THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END (Adam Silvera)

 A book called "THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END" may not sound the most appealing or uplifting in the world but whilst at Liverpool John Lennon Airport my easyJet flight was delayed (I Can’t believe it either) and much like my easyJet flight this book was cheap...and orange.  

 
 

The book has two main characters named Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio who are textbook average Joe's but in ways which are very unique to them. They both have their flaws but with a somewhat endearing charm. In their world the day of your death you get a phone call informing you that your demise will happen sometime in the next 24 hours. I hate phone calls at the best at times but I think I would be even less inclined to answer the phone in this world. I think it is safe to imagine you couldn’t just text back saying “What did you want?” like I do when my phone rings in real life. 

 As the title would suggest they both die. Shocking I know. The book however is not a story about how they die but about how they learn to live on their last day on earth. Do they spend it with loved ones? Do they skydive or swim with sharks or commit a crime which will put their name in the history books? It really makes you think about how you'd spend your last day and especially who you'd want to spend it with. I took a break whilst reading this book to enjoy said holiday and some of the suggestions that came to my mind were obvious but some much more obscure. Obviously telling my mum and big stan I love them and spending some time with them was top of the list to start with but then I started to think would I want to spend my last hours seeing them in pain. It’s a tough decision. Paddle boarding, walking the dog and a nudist beach all also came into consideration.  

 

 
 

It also makes you think about those days where Death-cast (the company who calls you) doesn't call you. Would you take more risks? Would you spend a day being just that little bit less average? It definitely does make you think. I think if I wasn’t an average Joe and the decision on whether we adopted this scheme in our world was mine I'd strongly vote in favour of Death-cast as I like to think on the days I didn’t get the call I would live a little bit closer to the edge. 

I'd say the main aim of the author when they wrote this book was to tell people life is for living and not to waste it. One subtle touch I really liked was each chapter has its's own super cliché quote. My personal favourite being "A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for" by John A. Shedd. Maybe that should be my next tattoo?  

 
 

9.5/10