They Both Die at the End
Ratings515
Average rating3.7
2/5.
For a book that I planned to read five years ago and never got around to until now, it's so disappointing to realize it just doesn't mesh with me. I'm sorry, but it was a chore to even read through, and I honestly tuned out around halfway through.
I felt little to no connection to any of the characters. Putting the extremely stilted dialogue aside, I could not be brought to care about any of these characters. I definitely couldn't care for any of the ten-or-so side characters, or even remember their names, for that matter. Even the two leads, Rufus and Mateo, who are involved in the supposed “sad love story”. In reality, it felt more annoying to read than sad. Seeing Rufus... almost babysitting Mateo?? It annoyed me to no end, and I feel more sorry for Rufus that he sacrificed a majority of his time that could've been spent with his friends to Mateo. I thought their relationship was cute during some of the final few scenes, but it didn't feel anywhere near fulfilling because of how abrupt the buildup was.
The ending was somehow even more anti-climatic than I expected. Mateo turns on the stove, and dies, and Rufus is sad, and then is left to wait for his death. I was honestly shocked by how abrupt it all was - From one scene of Mateo dying, and the page flips to acknowledgements. It left no feelings - Not even of annoyance. Just a “What was the point?...“
What I will give this book is that the writing was decent. I would've liked some of the background world to be built upon. Learning more about the nature of deaths in this world, or the possible involvement of Death-Cast in these deaths at least would've helped to make this book slightly more interesting. Instead, it feels more of the skeleton of a good story that just wasn't fully realized.
I think the message of the book is important and Mateo sounded relatable to me. (how he didn't lived as he'd like to, because he was afraid.)
the book was so easy to read.
the romance? nah-ah. I don't stan love at first sight/24hours. it was even hard to believe they were into each other because it was so just-friend-ly all along untill the kiss (except for when Mateo asked Rufus things to know how he feels) but still, if they wouldn't use the word “love” it wouldn't sound so dumb, but it did after that. you can't change the meaning of words just because you're about to die and you'll never be able to experience those feelings.
for f**k's sake, RUFUS WAS BEATING SOMEONE HOURS AGO BECAUSE OF HIS EX.
liked the idea of death-cast and “last friend”. it makes you think; the whole fear and regret that the call makes you feel.
I don't know what (beside the romance) but something feels off and makes me give it 3 stars in total.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I think that there were too many side character POV's that kept pulling me out of the story though. Some were necessary to the plot of the book but I feel like they could have been reduced. Also I'm the scene when they “finally” kiss. I was a little confused by that because Rufus was saying how he was waiting for this for a while but I didn't see that in really anything leading up to the kids other than maybe when they held hands at the travel arena waterfall jump.
It was really just little things overall that I did not enjoy and loved the majority of it!
2.5 Stars
A 2.5 star rating might seem like I didn't like this book, but no! The story of Mateo and Rufus has a lot of potential. People have described their heartbreak over this book and for the two lovers, but I can't sympathize with that. The entire premise and ending of the story is tragic and I did tear up at numerous moments (ex. the homeless man, Rufus being a sole survivor, Mateo suddenly and brutally dying), but I often found that the circumstances of the characters got me sad, but the characters themselves didn't have the ability to win me over.
For the most part, Mateo's perspective was enjoyable. I would've liked to hear more about his struggle with his sexuality, which was made obvious through the story as he seemed to not understand himself. I would've also liked for Rufus and Mateo's romantic feelings for one another to have a better build up. Their romance felt somewhat out of left field, especially their “I love you”s seemed sudden and us readers weren't given a deeper insight to that. I would imagine knowing you have 24 hours to live means emotions are on constant 100 and falling in love is made easy, but we don't really receive much thoughts from neither in this moment, and I felt unsatisfied.
I couldn't enjoy Rufus' perspective that much, mostly because he talked/though weird. Not because of me not liking “hood” talk, but because Rufus used words in ways that is odd for people in the suburbs or the hood. It made me cringe and gave me second-hand embarrassment. It felt like listening to your teacher trying to fit in with the cool kids, even though they are closer to retirement than they are to their 1st day as a teacher. He often reads like the wattpad character of a middle schooler :/
I also found myself more interested in the side characters, like Delilah or Vin (even though he sounds like a grade A incel).
Overall, the book was enjoyable and got me out of a reading funk that Dune put me in and I would lend someone my copy if asked, but wouldn't praise the world out of it at a bookstore.
I did enjoy this book the plot was so so creative but it wasn't relatable at all
Foi meu primeiro livro do autor e achei uma boa leitura! Não me prendeu muito pelo menos até a metade da história; depois disso, senti que precisava correr pra terminar o quanto antes (pela possibilidade de deixar a leitura de lado).
