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A review by agenericmirkwoodelf
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
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!
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
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts