Adam Silvera

In a near-future New York City where a service alerts people on the day they will die, teenagers Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio meet using the Last Friend app and are faced with the challenge of living a lifetime on their End Day.

They Both Die at the End

They Both Die At The End

Atli 💗🧚🏽‍♀️

“DO YOUR JOB AND GET HIM TO THE FUCKING HOSPITAL!”

Another medic opens the ambulance’s rear doors, but he doesn’t put Mateo in the back. He pulls out a body bag.

holy shit... i want the universe to swallow me whole 

I kiss my Last Friend because the world can’t be against us if it brought us together.

Maybe it’s better to have gotten it right and been happy for one day instead of living a lifetime of wrongs

I hate to ask it, but it might be on his mind too. “Did finding each other kill us?”

“We were going to die before we knew each other,” Mateo says.

“I know. But maybe this is how it was always written in stone or the stars or whatever: Two dudes meet. They fall for each other. They die.”

“I would’ve loved you if we had more time.”

qmwfnoiawefnmk crying, sobbing, choking on blood

I kiss the guy who brought me to life on the day we’re going to die.

“Finally!” Rufus says when I give him the chance to breathe, and now he kisses me. “What took you so long?”

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new.

Peck wants Rufus dead, of course. But he wants to deliver the killing blow.

"...Please promise you won’t go dying before me. I can’t see that.”

“Only if you promise the same thing.”

oh my god i almost stopped breathing lmfaooo

... a little over twelve hours ago, I got a phone call telling me I’m gonna die today, and I thought I made my peace with that, but I’ve never been more scared in my life of what’s gonna go down later.

Vin sneaks down to the generator room and pulls a homemade bomb out of his gym bag. Vin is going to die where he was made. And he’s not dying alone.

I check my phone again to see	if I’ve missed any messages. As	I step off the curb Mateo’s arm bangs into	my	chest. I look right. He looks right. I look left. He looks left.

I keep my photos in black and	white because my	life	 lost	color after they died.

it sucks how we’re	all being	raised to	die. Yes,	we live, or we’re given the chance	to, at least, but sometimes living is hard and	complicated because of fear.

Too bad life doesn’t allow us to turn its gears, like a clock, when we need more time.

Stories can make someone immortal as long as someone else is willing to listen. I want him to keep me alive the same way he did my mother.

I’m close to breaking down because my dad might wake up to a world without me, and I won’t be around to comfort him.

I follow Rufus up the stairs, and it’s only the second floor but I’m already out of breath. Really, maybe there’s something physically wrong with me and maybe I’ll die here on these steps before I can reach Dad or Lidia or Future Mateo.

She’s definitely my type, which means she’s also Tagoe’s type. (Malcolm’s type is any girl who likes him back.)

“Sorry,” Rufus says. “Not every day you see someone burying a bird.”

I scoop the soil over the bird, smoothing it flat before standing. “I hope someone is this kind to us when it’s over.”

I like the idea of a bird that died so tragically ahead of its time resting amid life here in the garden. I even imagine that this tree was once a person, some Decker who was cremated and had asked to have their ashes packed into a biodegradable urn with a tree seed to give it life.

insert that leonardo dicapricorn meme where he's pointing at the tv

No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end.

ebrar

** spoiler alert **
           Although it has an interesting subject, I did not like the way the subject was handled and I found it unnecessary to read the point of view of the side characters. Especially when I empathized with Mateo, I think I wouldn't spend my last day like this and treat the people I love like this. If it was my last day on earth, I would not live like this in any way and It's not because I want to live my last day to the fullest.
Also the book reminded me of the midnight library and the fault in our stars and frankly I liked them more.

Reviews were mixed! Overall it sounded like everyone enjoyed the book even if they had some qualms about the writing. Most of us were wishing for more on the logistics of how Death Cast works, but all in all we had a fun time chatting about it when we met up!

Dog Friend Book Club

Caroline

“Two dudes meet. They fall for each other. They die.”

