Center for Teaching & Learning

In Mateo’s and Rufus’s world, a company called Death-Cast is able to warn people when it is their last day to live. Mateo and Rufus are able to meet on Last Friend, an app that matches people with a friend to spend their last day with. This story follows Mateo and Rufus as they move through their last twenty-four hours. Will they both die at the end? Or will one have to watch the other die first?

In They Both Die at the End, Adam Silvera did a phenomenal job creating the characters, and not just the two main characters. The reader can really relate to each character and see their unique personalities by reading how characters react to certain situations. Mateo is very kind and cares about animals and humans, but he’s not very outgoing. Rufus has a side to him that isn’t so sweet, and he regrets the way he has acted in certain situations.

This story is unique and has a truly original premise. The idea for this story immediately intrigued me. And the pace, in my opinion, is perfect. The fact that this novel takes place in one day helps readers understand how important this day is for both of the main characters.

In each chapter, the narrative point of view changes. In addition to Mateo’s and Rufus’s chapters, some chapters are also told by friends of the main characters, others are told by complete strangers. At the end of the book, there is a web chart that shows how all the characters are connected. I would advise readers not to look at this chart until reaching the end of the book—there are some spoilers in the chart that most readers would probably prefer to avoid.

This book filled me with excitement, sadness, and concern for the characters. There were so many wonderful moments! In other words, this book sent me on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, and I’m not usually emotional when it comes to books. Clearly, Silvera crafted the book extremely well.

I read this book quickly. In fact, I could not stop reading it when I was supposed to be doing other homework! I rated it a 9.5/10. If you enjoy books that evoke a range of intense emotions, this is the book to choose.

Victoria

Harper Teen, 368 pages