They Both Die at the End

Somewhat difficult to get through because of some personal traumatic experiences with death. A little less than three years ago, a very good friend of mine collapsed into my arms in a sudden seizure. He “lived” for a few more days in a coma, but unfortunately never woke up. We knew he wasn't feeling well, we thought it was just his cancer therapies draining his energy. But it turns out it was a blood clot forming in his brain, forming right as we sat there and watched YouTube videos, a movie, and played video games. Even to this day, I think about the “what ifs.” What if we payed better attention? What if we suggested he go to the doctor/hospital? What if he told us more about how he was really feeling? What if, what if, what if... More in the vein of this book, what if we knew that would be the day he would fall into a coma/die? Is that what we would have done? Is there one final thing he would have wanted to do? What would have been my final goodbye to him?

These are the types of questions Adam Silvera begs us to consider in his YA fiction book “They Both Die at the End.” Spoiler Mateo and Rufus are total strangers up until they get their Deathcast alert. They find each other on the Last Friend app to live out their final hours, and ultimately fall in love. While their one-day romance isn't necessarily the most believable, it's a cute story despite the unfortunate circumstances of their fate.

There are two things I like about this book. First, Silvera builds on this last day premise by including what I'll call “disparate stories” periodically. These are chapters from characters that are not directly involved in the main Mateo/Rufus storyline but play roles in the sidelines, and further develop the world. Secondly, while this book is no doubt about death in many ways, the moment Mateo and Rufus' death occurs is quick. One moment these characters we've grown to love are there, the next they're not. That's the sad reality of death sometimes. On that grim note, fin.