WOW! Yes you heard me right, some book just do not need long reviews to describe how you feel about it, just a simple WOW says it all. As the title suggest, you know that 2 people are going to die in the end but still you are hoping, praying and convincing yourself for a happy or different ending as you go deeper not just into the book but also deeper in the lives of the 2 characters Mateo and Rufus. 

For me personally the end was something I totally did not see coming though I knew it was going to be sad but I still did not expect it to hit me right in the face when I wishing for something happy to happen. Author Adam Silvera sure is a clever writer. The end was there right through in front of my very eyes but yet so difficult to spot. 

The book was also very thought provoking, it made me think of how I would love to spend my last day if I received such an alert?

Everyone should atleast read this book once.

kait

I was really rooting for this book and I had seen so many online reviews of it being just okay. I really wanted it to be good but it was...not? Like, it wasn't bad but it also just wasn't that good. I thought it was just deeply alright. In this book, we follow Mateo and Rufus who get a call during the early morning of September 5th that that are going to die before the day is up. As they realize that their time is going to run out, they decide to make a Last Friend in each other. They meet up for one epic final day as they say their goodbyes and live their lives to the fullest (as much as they can at least). Throughout this book, I thought that it began to get repetitive and the characters were not developing much. I wished that Rufus would say more or that the story would even get more exciting. I feel like, just as Mateo and Rufus were playing it safe, so was the author of this book. This book is, by no means, bad. I just wished it would give me more. One positive of the book is that it did make me emotional as they described death and how they were feeling as they knew they were gonna die but it wasn't the tearjerker, tug of the heartstrings I was searching for.

baku

“They Both Die at the End” left me with mixed feelings. I really liked the premise and the world-building, but I think Silvera really missed an opportunity by not exploring it further. From the get-go, the already cliche “carpe diem” message was hammered in, and it got kinda preachy. The book promised so much but delivered another lukewarm version of the seize-the-day spiel. Some dialogues felt unnatural and didactic, and it felt like the book was so focused on delivering a moral that it forgot to make the relationship between Mateo and Rufus feel more genuine. 

I really enjoyed the novel's beginning and ending – intense and emotional. But the middle part? It kinda got slow and tedious really quickly. It had its moments, but the middle just dragged, and the emotional punch I was expecting didn’t really hit the mark, a solid 3 out of 5.

mimansa 

** spoiler alert **
           So fkn wholesome, my heart melted away!!!

The title may be direct and warn us about the sad ending, but it’ll still tear you up till you reach the end.

I started reading it without the synonsis, so the starting seemed a little heavy with a lot of information to take in about the world the book was set in. 
But i totally related and felt for the main charactersand how overwhelming it can be to recieve a phone call like that. It took us on a whole journey of dealing w trauma and grief of loosing loved ones and how even if someone informs you about your time of death, there is no way to prepare for such a thing. 
The second half got very wholesome and almost made you forget about the sad ending and how close it was, which i consider as really good writing. 

Absolutely loved the rollercoaster of emotions i went through while reading!
10/10 would recommend

"They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera is a profoundly moving and heartbreaking novel that left me emotionally shattered. Despite the foreboding title, the unexpected impact of the characters' fate hit me with an overwhelming wave of sadness.

The plot of "They Both Die at the End" revolves around the fleeting lives of Mateo and Rufus, and their short-lived (pun intended) love story which unfolds over the course of a few hours. Despite the brevity of their time together, their connection feels deep and profound. 

Adam Silvera expertly captures their chemistry and the sense that they have known each other for much longer. Mateo and Rufus love and the tragic inevitability of their fate left me yearning for more time for them, highlighting the cruel irony of their circumstances.         

Mateo, one of the protagonists, is absolutely my personal favorite. He's portrayed as an astonishingly sweet and kind-hearted boy. I couldn't help but feel a deep connection to him, wanting to protect him and encourage him to seize the opportunities he's going to miss with death knocking on his door. His vulnerability and longing for experiences resonated deeply with me.

