They Both Die at the End

Maybe controversial, but this one was a mixed bag for me. I, along with most people, found this book to be heart wrenching and gorgeous and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to read an emotional and heart breaking teen romance. I laughed and cried (my first cry occurred in the first 50 pages). That being said, however, I felt like the writing and character development was a bit lackluster.

The story's protagonist is the shy and risk-averse Mateo. After learning that he will die in the next 24 hours, he meets Rufus, another teen, through an app that connects “Last Friends” (people who are going to die on the same day). They decide to go on an adventure together to make the most of their last day. The world of They Both Die at the End is incredibly original, and Silvera really uses the setting (New York City) to his advantage when writing this. As a New Yorker, I loved watching the small, seemingly inconsequential coincidences / chance meetings take place. These little vignettes really connected the characters and plot in a way I found really incredible.

The characters themselves, however, I felt could have used some more development. I didn't really resonate with any of the characters, and while I felt like I could see shades of myself in Mateo (and I'm sure anyone who has ever been closeted can also relate), I felt like his character arc wasn't as compelling as it could've been. To me, Rufus was a more interesting character, but I felt like he existed in the story only to challenge and propel Mateo forward. The romance and some of the motifs were a little heavy-handed for me, and I wished Silvera had written with a little more complexity.

That being said, I absolutely tore through this one and finished it in a weekend — so props to Silvera there!