[SUMMARY & BOOK REVIEW] “THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END"

1. BOOK INTRODUCTION

“They Both Die at the End” is a novel in the Young Adult – dystopian – contemporary genre, first published in 2017. From its title, the book makes a strong impression and creates a paradoxical feeling: the author openly reveals the ending of the story, yet it still leads millions of readers worldwide on a reading journey with heavy hearts and teary eyes. When I finished “They Both Die at the End,” what lingered in me was not just sadness at the foretold ending, but a quiet, lingering feeling about how people live their daily lives. Mateo and Rufus made me realize that fear is not something to be ashamed of, because everyone carries their own unique fears: fear of loss, fear of loneliness, fear of failure, and most of all, fear of living a meaningless life. What makes the story so haunting is that the two characters don't die because they're weak, but because they live more fully than anyone else on their last day.

I particularly empathize with Mateo – a man who spent almost his entire life avoiding risk, only to realize that absolute safety is a form of loss. Mateo's fear is very similar to the fears of many young people: fear of stepping outside their comfort zone, fear of change, fear of being hurt. But through his final journey, I realized that facing fate doesn't weaken a person, but helps them become more authentic to themselves. Rufus is the same – he taught me that appearing strong doesn't mean not being afraid, but daring to acknowledge fear and still choosing to love.

The book made me wonder: if one day I knew the limits of my time, would I continue to procrastinate on important things? Would I continue to remain silent about unspoken feelings? They Both Die at the End didn't make me more afraid of death, but rather made me more aware of life, of the value of each ordinary moment that is easily overlooked in the daily grind.

The story is set in a fictional world very close to reality, where there exists an organization called Death-Cast – a system that notifies people of the exact day they will die. At midnight, those who are about to die within 24 hours receive a call, called "Deckers." No one knows how Death-Cast works precisely, nor can anyone change the fate that has been announced.

The central characters of the story are Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio – two strangers, teenagers who both receive a Death-Cast call on the same day. Through an app called Last Friend, where dying people search for companions on their last day, Mateo and Rufus meet and decide to spend the last 24 hours of their lives together. There are no dramatic escapes from fate, no plots to overthrow the system, or miraculous salvation. Instead, the book tells a very "real" story: two ordinary people, with their fears, regrets, and unfulfilled desires, trying to live each single day knowing that tomorrow will never come.

2. AUTHOR INTRODUCTION

Adam Silvera is an American author, born in 1990, known for his young adult novels that are deeply emotional, particularly revolving around themes of death, loss, personal identity, love, and the finiteness of life. Before becoming a full-time writer, Silvera worked in the publishing industry, which greatly influenced his tight and humanistic storytelling style.

Silvera is the author of several notable works, including:

More Happy Than Not

History Is All You Left Me

They Both Die at the End

The First to Die at the End (prequel)

Adam Silvera's style is often described as gentle yet poignant, not exploiting tragedy in a sensational way but delving into inner emotions. He doesn't try to romanticize death, but rather transforms it into a mirror reflecting how people live, love, and regret.

With *They Both Die at the End*, Adam Silvera has solidified his position as one of the most emotionally resonant (YA) writers capable of touching the deepest layers of readers' hearts, especially young readers who are in the process of searching for meaning in life and themselves.

3. THEMES REVOLVING AROUND THE STORY

3.1. Death as a lens to look back at life

In literature, death often appears as a final punctuation mark, closing the fate of the characters and the story. However, in Adam Silvera's novel *They Both Die at the End*, death is not just an ending, but also becomes a special lens through which people look back at life, to reflect on what they have lived, what they haven't lived, and what they should have lived. By placing the characters in a situation where they know the day they will die, the author transforms death from a vague fear into a powerful motivation that forces people to confront themselves.

The film is set in a world where the Death-Cast organization can notify people that they will die within 24 hours. When Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio both receive this fateful call, death is no longer a distant or unexpected event, but a specific, unavoidable deadline. This certainty completely changes how the two characters perceive their lives. Previously, they could postpone their dreams, suppress their emotions, or live safely within their familiar surroundings; now, every passing minute holds special meaning, because they know they have no "tomorrow."

Through the character of Mateo, Adam Silvera portrays a type of person who lives in fear rather than truly living. Mateo is always cautious, withdrawn, and avoids risks to the point of missing opportunities to experience the world. Only when faced with imminent death does he realize his greatest fear is not death itself, but dying without ever truly living. Death, in this case, becomes a mirror reflecting a life of delay, forcing Mateo to step outside, connect with others, and dare to be himself.

In contrast to Mateo, Rufus is a strong, impulsive, and seemingly carefree individual. However, as death becomes certain, that tough exterior gradually cracks, revealing his wounds and his yearning for love. For Rufus, death not only evokes the fear of losing life but also highlights the value of connection, of being with someone in final moments. Through Rufus, the work shows that no matter how strong a person may appear, when faced with finitude, everyone needs connection and understanding.

In particular, the relationship between Mateo and Rufus – which lasts only one day – clearly demonstrates how death can make life more profound. Without a future to worry about or a past to hide, people become absolutely genuine. They love, listen, and are fully present for each other. Through this, Adam Silvera conveys the message that the value of life lies not in its length, but in the depth of the moments we truly live and connect.

