A Review of They Both Die at the End

Photo from The Local Reel 

Nevaeh Hughes

“A Novel Idea,” Hamilton’s book club, kicked off the new school year with They Both Die at the End. Written by Adam Silvera, it’s a beautiful piece with the driving conflict of ‘person vs. self.’  One morning, Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio get a call letting them know they will die within the next 23 hours. Wanting to hopefully make the best out of their last day, Mateo and Rufus decide to download Last Friend, an app designed for people to be given a “friend” to spend their last day with to make it more enjoyable. Here they meet and decide to accompany each other until their end. 

While spending their last day together, Rufus agrees to go with Mateo to the hospital so Mateo can visit his father, who has been in a coma, to say goodbye. Rufus opens up about his previous run-in with Death Cast, the organization that calls people to let them know when they will die within the next 24 hours. They also go to Make-A-Moment, where they can virtually experience dangerous activities without the fear of dying. This way, they can live what little life they have left to the fullest. Unimpressed, they go to the Travel Arena and go on an "around the world in eighty minutes" tour where they jump off of a waterfall, allowing Rufus to conquer his fear of the water. As the book continues, we see Mateo grow and adventure out of his fear of death. Our book club completely agreed with his decision since we probably would’ve acted the same if we were in this circumstance.

Overall, “A Novel Idea” gives They Both Die at the End'' 4.5/5 stars. A New York Times bestseller, the book has you questioning whether or not Mateo and Rufus will actually die by deepening your connection to them. Adam Silvera’s take on how the journey is more important than the destination is phenomenal. There's no life without death and no love without loss in this devastating yet uplifting story about two people whose lives change over the course of one unforgettable day.