Rufus was a polar opposite to Mateo in terms of personality. He brought a different dynamic to the story. While I found his speech patterns, particularly his frequent use of "mad," very repetitive and even annoying at times, I appreciated the contrast it provided to his tough exterior.

Despite their differences, Mateo and Rufus complemented each other beautifully. They created a love story that was both tender and bittersweet.

Aimee's presence in the story added a sense of danger for Rufus because of Peck. But also because she broke his heart. Her character felt like a ticking time bomb — I feel like she was way more aggressive than Rufus was letting on. 

Peck was a character I disliked most, rightfully so. I wanted him hto get a call from Death-Cast next. His actions and behavior left me frustrated, and I was dying for consequences to catch up with him.

The Plutos, particularly Malcolm, brought a touch of sweetness to the narrative. Their endearing nature and the role they played in  Rufus 

 Mateo's story added a sense of warmth amidst the impending tragedy.

In conclusion, "They Both Die at the End" beautifully delves into themes of love, loss, and the importance of seizing the moment. Adam Silvera's portrayal of characters like Mateo and Rufus evokes a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving a lasting impact on you as a reader.

Rating: ★★★★★

"They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera is a profoundly moving and heartbreaking novel that left me emotionally shattered. Despite the foreboding title, the unexpected impact of the characters' fate hit me with an overwhelming wave of sadness.

                                                              Plot Analysis

                                       “I would’ve loved you if we had more time.”

The plot of "They Both Die at the End" revolves around the fleeting lives of Mateo and Rufus, and their short-lived (pun intended) love story which unfolds over the course of a few hours. Despite the brevity of their time together, their connection feels deep and profound. 

Adam Silvera expertly captures their chemistry and the sense that they have known each other for much longer. Mateo and Rufus love and the tragic inevitability of their fate left me yearning for more time for them, highlighting the cruel irony of their circumstances.         

                                                Character Analysis

Mateo

Mateo, one of the protagonists, is absolutely my personal favorite. He's portrayed as an astonishingly sweet and kind-hearted boy. I couldn't help but feel a deep connection to him, wanting to protect him and encourage him to seize the opportunities he's going to miss with death knocking on his door. His vulnerability and longing for experiences resonated deeply with me.

Rufus

Rufus was a polar opposite to Mateo in terms of personality. He brought a different dynamic to the story. While I found his speech patterns, particularly his frequent use of "mad," very repetitive and even annoying at times, I appreciated the contrast it provided to his tough exterior.

Despite their differences, Mateo and Rufus complemented each other beautifully. They created a love story that was both tender and bittersweet.

Aimee

Aimee's presence in the story added a sense of danger for Rufus because of Peck. But also because she broke his heart. Her character felt like a ticking time bomb — I feel like she was way more aggressive than Rufus was letting on. 

"Peck"

Peck was a character I disliked most, rightfully so. I wanted him hto get a call from Death-Cast next. His actions and behavior left me frustrated, and I was dying for consequences to catch up with him.

The Plutos (Malcolm & Tagoe)

The Plutos, particularly Malcolm, brought a touch of sweetness to the narrative. Their endearing nature and the role they played in  Rufus and Mateo's story added a sense of warmth amidst the impending tragedy.

                                                              Conclusion

In conclusion, "They Both Die at the End" beautifully delves into themes of love, loss, and the importance of seizing the moment. Adam Silvera's portrayal of characters like Mateo and Rufus evokes a rollercoaster of emotions, leaving a lasting impact on you as a reader.

Natalia Sierocka

Gdybym mogła wybrać jeszcze raz to przeczytałabym wersję angielską. Niestety, ale w mojej opinii polskie tłumaczenie jest miejscami niezrozumiałe, mylące i nie zawsze dobrze odzwierciedlające oryginalny sens konwersacji między bohaterami.

