Book Review: They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera
This book was beautiful. As a first time reader of Adam Silvera, I could not have chosen a better book to start with. I normally never read contemporary books, but this one had just enough of a fantastical element to it that it was okay. I read books to escape my world, not see it though somebody else's mind! It also had queer people of color, which is awesome. #RepresentationMatters
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:
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.
MY THOUGHTS ON: CHARACTERS
Mateo Torrez is going to die today. He is an anxious kid with two friends. His best friend, Lidia who is a single mom after her boyfriend died last year and his father, who is currently in a coma. When he gets the call that he is going to die within the next 24 hours, he is scared. He doesn't want to die. Especially without being able to say goodbye to his dad and Lidia and his goddaughter, Penny. So he joins the Last Friend app and after a few failed connections, he meets Rufus. Rufus helps him break out of his shell, and shows him how to live unapologetically.
Rufus Emeterio was in the middle of beating his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend near to death when he got the call today. He and his friends stop and head home so that they can throw Rufus funeral, but his ex shows up with her newly bruised and bloody boyfriend; who just so happens to call the cops on him in the middle of his own funeral at his own house. He decided to make a run for it, because he sure as hell isn't going to spend his last day on Earth in a holding cell. So he logs onto the Last Friend app hoping to find someone to spend the day with since his other friends are currently not answering his calls and texts. It's then that meets Mateo and learns how to care more and live free-er. He learns how to forgive his past and let go a little bit.
MY THOUGHTS ON: PLOT
The plot was super adorable. I loved the idea of getting a call when you're about to die so you can spend your last day saying goodbye and crossing things off of your bucket list. I loved how there was an app almost like a dating app that connected you to others who are about to die, or someone who just wants to make sure that you won't be alone on your last day. I enjoyed how some seemingly random characters got their own show POV every once in awhile, because it added a deeper element to the story; Seeing things from everyone's point of view.
I also really enjoyed how Mateo and Rufus acted like tourist's in their own city, just exploring and talking. They visit Mateo's dad at the hospital, give a homeless man some money, bury a dead bird so it won't get run over again, tip their waitress nicely, visit Mateo's mom's grave and happen to see his own grave being dug. They go to a skydiving simulator so they can see what it was like, they go to a bookstore and browse, they survive an explosion, and so much more. They help take each other out of their comfort zones, but in a way that they enjoy.
Also, the ending made me cry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This book made me realize that life is short, so we should all try to live as our truest selves and as carefree as possible. It also made me fear death a little bit, but that fear was already there so It doesn't count for much. (yay, anxiety!)
MY OVERALL RATING: 5/5 STARS
Links:
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Audible
OFFICIAL SYNOPSIS:
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.
MY THOUGHTS ON: CHARACTERS
Mateo Torrez is going to die today. He is an anxious kid with two friends. His best friend, Lidia who is a single mom after her boyfriend died last year and his father, who is currently in a coma. When he gets the call that he is going to die within the next 24 hours, he is scared. He doesn't want to die. Especially without being able to say goodbye to his dad and Lidia and his goddaughter, Penny. So he joins the Last Friend app and after a few failed connections, he meets Rufus. Rufus helps him break out of his shell, and shows him how to live unapologetically.
Rufus Emeterio was in the middle of beating his ex-girlfriend's new boyfriend near to death when he got the call today. He and his friends stop and head home so that they can throw Rufus funeral, but his ex shows up with her newly bruised and bloody boyfriend; who just so happens to call the cops on him in the middle of his own funeral at his own house. He decided to make a run for it, because he sure as hell isn't going to spend his last day on Earth in a holding cell. So he logs onto the Last Friend app hoping to find someone to spend the day with since his other friends are currently not answering his calls and texts. It's then that meets Mateo and learns how to care more and live free-er. He learns how to forgive his past and let go a little bit.
MY THOUGHTS ON: PLOT
The plot was super adorable. I loved the idea of getting a call when you're about to die so you can spend your last day saying goodbye and crossing things off of your bucket list. I loved how there was an app almost like a dating app that connected you to others who are about to die, or someone who just wants to make sure that you won't be alone on your last day. I enjoyed how some seemingly random characters got their own show POV every once in awhile, because it added a deeper element to the story; Seeing things from everyone's point of view.
I also really enjoyed how Mateo and Rufus acted like tourist's in their own city, just exploring and talking. They visit Mateo's dad at the hospital, give a homeless man some money, bury a dead bird so it won't get run over again, tip their waitress nicely, visit Mateo's mom's grave and happen to see his own grave being dug. They go to a skydiving simulator so they can see what it was like, they go to a bookstore and browse, they survive an explosion, and so much more. They help take each other out of their comfort zones, but in a way that they enjoy.
Also, the ending made me cry. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
This book made me realize that life is short, so we should all try to live as our truest selves and as carefree as possible. It also made me fear death a little bit, but that fear was already there so It doesn't count for much. (yay, anxiety!)
MY OVERALL RATING: 5/5 STARS
Links:
Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository - Audible
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