They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera

"The title holds true but it actually gives nothing away. It's a story about two boys, who don't have long, meeting and living an entire lifetime in the span of a day. It's a story about friendship, fears, saying goodbye and what matters in the end is that you really, truly lived."

5 Stars.

Pros: How different Mateo and Rufus are and how those differences balance each other out/The message that Silvera gets across, to love as hard as you can, to not be afraid of everything and to go out and live your life as if every day is your last day.

Cons: A little slow to start/At first the way Rufus talks is kind of grating but you eventually get used to it/The plot is dark and heavy at times but it makes it all the better for it.

Full Review:

There is a service that exists now called Death-Cast. It will call you when you will die in the next 24 hours. They don't say an exact time, or how, but you know that you will die today.

Mateo and Rufus have just received that call.

They've each lived very different lives. Mateo, afraid of the world, barely leaving his apartment, only close to his father and best friend Lidia. Rufus a somewhat rough and tough kid, he's survived a tragedy, is in foster care but he's close to his friends and isn't afraid of living his life. For different reasons, Mateo and Rufus log onto the Last Friend App. It's an App that allows people to meet and get to know "Deckers" (people who are on deck to die.) It's the chance for someone who might otherwise be alone, to have someone with them on their last day.

They meet and in the hours that they spend together, getting to know one another, they both live an entire life time.

Silvera masterfully crafts the story even though you know what's going to happen at the end. He shows us that all life is precious, that the smallest thing you do, like a smile, may have an impact on a stranger today, that everything you do in your life, on a daily basis, matters, whether you know it or not. All of our lives are connected in ways we'll never see but in the end, it boils down to live each day as if it's a lifetime, be kind to one another and be gentle with yourself.

This was a great read and one that will stick with me for a long time.

Comments

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