They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

They Both Die at the End is a YA realistic/science fiction book about two boys who decide to make the most of their last day alive. In a futuristic society not too different from our own, people are notified by Death-Cast 24 hours before they die. Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both screwed up their lives and live in awful situations. Quite frankly, they never thought they'd have much to live for. When these two unhappy souls decide to spend their Last Day together, they aim to live for decades in a single night and accomplish their dreams, falling in love with each other in the midst.

I am very torn about this book for many reasons. One of my issues is the lack of background knowledge about the mysterious Death-Cast system. How does it know when people are going to die? Predictive analytics or a higher power? Plus, I was hoping for an inspirational vibe of trying to change fate, which left me disappointed. I also had major issues with the romance between the boys as it felt way too forced and unnatural.

However, I loved the characters and grew attached to Mateo. I also loved the balancing act between the personalities of Rufus and Mateo and how they changed each other. Rufus made Mateo more fearless and Mateo made Rufus more considerate and careful. They largely benefited from each other and I admired their bravery. They Both Die at the End was a beautiful concept and I personally love Silvera's writing style from More Happy Than Not. I loved the concept and the plotline, but the execution did not turn out as I hoped. That being said, I still enjoyed reading it.

I do recommend this book as it still tells a special story- just be sure to suspend your disbelief!

Click here to read my review of More Happy Than Not, also by Adam Silvera.

Title: They Both Die at the End
Author: Adam Silvera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 373
Series: No
Rating: 4 Stars
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