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saturn26's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Homophobia, Hate crime, Medical content, Terminal illness, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Chronic illness, and Gun violence
kyliereichert's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Grief and Violence
Minor: Car accident, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicide
taliahsbookshelf's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Don't let the title fool you - though it may seem like this book is about death, it is in fact the opposite. This book is full of life. This book is about life. What happens when you live? Although they both die at the end, they both live before.
While reading this book, I found myself often grappling with the concept of mortality - what does being alive really mean? What impact do we have on other people even though we have no idea? How do the tiniest interactions we have with the people around us affect their daily lives in more profound ways than we can even imagine? These are all questions that I was asking as I read Silvera's work. Profound, though not difficult, I think everyone should read this book at least once, if even just to appreciate the tiny details that set it apart from other works in the same realm.
My recommendation to everyone is to follow along the characters using Instagram as a tool - Silvera did wonderfully with connecting a real Instagram account and posts that match everything that happened perfectly, and it made immersion so much better. Although it broke from the story, the feeling of really seeing what was going on made it incredibly worthwhile.
But that wasn't the only symmetry I appreciated - although our two main characters both receive a call that today is their End Day, there are so many other characters who get a piece of the story. We see their lives through their own eyes, but also through the eyes of our two main characters as they find themselves going through their final day. The symmetry between each of the chapters of everyone who didn't receive a call is stunning, and it faces the reality of death head-on.
As I write reviews for books, I do my best to find the flaws in a book - what did I like, what didn't I like, and why didn't I like it? Because everyone has different tastes, some may like a book I don't, and vice versa. However, for this particular book, I recommend it to everyone, regardless of your typical taste in literature. This was a journey that forced me to come to grips with some of life's most profound questions, the kind of questions people typically put off until those questions arise right in front of them. It's been more than a month since I finished this book, and I still think about it regularly and come back to those questions I mentioned at the beginning of this review. Give it a read - see what life really means to you.
Favorite quotes:
While reading this book, I found myself often grappling with the concept of mortality - what does being alive really mean? What impact do we have on other people even though we have no idea? How do the tiniest interactions we have with the people around us affect their daily lives in more profound ways than we can even imagine? These are all questions that I was asking as I read Silvera's work. Profound, though not difficult, I think everyone should read this book at least once, if even just to appreciate the tiny details that set it apart from other works in the same realm.
My recommendation to everyone is to follow along the characters using Instagram as a tool - Silvera did wonderfully with connecting a real Instagram account and posts that match everything that happened perfectly, and it made immersion so much better. Although it broke from the story, the feeling of really seeing what was going on made it incredibly worthwhile.
But that wasn't the only symmetry I appreciated - although our two main characters both receive a call that today is their End Day, there are so many other characters who get a piece of the story. We see their lives through their own eyes, but also through the eyes of our two main characters as they find themselves going through their final day. The symmetry between each of the chapters of everyone who didn't receive a call is stunning, and it faces the reality of death head-on.
As I write reviews for books, I do my best to find the flaws in a book - what did I like, what didn't I like, and why didn't I like it? Because everyone has different tastes, some may like a book I don't, and vice versa. However, for this particular book, I recommend it to everyone, regardless of your typical taste in literature. This was a journey that forced me to come to grips with some of life's most profound questions, the kind of questions people typically put off until those questions arise right in front of them. It's been more than a month since I finished this book, and I still think about it regularly and come back to those questions I mentioned at the beginning of this review. Give it a read - see what life really means to you.
Favorite quotes:
"Stories can make someone immortal as long as someone else is willing to listen."(116)
"When someone puts their journey out there for you to watch, you pay attention - even if you know they'll die at the end."(33)
"Entire lives aren't lessons, but there are lessons in lives."(334)
"No matter when it happens, we all have our endings. No one goes on, but what we leave behind keeps us alive for someone else."(303)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Cursing and Suicide
Minor: Biphobia, Car accident, Child death, Death of parent, Drug use, and Homophobia
chonkooch's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I mean, I didn't hate it. Didn't love it though. Didn't cry- didn't feel very invested in the characters. Would have preferred a novel about <spoilder>Death Cast. I don't mind predictability or knowing what's gonna happen but the experience should make up for it and a lot of the main body of the book felt rushed, contrived. Telling not showing. Author wanted to cram in as many anecdotes as possible to teach us who these characters were instead of just showing us. More emphasis on the present rather than their pasts would have been nice. Dynamics between the 2 were clunky at the beginning and worldbuilding felt like an afterthought/plot device. Felt like it would have made a good short story, overall. Gave it a 2.5 initially but bumped it up because one of the characters made a Bleachers reference and I am HERE FOR THAT.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
rashellyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
You know that feeling of emptiness that you just can’t satisfy? Yeah, that’s how I felt after finishing this book. I can’t be mad though, I did this to myself. I was the one who bought the book, opened it, and read past the first 100 pages.
It’s beautiful. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve cried this much since reading Thirteen Reasons Why. It’s not graphic like it but it’s written beautifully and articulately that you can’t help but cry because of its wonder. I swear, 80 years from now, they have to consider this a classic. It deserves to be read over and over again.
There is diversity. SO MUCH diversity. Characters from different backgrounds, races, and sexual orientations. It was more realistic and a breath of fresh air to read a sentence that sounded like “He was mad brave.” It was new and enlightening for me.
This book is filled to the brim with beautiful quotes. I could probably write an entire essay about all the quotes I snapped a photo of from the pages. My phone gallery is 40% this book.
I don’t just recommend for you to read “They Both Die At The End,” I’m BEGGING you to read it.
It’s beautiful. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve cried this much since reading Thirteen Reasons Why. It’s not graphic like it but it’s written beautifully and articulately that you can’t help but cry because of its wonder. I swear, 80 years from now, they have to consider this a classic. It deserves to be read over and over again.
There is diversity. SO MUCH diversity. Characters from different backgrounds, races, and sexual orientations. It was more realistic and a breath of fresh air to read a sentence that sounded like “He was mad brave.” It was new and enlightening for me.
This book is filled to the brim with beautiful quotes. I could probably write an entire essay about all the quotes I snapped a photo of from the pages. My phone gallery is 40% this book.
I don’t just recommend for you to read “They Both Die At The End,” I’m BEGGING you to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
sungeetsoor's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Homophobia
tascaraudo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I CRIED
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Animal death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Violence
sweet, tender story about two boys who face their last day on earth together despite their differenceszoe_the_intellectual's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Violence
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Homophobia
justannaagain's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’m not sure if I can add anything new to the conversation about this book. I highly recommend it (like most I know who have read it). It confidently defies YA tropes favoring a messier darker but ultimately more honest story. It doesn’t shy away from the difficult themes suggested in its title and doesn’t slap a happy ending band aid on the wounds of its characters. This is both heartbreaking and effective.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, Violence, and Car accident
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Homophobia
cosmicsapphic's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Suicide
Minor: Homophobia