Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - They Both Die at the End

Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

280 reviews

heckin_hello's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring 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

Exactly what you'd expect from a book with this title. In addition to the focus on the two main characters and the relationship they foster, I thought it was an elegant touch to interweave several additional character stories into the larger picture - showing just how accidentally connected we really are.

As far as the two main characters, Mateo and Rufus; I did find Mateo to be particularly frustrating the first half of the book, but that just lent to the charm of him as the story progressed. I would have liked to see a larger focus on Rufus and his growth, personally. It felt like the book was split 75/25 between Mateo's issues and Rufus'.

The short story "The Father Does Not Die at the End" included in the collector's edition was so heartbreaking... and absolutely tied the story off in a perfect way. I would not have considered the story complete without it.

Content Warnings

mixmousereads's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging dark 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

3.75

Content Warnings

faeriefox's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I have to admit, I'm somewhat disappointed with this book. It was decent, but not as amazing as I was expecting. I felt like the romance was rushed and didn't make sense, and all of the other relationships felt really shallow. The sentiment is nice, and the writing was well done, but I just wasn't connecting with the story.

Content Warnings

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book did a really good job of balancing the heaviness of its material with the need to tell a story that wouldn’t stay mired in existential dread. i appreciate that author wrote from Mateo’s and Rufus’ point of view and did so with distinct characterization. i admire as well how fleshed out all of the non main character felt as well. the story felt like a realistic depiction of what might go down in a world where Death-cast existed. At times, i found the theme being reiterated with slightly different phrasing that didn’t add to the story. i also feel that some people may read this story and not get the message the author intended. it’s a complicated topic, and I am glad someone made an attempt to address it through fiction.

Content Warnings

agenericmirkwoodelf's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful 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

3.5, but I’ll round up to 4!
I wasn’t expecting to like this book as much as I did! It’s so different from what I usually decide to pick up. Perhaps I should stray out of my comfort zone more often, because I have definitely encountered some gems on the world of contemporary this year!
Let’s start with what I enjoyed:
- The concept. Depth and feeling is ingrained in the very nature of what this book is about. It makes for an interesting read- heavy themes paired with a writing styles typically used for lighthearted stories! I think that’s part of what makes it such an effective experience. I was leery of the simple prose at first, but truthfully, that was key to humanizing it!
I here someone compare it to the writing style of a journal, and I think that works well. Throughout the story, photography is used to capture the little moments. And, at its core, isn’t that what a journal does too?
I also thought the pacing was well done! It was slow and a bit meandering, but still perpetually moving. The way it was broken up really helped this effect as well! There was some semblance of a climax, but it really wasn’t what the story was building to. In fact, it was more akin to a high-action moment of setup. In the topic of setup, this story excels in that area! The inevitability of the outcome really drags readers through. We’re kept on our toes because we have no idea ho it’s going to come about. It’s the same tactic used by non-linear stories, such as Vicious, condensed beautifully!
It was very much an exploration of fate.
The ending didn’t hit me as hard as it might have, and I think that’s because the acceptance of it happening was the journey that the characters went on. And the journey that I, as a reader, went on with them. By the time they had learned t accept it, so had I.
So, why not 5 stars?
As much as I thought the writing was effective, I would have liked a little bit more in terms of scene description. It was someone’s hard to picture the environment the characters were in, which made it a little bit difficult to connect to the message of living life to the fullest in this world.
But yeah! I’m glad I read this book!

Content Warnings

isabezza's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted sad fast-paced

5.0

I did not have high expectations for this book, as I tend to be underwhelmed by tiktok recommendations, but this story was above those expectations. I recommend going into this book without context - aside from the obvious spoiler - to be surprised by the brilliant science-fiction world building and plot! This is the kind of book many readers could finish in a day due to the fast pace, exciting plot and emotionally engaging characters. Despite the upsetting themes, this is a genuine feel-good holiday read with characters who are easy to become attached to. However two-dimensional and predictable some of the character's are, it is perfect for what it is.

Content Warnings

gzaborski's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark 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

3.0

Really cute book with adorable and likable characters- felt a bit long but thats kind of the point I suppose. The narrative switching between the two main characters took some getting used to and might have to contributed to the book feeling longer than it was/ needed to be. Conclusion felt a bit rushed after such a slow burn of a story, but overall enjoyable!

Content Warnings