Is They Both Die at the End clean?

Book Review

Title: They both die at the end

Author: Adam Silvera

Genre: Friendship/YA/LGBT/Romance

Rating: *****

Review: So after reading more happy than not I was eager to read Adam Silvera’s other books; They both die at the end and History is all you left me. After hearing some rave review about TBDATE I decided to get the audiobook off Audible. The opening chapter was sublime and so gripping, we meet 18 year old Mateo Torrez after Death-Cast calls letting him know he is going to die at some point in the next 24 hours. Initially Mateo has a very normal reaction; shock and disbelief but he slowly begins to reflect on his life with some dark humour and decides that he is going to really live during his end day.  We also meet 17 year old Rufus Emeterio who also gets a Death-Cast call as he is beating his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend to death, the only thing that stops him is the call. Rufus is the complete opposite of Mateo but they are now being thrust into the same situation.

We follow both boys as they try and come to terms with the news they have been given. Rufus doesn’t have any living family other than the boys he hangs out with at the foster home and his ex-girlfriend Amy whereas Mateo has family in his dad who is currently unconscious in hospital, meaning that Mateo will be alone on his end day. Through Mateo we learn about the various services scalable to people on their end day including the last friend app which allows people who are alone on their end day to make one final connection before dying. Meanwhile Rufus gets to see Amy again even if it is to confront him about beating up her boyfriend. The last friend app isn’t a great thing at first with it being full of people looking for casual hook-ups and other rude things but Mateo doesn’t give up hope on finding someone. One thing Mateo do have in common besides the last friend app is they are both so angry about their end day coming so soon and it isn’t really going well for either of them.

By the time we get to part 2 Mateo and Rufus have spoken on last friend and arranged to meet. Mateo especially feels a connection towards Rufus as he took the time to try and get to who Mateo was before chatting to. While Mateo sees Rufus as impulsive and a little reckless he does succeed in pushing Mateo to just go for it and fully enjoy his last day. We are introduced to some new perspectives which makes a refreshing change from Mateo and Rufus. The change of voice also helps keep the listener focused. The boys quickly learn to deal with the others quirks and strange personality traits; Rufus describes Mateo are innocent while Mateo sees Rufus are reckless but they find a strange comfort together. Picturing Mateo saying goodbye to his comatose father was heart breaking as the one thing he wants on his end day is to hear his dad’s voice one last time and all the while Rufus waits patiently for him like a true friend would.

Watching the boys learn about other; their likes and dislikes, the histories and what they would do if they weren’t going to die. As the boys head to visit Lydia; Mateo’s best friend and her daughter Penny he makes the decision not to tell her he is dying today. Although I am sure Lydia catches onto Mateo’s plan and tries to keep him around but he manages to slip out back to Rufus but leaves behind several hundred dollars as it is the least he can do for someone that has always been there for him. The thing that bothers me is that the while book so far especially the last friends thing has been focused on Mateo and not much has been done for Rufus although I am hoping that will change. Mateo and Rufus work great together they push each other, comfort each other and tech each other how to really live on their final days. I was secretly hoping because Rufus identifies as bisexual that there would be a romantic element to this story but honestly I was loved it without a romance.

When Rufus finally gets through to one of the Plutos’ after hours of trying he learns his friends are in jail but what hurts him the most is that Amy didn’t break up with Peck even after he tried to get Rufus started on his end day. Rufus begins to think Mateo is the only friend he has when he disappeared too. Rufus eventually catches up to Mateo and had to come clean about the things he has done and why the police may be looking for him and Mateo true to his nature instantly forgives his friend. They end up going to the Make a Moment store to try something thrilling without the risk and I hoped this would be the moment when Mateo would finally relax a little and truly start living.

12 hours after Mateo got the call they are still alive and living every moment together but the weight of their impending deaths gets heavier especially after Mateo witnessing the digging of his own grave before he has even died. There is a contribution of sorts in this novel between life and death especially since the boys are sometimes aware of the time they have left and then forgetting it all together to fully experience a moment together. I really loved seeing how all the different perspectives link together both decker and not and how small interactions can have huge impacts on other people’s lives. It almost wants the listener/reader to be aware the impact their actions will have on others.

Both boys contemplate life, death, the afterlife and everything in between. We can also feel a shift in their relationship like there is something both want to say to the other but doesn’t actually want to say it out loud as it will make the reality of their situation solid. Despite this they don’t let it ruin their day, Mateo realises that he has found a true amazing friend in Rufus and probably wouldn’t have met him under any other circumstances and he is grateful for that. We also get an ominous feeling as we know the boys are going to die but we don’t know how although Peck along with some gang friends are planning to get justice by beating up Rufus is they find him making me worry that one of the boys will die before the other which I really don’t want to happen.

We very quickly learn that Peck is planning to kill Rufus for what he did and is going to use his Instagram account to track him down. All the while Mateo and Rufus have no clue about what is going to happen and the don’t really care either. Mateo eventually makes up with Lydia and the pair has become a trio we also learn that the Plutos’ have been released from jail and I hope they will meet up with Rufus before his time comes and ever present at the back of my mind is Peck and his horrific plan. Things take a slightly darker turn when Rufus upload the sign for Clint’s graveyard club on Instagram as the Plutos head to meet him but we know that Peck will be on his way there was well.

As we enter Part 4 of the audiobook I was becoming very anxious knowing that Peck is on his way to Clint’s to kill Rufus but also because Mateo could die as well, or that maybe neither boy will die here but maybe one of the Plutos’ or Lydia may be the victim. The scene where Mateo and Rufus finally share their first kiss was amazing as it has been building for the moment they met when the Plutos arrive to complete the gang in their final hours together. Through Delilah’s perspective we question whether Death-Cast is always right. Delilah got the call but has cheated death twice when she was supposedly going to die. Peck and his gang also draw closer and closer to the club where Rufus, Mateo, Lydia and the Plutos are busy living.

But one again Peck interrupts Rufus’ goodbyes but by a stroke of luck he and Mateo escape unharmed and they decide to go back to Mateo’s apartment for some well-deserved peace after their hectic day, and because Mateo wants to share his safe place with the person he wants to keep safe in this moment. They make a plan to rest before making a final trip to the hospital to see Mateo Senior before the final bell tolls. We can clearly see the feelings between the two boys and we wish they had much more time together. Seeing Mateo change from someone afraid of the world and everyone in it to someone brave and Rufus change from hating who he was and being lost to being someone who can love and be loved in return had me sobbing so hard and praying for a happy ending that I knew I wasn’t going to get.

The concept of life and death in this novel is beautiful, the way Silvera looks at what it means to live and the weight of death thrust upon those who deserve it and those that don’t really makes you contemplate what we have done without lives and whether we have truly started living it whether we are just shuffling through the autonomy of everyday life. This book was beautiful, heart breaking and everything in between. It is truly the last great love story, almost a modern day Romeo and Juliet. If you haven’t read They both die at the end I highly recommend you get it now just remember the tissues as it will having you sobbing from start to finish.

Buy it here:

Paperback: amazon.co.uk     amazon.com

Kindle Edition: amazon.co.uk

Also see: More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera