They Both Die at the End

In an alternate present, a company named Death-Cast contacts Deckers - individuals who will die within the next 24 hours - to inform them of their impending deaths. The End Day call comes for two teenagers living in New York City: Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio. Mateo is a young Puerto Rican man who has always played it safe, while Rufus is a Cuban-American foster kid with a violent streak. Both are grappling with the news of their imminent deaths and seek out company for their final hours.

Mateo and Rufus meet through Last Friend, an app that connects lonely Deckers (one of many ways in which Death-Cast influences social media). Mateo wants someone to push him past his comfort zone after a lifetime of playing it safe, while Rufus needs company after a violent act puts cops on his tail and lands his friends in jail. The two set out to seize the day together in their final hours, during which their deepening friendship blossoms into something more.

The novel is structured as a series of present-tense chapters, with each chapter time-stamped to indicate when it takes place. Most of these chapters feature the distinctive first-person narrations of Mateo and Rufus, while occasional third-person chapters provide glimpses into the lives of other characters they encounter. These brief interludes underscore how even a small action can have a significant impact on someone else's life.

They Both Die at the End is another standout novel from Adam Silvera (History Is All You Left Me, 2017). It grapples gracefully with heavy questions about death and the meaning of a life well-lived. The book is engrossing, contemplative, and as heart-wrenching as its title suggests. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary young adult fiction.