Beyond a personal story, the work also raises a philosophical question: if people knew the day they would die, would they live differently? Death-Cast, with its seemingly neutral appearance, makes death a part of the social order. But within that very society, the reader realizes the paradox: knowing death doesn't make people happier, but only makes them more acutely aware of the preciousness of life. Death, therefore, does not diminish the value of life; on the contrary, it makes every moment of life more precious than ever.

3.2. Fear and How People Confront Fate

Fear is an inseparable part of human life. People fear loss, pain, the uncontrollable, and above all, death – the ultimate limit of existence. In the novel *They Both Die at the End*, Adam Silvera places people in the most extreme situation: knowing the day they will die. From there, the work not only tells a sad story but also delves into exploring human fear and how each individual confronts an unchangeable fate.

In the world of *They Both Die at the End*, the Death-Cast informs people that they will die within 24 hours. This information leaves no room for negotiation or escape. When Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio receive their fateful call, their first reaction isn't acceptance, but fear. However, that fear isn't the same, as each carries their own experiences, personality, and traumas.

Mateo embodies a silent and persistent fear. Even before knowing he was about to die, he lived in fear: fear of the outside world, fear of risk, fear of failure, fear of being hurt. Mateo chose a life so safe that he withdrew, avoiding any potentially dangerous experiences. When his fate is announced, his fear doesn't erupt violently, but becomes a quiet panic: he fears death, but even more so, the fear of dying without ever truly living. Through Mateo, Adam Silvera shows that sometimes, people don't fear death, but the emptiness of a life never truly lived.

In contrast to Mateo, Rufus confronts his fate with an outward indifference and anger. He appeared defiant of death, acting impulsively, as if unafraid of losing his life. However, deep within that strength lay another fear: the fear of abandonment, the fear of loneliness, the fear of being alone in his final moments. Rufus was accustomed to loss, so he didn't shy away from fate, but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid. Rufus's fear was masked by rebellion, reflecting how many people choose to confront their destiny by appearing stronger than they actually are.

The encounter between Mateo and Rufus marked a significant shift in how both faced fate. When fear was no longer felt alone, it became more bearable, because it was shared and understood. Together, they didn't flee death, but chose to live the rest of their lives to the fullest. This shows that facing fate doesn't mean surrender, but rather accepting it while still retaining the right to choose how one lives.

Adam Silvera doesn't create a heroic figure defying fate, nor does he conjure up miracles to change the outcome. Instead, he portrays very human characters: fearful, confused, sometimes selfish, but still striving to find meaning in their short remaining time. Through this, the work affirms that courage isn't about the absence of fear, but about acting even when afraid.

The work also conveys a profound message about the relationship between humanity and fate. When death becomes inevitable, people no longer control time, but they can still control how they live, how they love, and how they connect. Mateo and Rufus don't conquer fate, but they conquer fear by living authentically, being fully present, and leaving a lasting impression on each other.

In short, *They Both Die at the End* realistically portrays human fear of unavoidable fate, while also showing various ways to confront that fear. Through the characters of Mateo and Rufus, Adam Silvera emphasizes that fear is natural, but how we choose to live with that fear is what determines the meaning of life. The work is therefore not just a story about death, but also a profound reminder about life: dare to live, dare to love, and dare to face fate, even when we cannot change it.

4. PERSONAL FEELINGS

When I finished *They Both Die at the End*, what lingered in me was not just sadness because of the foretold ending, but a quiet, lingering feeling about how people live each day. Mateo and Rufus made me realize that fear is not something to be ashamed of, because everyone carries their own unique fears: fear of loss, fear of loneliness, fear of failure, and most of all, fear of living a meaningless life. What makes the story so haunting is that the two characters don't die because they're weak, but because they live more fully than anyone else on their last day.

I particularly empathize with Mateo – a man who spent almost his entire life avoiding risk, only to realize that absolute safety is a form of loss. Mateo's fear is very similar to the fears of many young people: fear of stepping outside their comfort zone, fear of change, fear of being hurt. But through his final journey, I realized that facing fate doesn't weaken a person, but helps them become more authentic to themselves. Rufus is the same – he taught me that appearing strong doesn't mean not being afraid, but daring to acknowledge fear and still choosing to love.

The book made me wonder: if one day I knew the limits of my time, would I continue to procrastinate on important things? Would I continue to remain silent about unspoken feelings? They Both Die at the End didn't make me more afraid of death, but rather made me more aware of life, of the value of each ordinary moment that is easily overlooked in the daily grind.

5. CONCLUSION

Adam Silvera's They Both Die at the End is a special work because it doesn't shy away from death, but places it at the center of the story to explore the depth of human psychology. Through the final journey of Mateo and Rufus, the work clearly portrays human fear of unchangeable fate, while also showing that each person has their own way of facing that destiny. Some run away, some resist, some accept in silence, but only when people dare to live true to their emotions will fear no longer completely dominate their lives.

What gives the work its profound humanistic value is that Adam Silvera doesn't try to change the ending, doesn't give the characters a miraculous escape, but lets them die as the book's title suggests. Yet, it is precisely in this inevitability that humanity finds freedom – freedom in choosing how to live, how to love, and how to leave its mark on others. Death, therefore, is no longer an absolute end, but a test of the value of life.

Closing the story, the reader remembers not only the deaths of the two characters, but also how they lived in fear: imperfect, not heroic, but sincere and meaningful. They Both Die at the End is therefore not simply a sad novel, but a profound reminder that fate may not be in our hands, but how we face it is always a choice. And sometimes, it is only when people dare to look directly at their greatest fears that they truly begin to live.