Gosto da relação entre os personagens e a alternância de narrativas, toda a construção do texto e a expectativa para o que vai acontecendo aos poucos (porque o final todo mundo já sabe), mas acho que tô numa época que histórias adolescentes sobre a morte não me impactam tanto assim, por já ter lido outras coisas e me distanciar um pouco do gênero em alguns casos. Apesar disso, gostei do livro e me emocionei em alguns momentos.
I mean, you know the ending, but still this book surprised me, because of its heart and fullness. Both of the main characters were well developed and interesting.
It's not five stars, because it's not a rereadable one for me.
ok shit, that hurt pretty bad and damn it really got me.. i genuinely couldn't stop reading, and i definitely got way too attached to it so yeah new comfort book <3
a fine book! 3.5* i think i would've enjoyed this more as a teen. its very coming of age.
i found it a bit pretentious at times and found the main characters both unlikeable at the start but they grow throughout the story which is nice.
by the end, i was getting teary eyed at many random parts so it definitely touched me.
it is kind of similar in vibe to ‘we are okay' which is on my favourite list of all time, so i wonder how much listening to this on audio affected my opinion of it. The narrators did well but rufus' sections voice for matteo was so whiny - it definitely stopped me from connecting so much.
like, you know it's coming but it just hit me hard when it happened. it happened and then it was over.
kind of felt meaningless towards the end but i suppose that's the ‘point' - it's over when it's over.
Great book honestly but it could've had more emotions to it.
I thought I finally found a book with not much romance but I was wrong. I'm not complaining tho.
So basically you should def read this book. You will not regret reading it. Some might even think of it as the best book to ever exist but idk.
3.4/5
-slow at times
-there were cute moments and some tears were shed
-a bit cliche, and message feels forced at times
-nothing really life changing for me though
Slice of life, literally. I think the whole thing flowed really nicely. I'm already grieving today so I was in just the right mood for this book. Cathartic. Some of the other reviews said the pacing was too slow I I felt like it could have been even slower. I like to read about people just living.
I am going to use cynicism as a shield from the pain the last chapter of the book makes me feel? Yes.
The concept of the book is great, the elements are so unique and interesting. The implementation tho is a bit dodgy. I like how some characters are polished and layered but others just come off as tired stereotypes (not in an offensive way but just boring and one dimensional). The voice and personality of Mateo are so real and makes you feel all the right feels. But Rufus felt so inconsistent. The writing and tone of his character kept switching, his style dialogues did not make sense with his history and context. It feels that the book could have gone through two more rounds of brutal editing to fix some loopholes and tone issues.
Overall, a nice chill YA fiction about two boys going to die young and living their best life while on their way to the end road. It's not bad but it could have been so much better.
(3.5, rounded down)
did it feel kinda underwhelming? absolutely.
did i sob for 30 minutes after reading? absolutely.
Maybe controversial, but this one was a mixed bag for me. I, along with most people, found this book to be heart wrenching and gorgeous and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to read an emotional and heart breaking teen romance. I laughed and cried (my first cry occurred in the first 50 pages). That being said, however, I felt like the writing and character development was a bit lackluster.
The story's protagonist is the shy and risk-averse Mateo. After learning that he will die in the next 24 hours, he meets Rufus, another teen, through an app that connects “Last Friends” (people who are going to die on the same day). They decide to go on an adventure together to make the most of their last day. The world of They Both Die at the End is incredibly original, and Silvera really uses the setting (New York City) to his advantage when writing this. As a New Yorker, I loved watching the small, seemingly inconsequential coincidences / chance meetings take place. These little vignettes really connected the characters and plot in a way I found really incredible.
The characters themselves, however, I felt could have used some more development. I didn't really resonate with any of the characters, and while I felt like I could see shades of myself in Mateo (and I'm sure anyone who has ever been closeted can also relate), I felt like his character arc wasn't as compelling as it could've been. To me, Rufus was a more interesting character, but I felt like he existed in the story only to challenge and propel Mateo forward. The romance and some of the motifs were a little heavy-handed for me, and I wished Silvera had written with a little more complexity.
That being said, I absolutely tore through this one and finished it in a weekend — so props to Silvera there!
Sigh. I knew what was going to happen at the End but I didn't want to believe it.
I'm still a little sad. But it was a really wonderful read.
It was really nice reading about the interconnectedness of the people in this universe– the parallels in their stories.
I loved their Solar Systems and the way they loved Mateo and Rufus while they grieved the boys.
Mateo and Rufus; they were so different in the beginning. But the way the bonded and became friends felt so easy. The way they spoke honestly about anything and everything. The way they came into their own, even on their Last Day. So much happened in (less than) 24 hours, but they loved and lived.
I liked this book, however it took me a bit to get into it. The beginning was pretty slow paced and a bit boring in my opinion. But then things got better and we saw the beautiful friendship bloom.
I thought it was a nice book, but not nearly as heart wrenching as people made it out to be. I feel like there sometimes just wasn't enough depth to the story to get attached to the characters.