Tailor Made For Gen Z
They Both Die At The End
Images: HarperTeen
First off, I want to say that this book personally touched my heart and I had to take this opportunity to write it for the Cougar Standard.
Weird Title, Right?
You might be thinking, “Why should I read a book that has already told me the ending; kind of boring isn’t it?” But trust me, it’s so much more than a spoiled title. I thought the same thing before I read it.
But What Exactly is “They Both Die at the End”?
They Both Die At The End is a young adult fiction novel by Adam Silvera about two guys, named Mateo and Rufus, who one day receive a call from the infamous company known as “Death Cast.” The ‘Cast’ calls unsuspecting people and tell them they are going to die within 24 hours.
The two boys eventually decide that if they’re really going to die the day they receive the call, then they will live their remaining hours on Earth to the fullest. Having met on an app called The Last Friend, they eventually meet and attempt to live their whole life in a day.
The Main Theme/ How it Impacted me.
I discovered the book through an old friend and initially I didn’t think much about it. I committed to reading half it, but I didn’t give it a chance until recently. I’m glad I read the rest because I was absolutely touched by the book’s message, which immediately splashed into my face.
The two boys in this story contemplate death and how it affects others, and we see stories of other victims of the Death Cast company and how it devastated their loved ones.
If you continue reading the book, I guarantee that you will cry because it’s such a reflection of real life even though it’s fiction.
The story of Mateo and Rufus’s lives is etched in my mind, as and it sends us all a grim reminder about death and the message that we humans do not live forever; that unfortunately we can’t rewrite the past; and that unfortunately, it doesn’t matter how good of a person you are in life. The real message in They Both Die In The End is that Death isn’t determined by who’s good and who’s bad. People come and go, so it’s time to cherish who you have and cherish the life you have because you won’t be around forever.
Yeah, But Why Should Gen Z Read It?
I believe Generation Z (people born in the 2000s) should read this book because the theme and messages correspond with them the most.
Gen z is the generation that I believe takes life for granted the most. After reading the book, I found myself spending more time on my phone with my mother, discussing seven-year-olds who play on a phone or an iPad instead of running around playing and enjoying being a kid.
I think this book would help wake up Gen Z and remind all of us that we do not live forever and to cherish what you have when you have it.
– Thalia Smith
