Review: They Both Die At The End - Adam Silvera

Genre: YA

Published: 5th September 2017

Length: 384 pages

My rating: 7/10

Overview: Imagine a world when on the day of your death, you receive a phone call informing you that this day will be your last. Mateo and Rufus both receive the call and reach out to each other as strangers on their last day of life.

This is my first Adam Silvera book, and I was tempted in the gayness and good reviews. I'm not sure why but when reading the blurb I assumed that after getting the call you were transferred into some Hunger Games shit where you would most definitely not survive the day, and these two kids made friends whilst in the arena. Could not have been more wrong! After getting the call, you will die some time in the next 24 hours but you can live out your day however you want, within capabilities. The thing that really mind-fucked me about this book was that it seemed people died because they knew they were going to die? Like how Rufus' family was driving somewhere they wanted to visit on their last day and because of that, they were killed. And as it's never answered how the last calls are made or how it is known people will die, it creates a lot of disturbing possibilities...but that's not what the book is about. The book was about human nature - how some people will do anything to hurt others, even if they know that person will soon die anyway, but also there are some really lovely people too. Throughout the book there are tiny excerpts for people around the city who are on their last day or are relevant to the two protagonists, and somehow they usually have a teeny impact on what Mateo and Rufus is doing which is cool. My favourite of the mini stories is the two girls who were on the tube - one is decker and the other is her last friend, who is not a decker but likes to comfort deckers on their last day. It was so sweet, especially when we find out later that a woman who said she was happy they found each other was the last friend app developer! This book is all about making the most of the little moments.

At the start of the book. I found Mateo so annoying. As someone with anxiety too, I get how he felt but it annoyed me that the first half of the book was all about what he wanted to do and totally driven by his wants. However, he loosened up a bit and I didn't mind him towards the end. Rufus however, I really liked, he was a strong memorable character that oozed personality. The book switches POVs between them and this is probably one of the best done multiple POV book I have read. In most, the narration is very similar between characters, but here the two voices are clearly different. Mateo speaks more formallly, whereas Mateo, even in his internal dialogue, uses a lot of slang and street talk. It really helped define the characters so well done to the author on that point!

Everyone says they cried a lot reading this. As the title states, they do both die at the end, it is unavoidable...unfortunately I read a spoiler on Goodreads about how each of them dies so I think I was more mentally prepared, and I didn't actually cry. I feel like I was waiting so long for things to happen in this book that when they did happen I didn't feel that gratified? I'm not sure how to justify taking stars off, it was an enjoyable read but I wouldn't read it again - it's everyone on Goodreads' fault, y'all keep setting my expectations up so high that I usually feel disappointed by books! It was certainly an interesting read though, I loved the concept

#review #adamsilvera