Udit

another tiktok hype. great concept but could've been better

mar 

liked it! 
wasn’t as sad as i thought but it was well written. my first language isn’t english but the book was still easy to read and i understood most if it.

i cried so much to the point where i had to stop reading for a moment and stare at the ceiling as tears stream down my face. also, it got me kinda nervous whenever someone would call me.... like are they gonna tell me i’m donna die today too? thanks a lot i guess. very fun experience 🙄

This book hit me hard. I’m talking crying my soul out. Even though you know how it ends from the title, the story still catches you off guard along the way and you are not ready for it to end. Rufus and Mateo's adventures have given me a new perspective on life and death and living life to the fullest. Im not really a reader, but this book changed that. It brought back the joy of diving into a good story, something I haven’t felt in years. Adam Silvera’s writing kept me hooked, and the ending had me crying before Easter lunch with my family. Big thanks to Adam Silvera for writing such a gripping story that got me back into reading. Can’t wait to see what else he’s got in store.

Chip

Rodrigo Figueiredo Severino

Im about to give the most positive three star review you’ve ever seen. This is gonna be my biggest best performance ever? Let’s go.

The two main characters were very likeable. Mateo started off as an annoying little shit and grew with the passing of time. I liked the things he and Rufus did and how they grew in 24 hours. I also enjoyed the array of secondary and side characters. Lídia specially was a favorite of mine. The romance was rather pedestrian sure but it was also sweet and went from making me cringe to making me swoon on a moments notice.

So why is this three stars and not four? Cuz honestly I didn’t give a rats ass about the other peoples PoVs most time and thought it honestly should have been focused on Rufus and Mateos chapters. Sure it served a purpose: it was to show how everything ended up intertwining and to show how them changing changed other people and how their friends were dealing with grief. In my opinion, the book should have been narrated ENTIRELY by the two protagonists, if anything maybe give Aimee more of a prominent role and have her narrate her and the Plutos quest to finding Rufus. And then at the end, ONLY then would I include everyone else’s chapters to almost explain how Mateo and Rufus story was a part of something way WAY bigger in destiny’s route. Almost like an whodunnit: this all happened? Here’s what led to it, how and why.

As is I really enjoyed the book but felt it had some pacing issues. And since the story was sweet yeah but nothing out of the ordinary I’ve decided to give it 3 stars, but a very positive 3 stars.

The Myth Echo

** spoiler alert **
           !!SPOILERSSSSS!!!

FIRST feelings after finishing: I am not okay, thanks for asking. I was literally crying so hard, WHILE MY 1 YR NIECE SLEEPS JUST A FEW ROOMS OVER. I was trying to hard not to cry so much, but I couldn't stop once Mateo dies. This is the hardest I have ever cried because of a book. I actually am PHYSICALLY pained. My chest hurts from this. I am SHAKING. I am not okay, thanks for asking.

Actual Review: Mateo and Rufus remind me of my old relationship, but not manipulative or toxic (Which may have contributed to the tears). I saw myself in Mateo a lot, a crap ton of anxiety, and always worst case scenario while still trying to stay positive. Rufus reminds me of my ex as in a lot more violent/thoughts of violence, how he talks, & he's a biker (Except Rufus isn't manipulative, love that for him 🤩). Also, guys. GUYS. THE MUTIPILE POVS THAT ALL ADD UP IN THE END?!?!?! I actually will never recover from this. I remember poking fun of my friend bc they were sobbing during math class bc he was reading this. I bought it because "Gays!!!" and I figured I would prove her wrong. Little did I know, they were right. They were crying FOR GOOD REASONS. Please I will never be the same. I read 300 pgs in the past 2 days because I was so hooked (And wanted to finish it on "National Read a Book day" Aka March 7th, the day I finished this book & am posting this review), and I am actually going to be incomplete for the rest of my life. First The Song of Achilles, now this? Let the gays be happy, booktok writers 🙏

Anyway, HIGHLLYYYYY Recommend this, I think I ascended reading this.

