", some are genuinely meant to help them live out a dream or have a few great final memories; while others are just meant to milk money from dying people. In less that 24-hours they become the best 'last friends' either could have hoped for. They connect on a level that most others could never understand. Mateo helps bring Rufus back to life; he was lost after the death of his family. Rufus shows the sheltered Mateo how to live the life he's always wished he could. They are so thankful that they got to meet; although wishing they could have done so sooner. But they wonder if meeting is what causes them to die.
So that's the other question, isn't it? Does knowing you're going to die inevitably cause your death? I don't want to spoil the story, but you will be asking yourselves the same questions when you read it. They story was so real (the audio cast truly brought the characters to life). It was believable and implausible at the same time. It was bittersweet and beautiful and sad. It didn't get me until right before the very end, although a different me probably would have been sniffling through a good bit of it. And while it did make me cry (it goes on the short list of books that have), I don't think it was a sad story. It was a lovely story about living each day as though it were a lifetime and not taking your tomo
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Stop and imagine for just one minute what it would be like if you received a phone call telling you that you were going to die within the next 24 hours. How would you live your last 24 hours? Would you have a funeral with your family and friends so that you have a chance to say goodbye, or would you try and make a new friend going through the same thing you were so that you don’t have to be alone on your last day on this planet? This is exactly what happens to both Rufus and Mateo.
Rufus is outgoing and not afraid to stand up for himself. He’s had a pretty crappy few years but he’s managed to make friends with the other kids in his foster home. They have become his family. He gets the call that everyone dreads informing him that he’s going to die today. He decides to download the Last Friend app so that he can get paired up with someone to spend his last 24 hours with.
Mateo is a quiet and somewhat sheltered teenager who has been living on his own since his dad is currently in a coma. He gets the call that he is going to die today and he is instantly terrified to leave his apartment. He quickly decides that he doesn’t want to die alone, so he downloads the Last Friend App in hopes that he will come out of his shell on his last day.
Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend App and have an amazingly memorable final 24 hours together. The bring about change in each other that they never thought was possible.
These characters are so easy to relate to and its so hard not to love them. I couldn’t help but laugh with them and cheer for them, and though I did everything in my power not to cry with them I couldn’t stop myself from crying crocodile tears over their trials and tribulations. This story is about growing, changing as a person and allowing yourself to love and be loved in the wake of great adversity.
They Both Die at the End is the first book I’ve read by Adam Silvera, and I can’t wait to read more. Silvera has a way with words that can suck the air from your lungs, bring you to your knees and in the next sentence completely revive you. After turning the final page of this book and wiping the tears from my eyes I closed the book with a new found appreciation for the life I have and the awareness that it can all be taken away in a moment.
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What was that ending?!?!
Everything hurts, and I ugly-cried a little bit listening to this book. It's not as good as More Happy Than Not (in my opinion), but Silvera certainly knows how to play with emotions. Why do I keep reading these books that I know will make me sad...??
Even though it worked out eventually to set up a very dramatic ending (and a few dramatic scenes along the way too), I'm not in love with the minor characters' chapters. I feel like it left almost nothing to the imagination; you don't even wonder for more than a few pages what happens to [MINOR SPOILER] the guy to whom Mateo gave his shoes [/END SPOILER]. I mean, that sounds like a silly criticism based on the way the book ends, but I found myself wondering a few times why I was learning about some random person when I wanted to be watching the main story.
I am soooo curious about how Death-Cast works, but I'm actually glad it wasn't explained, because it would have distracted from the main story. In general, I'm super into this "our world but with one extra thing" concept that's both here and in More Happy Than Not, and I think it's a great balance between sci-fi and straight (ha) contemporary. (Also, for some reason, my brain decided that it was going to write fanfic for this last night, which I haven't done in literal years. This type of story is made for it!)
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I’ve read every book that has been published by Adam and have loved them all. This book was no exception. He is definitely one of my auto buy authors. I loved the character development in this book, I felt like I had the chance (even if it only was one day) to get to really know Rufus and Mateo. The fact that the chapters were in both perspectives really helped with this.
I was extremely intrigued with the idea of the Last Friend App. It seems like something that would actually exist in our world. We have apps for dating, meeting friends, and any other thing you could possibly think of. Also the thought knowing when you will you die is very interesting. What would you do if you knew it was your last day? I thought this book was wonderfully written with sensitivity to all tough topics.
Overall I would highly recommend this book if you’ve ever read anything by Adam, or even make this your first, because it is well worth a read. Be warned it gets very emotional (as all of his books do in my opinion). Adam writes so eloquently I can’t wait for his next book.
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Disclaimer, I received this book through edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.
I freaking loved this book, it took me quite a bit to get into but once I got into the rhythm of it it was hard for me to stop reading.
The premise is so unique and thought provoking, on the day you are going to die you get a phone call at midnight letting you know but they don't tell you how, why or when so it's up to you to decide how your going to spend your last day.
Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend app, basically it brings people together on their last day and in these guys case it worked wonderfully, Mateo found courage on his Last Day, doing little acts of bravery here and there changed his life and Rufus found in Mateo some kindness and softness and just another way of looking at life.
Considering the premise it would have been so easy for Silvera to explore those questions of what if I stay home and do nothing or what if meeting you causes me to die, what if, what if, what if, and I loved that he did briefly touched on some what ifs but he stayed on the new friendship and finding new beautiful experiences course, the book is sad because you know, the title but it's also happy and full of hope.
Mateo and Rufus are exceptional characters and I'm glad that Silvera doesn't shy away from bringing diversity into his characters and making that diversity not being the main thing about them. They just are.
What a wonderful book, it gives you a punch to the heart but is a punch you gladly take.
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I thought he whole idea behind this story was so interesting! This is an alternate world where a company called Death-Cast calls people around midnight to tell them that within the next 24 hours they will die. This gives people the chance to say their goodbyes, do whatever it is you’d do on your last day, and even plan or attend their own funeral. Then there’s this app called Last Friend which brings together Decker’s (what people who are going to die are called) so that no one spends their last day together if they don’t want to. This app is what brings Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio together.
Mateo is a gay Puerto-Rican 18-year old and one of our two main protagonists. He is also one of the most precious characters I’ve ever read about. I spent the entire book wanting to protect him from any harm. His anxiety at the beginning of the story was so apparent and seeing him come out of his shell and gain more confidence throughout the story made my heart so happy. Our other protagonist is Rufus, a bisexual 17-year old Cuban-American. He’s a little rough around the edges, but he is such a loving person. He is loyal to his core, and will do anything for his loved ones.
Both characters show a lot of growth throughout the story and seeing their friendship develop and deepen was amazing to read about. They make the perfect team. They are complete opposites but they complement each other in the best way. I cry just thinking about them.
Of course, Silvera’s writing was beautiful and he perfectly straddled the line between heartbreak and comedy. Like how, this book made me cry and laugh simultaneously. I also really enjoyed all the extra POV chapters. We get just a glimpse into the lives of minor characters or even random strangers in-between Rufus and Mateo’s story.
And I don’t know why, but knowing how this was going to end made it even more heart-breaking. This book made me question my own mortality, how I could literally die tomorrow and if I’m satisfied with how I’ve lived my life so far. It made me face my thoughts on my own death (whenever that may be). I have never felt so called out. How would I react if I got a call saying I was going to die within 24 hours? Yikes, I honestly can’t even think of that.
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