Book Cover
Justification
I chose They both die at the end for my LGBTQ+ book for this blog. I was drawn to this book because of the title. The title gives away the ending of the book and leaves the reader curious about what will become of these characters. I was also drawn in to the central idea of the book. If you knew that today was the day that you were going die, would it change your behavior? Would that behavioral shift be the reason you die? I was curious to find out what would happen to these two protagonists. The book has also received praise from several reviewing journals including a starred review from Booklist.
Evaluation
The first element of excellent writing shown in this novel is the tension that is created. Silvera draws a line in the sand with his choice of title. The title of the book tells us the ending, but we must know what happens to these teenage boys. The setting and plot play key roles in creating this tension as the story develops. In the futuristic world that the novel is set in, a system called Death-Cast has somehow obtained the technology to predict the deaths of the citizens of their world. Each day the company employees call the unlucky citizens to tell them that today is the day they will die. While they do not know how, or when they will pass, they are mostly certain that today will in fact be their last day on Earth. As new people are introduced in the story, the chapter opens with whether or not Death-Cast called them to tell them that they are going to die today. Having this knowledge about the characters upon their introduction to the story builds this tension as the novel progresses. The chapters are time stamped, as the day goes on and the tension builds, we wonder, right along with the characters, will this be their last entry?
The next great element of writing in this novel is the characters. Mateo and Rufus could not be more different in life, but now knowing that they are going to die, they are thrown together navigating their Last Day together. Before their respective Death-Cast calls, their lives could not be more different. Mateo is mostly a loner who keeps to himself. It takes connecting with Rufus on a social media platform designed for “Deckers” (those who have received their last day notifications from Death-Cast) to pull Mateo out of his house. Rufus on the other hand is social. He has a group of friends that he has found in his foster home that have become his inner circle. Even the tone that Silvera uses when writing their alternating view points is markedly different. Mateo is much more formal and always second guessing his choices, whereas Rufus is causal and self-assured. As they go through their Last Day together, their relationship deepens at an accelerated pace. Knowing that they are both going to die at some point in the day has bonded them together in an intensive way. As readers, we empathize with these two teenage boys that will not live to see another day. There is some comfort in knowing that they have each other to empathize in a way that only another Decker could.
Finally, the theme of the book asks an age-old question: What does it really mean to be alive? How can we live each day to the fullest? As long as philosophers have been pontificating, people have been asking this question. Phrases like Carpe Diem and YOLO are pervasive in our culture. In this novel, there are opportunities for Deckers to live their Last Days to the fullest. They have a place called the Make-A-Moment station where you can participate in several different extreme sports or thrilling adventures. As Rufus and Mateo are heading for the Make-A-Moment station Mateo asks “’Should we go make a moment?’” and Rufus replies “’I thought we were already making moments, but why not’” (Silvera, 2017, p. 178). In this futuristic setting, that mirrors our own in a lot of ways, there is an expectation to use social media platforms and manufactured stations to live your life to the fullest, when in fact opportunities are all around you. People can become so buried in the minutia of everyday life that they fail to see the ways they can connect with others in real and meaningful ways right in front of them. With the inclusion of Death-Cast in the world of this novel, people have one more chance to do the things they’ve always wanted to do, or become the people they always hoped they would become. As Mateo is reflecting on his Last Day and life up until this point he remarks “Twelve hours ago I received a phone call telling me I’m going to die today, and I’m more alive now than I was then” (Silvera, 2017, p. 227).
Response
(A) People have always been fascinated by death. Most people fear it. This book left me questioning, if a system like Death-Cast was in place in our society, would I want to know? Ultimately, I’m relieved that we cannot know, in most cases, the exact day that we will die. This book did make me evaluate my own choices. Am I present enough in my own life to create authentic moments with the people I love? How can I seek out random acts of kindness like Mateo and Rufus? This is a book that will stay with me for some time. (E) While the idea of this book is excellently thought out, the execution the plot development lacked for me. There were characters who were introduced that we never received closure for even upon completing the story. The romantic aspect of Mateo and Rufus’s relationship felt altogether rushed. One minute they’re friends hanging out together, and the next they’re telling each other they love one another. It felt cheapened somehow. While their lives are being cut short and they are running out of time, I felt more development of their relationship would have done their characters more justice. (G) Overall, I enjoyed this book. It kept me engaged and wondering what would happen to the characters as the day went on. I was rooting for them, even though I knew how the story would end.
Conclusion
They both die at the end is a fascinating thought experiment. If you knew you were dying today, what would you do? While the premise for the book is excellent, it does suffer from some pacing issues. Mateo and Rufus’s relationship feels hurried. Maybe this is because they’re running out of time, but it could have been more thoughtfully executed. Overall, it’s an interesting idea for a book that answers one of the oldest questions of human existence: What does it really mean to be alive? How can you live today to the fullest? This book is best suited for high school students. It deals with mature themes that would not be appropriate for students younger than ninth grade.
APA Citation
Silvera, A. (2017). They both die at the end. New York: Harper Collins Books.
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