Multiple Perspectives in They Both Die at the End: A Double Edged Sword

*Minor spoiler for first 1/3 of the book in paragraph 3*

            “Hello, I'm calling from Death-Cast. I regret to inform you that sometimes in the next twenty-four hours you’ll be meeting an untimely death. On behalf of everyone here at Death-cast, we are sorry to lose you. Live this day to the fullest, okay?” Newly informed of what was now their fate, Mateo and Rufus both set out to live a lifetime in a single day. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera tells the story of two people living completely different lives who are meet through by their fate. This book uses a unique concept of a world just like how we know it, but with a twist: Death-cast calls and you and informs you of your death on the day of. Nor does Death-cast or anyone else know how or why an individual is dying, but they always know the date, and delivers the news.

            Rufus and Mateo are both currently at a low point in their lives, but their situations couldn’t be farther apart. They are the last people to become friends, but by a sudden alert, their lives crossed paths and the story unfolds. As the title of the book already spoils for the reader, they are in fact dying at the end. This book explores how the lives of these two people are changed, and through it, discover what they never would have if it wasn’t for this twisted chance. The pairing of two people with such different personalities leads to not only interesting conversation but also a common goal, to make the most of this day.

            Although I have only read about one-third of this book, I thoroughly enjoyed its unique concept and intriguing storytelling. Despite the page-turning adventure of how the book gets to the title’s ending, and the story being overall very interesting to read, I felt that the use of the two different perspectives of Mateo and Rufus throughout the whole book was at times a bit awkward. By letting the reader in on the thoughts of both of the main characters, the story lost some of its intrigue and mystery. For example, when Rufus and Mateo first meet, the author uses the first-person perspectives of both Mateo and Rufus. This lets the reader see the thought process of both characters during the same exact interaction, but to me, it takes away the awkwardness of meeting someone for the first time and trying to understand how they act and who they are. Due to the perspectives showing the reader both sides of the story, the encounter of Rufus and Mateo feels less like meeting someone for the first time and more like seeing an old friend and knowing exactly what they’re thinking and the reasons behind their actions. Before this same interaction, Rufus and Mateo are both a bit worried about what the other person might be up to, and they both have their guards up just in case. By letting the reader know what Rufus and Mateo’s minds are going through, we can tell that neither of them has anything to be worried about, and the suspense is ruined.
            Although I personally didn’t enjoy the multiple perspectives throughout the whole book, I can see why the author uses it and how it might be appealing to other people. While much of the suspense in interactions between characters isn’t as interesting, the entirety of the plot is still plenty intriguing. And while these perspectives make the story feel not as realistic to what most experience every day, it does give the reader a better understanding and a clearer sense of who the characters are. Overall, I would still definitely recommend They Both Die at the End to anyone who is interested in reading a unique story with a thought-provoking plot.

-mengtong