First off, I am not okay. Throughout the book I found myself a little bored. I honestly thought it wound make my dnf list but I was half way through and I wanted to see what everyone was talking about. Well, they weren't wrong when they said this book will fuck you up emotionally. I was bored reading this, and yet at the end I was SOBBING. I thought I would be okay because I didn't find this book interesting, plus I knew what would happen at the end. Obviously they both die and I didn't find the book all that interesting. However, once the romance began, I found myself wanting more for them. I am a sucker for mlm romance. And then, out an act of love for Rufus, Mateo goes FIRST?! I was crying so much I couldn't even read. I didn't expect the twist within myself. I would definitely recommend this book.

Isabella 

It was a good book, but it was not as GOOD as I thought it would be (probably because it was overhyped). It was still pretty sad though, and I enjoyed reading different POV. If my interpretation is correct, then the foreshadowing that happened was amazing. I think the message of enjoying life as it is, and not fearing death was too forced.

Sidney Schaffner

akynn 

The most interesting part of this book was when they died.

Danielle Annika

Annalissa Powner 

Trying to put this book into words is pretty must impossible. 
At first I wasn’t sure I liked the writing style, I wasn’t sure I liked the story even, but then something just clicked into place and this book grabbed me and refused to let go. When I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about, and whenever I was reading I felt like I didn’t want it to end. I wanted there to be some happy ending, I wanted the title to be a joke..
This book was a raw and gorgeous story about what life boils down to and how all the little things add up to this thing we call living.
The question stands, if you got a warning call that you would die within 24hours would you live every second like it was your last? Would you surround yourself with family knowing they would then be forced to watch you die? Would you pretend death won’t catch you? Or would you be the person you were always scared to truly be?
This book will wreck your heart, shatter pieces of your soul, but it’s a damn good book that should be read and passed around again and again.

Ana Luiza

** spoiler alert **
           Meu coração está partido. Esse livro é uma grande injustiça que eu nunca vou superar. Me conhecendo do jeito que conheço, decidi ler esse livro da maneira mais lenta possível, sabendo o que livros sobre morte fazem comigo. É possível ler esse livro em dois ou três dias, e provavelmente a experiência é ainda melhor, mais emocionante, mas eu sei que teria sido demais pra mim. Sei que teria me feito sofrer de uma maneira que eu não estou disposta ultimamente.
É tudo tão injusto que eu não parei de pensar durante toda a leitura que alguma coisa iria acontecer pra salvar esses dois, que tudo não se passava de um mal entendido, apesar de saber o destino deles. Afinal, está no título.
Me identifiquei com Mateo mais do que deveria, e sei o quanto isso deveria me encorajar a sair da minha zona de conforto, mas ainda não sei ao certo como fazer isso. Me apaixonei por Rufus, me apaixonei pelos dois, e queria tanto que eles tivessem tido mais tempo. Queria que eles tivessem vivido tudo que desejassem. Queria que Rufus não tivesse sofrido tanto na vida. Mas sei que é possível que eles nunca tivessem se encontrado se não estivessem destinados a morrer e isso é tão triste e, mais uma vez, tão injusto. 
Mas eu sei que eles estão juntos onde quer que estejam. E que de alguma forma estão felizes e criando mais memórias juntos.
Sou eternamente grata a Adam Silvera por escrever um livro sobre morte que dá ao leitor tanta vontade de viver.

New York Times bestselling author Adam Silvera reminds us that 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. On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day. In the tradition of Before I Fall and If I Stay, They Both Die at the End is a tour de force from acclaimed author Adam Silvera, whose debut, More Happy Than Not, the New York Times called “profound.”

This book broke my heart in so many ways. Completely shattered it to pieces. I cried on every single page and rereading only made it worse. When I turned the page and saw the chapter was finally here I had a mini breakdown which just shows I cannot handle sad books. Literally everything made me cry in this book. Even the happy stuff.

Sophia

WHAT THE FUCJDKKJB they both fr died i thought we were just kidding😹😹😹🖕🖕🖕👍🏽

Julie Rubens

such a heartbreaking and amazing book! it really makes you think about your life✨

They Both Die at the End

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