Review May 2022 - They Both Die At The End (No Spoilers)
- maisiedanson1209
- May 20, 2022
- 3 min read
They Both Die At The End: Adam Silvera
Overall Rating: 4.5/5

I loved this book so much, this was a read that I could not put down and had a very late night very anxiously getting to the end!
The concept of this book... 'Death Casters' will call you the day you are going to die, not telling you how or when but giving you the chance to spend your last day wishing farewell to loved ones, making spectacular final memories and in this case... creating the opportunity to find the courage to finally push yourself out of your comfort zone and take brave steps to feel proud of the life you have lived. Two young men, similar in age but with different histories and experiences, get the call on the same night and we follow their final day until... they both die at the end.
The title doesn't lie but I was hooked from the start to follow the journeys of the two protagonists drawn together with a shared fate. The narration switches between the two characters, giving us a better understanding of their relationship as it develops and giving us a greater insight into the thoughts of someone who has just found out they are going to die. There are also chapters narrated from additional characters, with connecting stories well placed throughout further adding to perspective of Deckers (individuals who have received the call). I enjoyed this narration style and didn't not find the switching difficult to follow or distracting - important factors in the dyslexic book club! I also appreciated the short chapters which also included regular breaks, something I find a great help to make reading feel manageable and to minimise reading fatigue. In addition to short chapters and regular breaks, the book is split into sections, which nicely emphasises the developing characters and changes in their outlook throughout.
From the introductory chapters I was drawn to both characters, feeling empathy for their cruel fates. What would two young men less than 20 years old do with the information of their untimely demise? How could they possibly spend a day, of unknown length, in a fulfilling way and make acceptance with their situation? Together these characters navigate these challenges forming a unique connection which is captivating throughout.
As well as being captivated by the characters' journeys and relationshisp, the concept of a service predicting death had me hooked too. Are the Death Casters predicting death, or are they manifesting it? It certainly seems to me that the actions taken leading to death are influenced by receiving the news of their death day... I have been thinking about this for days now and I was very exited to discover a prequel has been written which is due for release in October 2022, you can pre-order this on Waterstones (which I already have!!). I have also seen it on Amazon, for paperback it says delivery October 2023, but for Kindle edition and hardback it says October 2022 so be careful! Originally published in 2017, this book has been brought to light more recently thanks to TikTok! I only hope this prequel lives up to the quality of the original story.
Have you read this book? If so please let me know what you think!
Recommendations
Would I recommend?
YES!
To Who?
I would recommend this book to everyone, perhaps in particular teenagers/young adults from 14 years upwards.
If you enjoyed this book... Im not sure what it says about me but I have read a few books with similar themes around death in the last year which may be enjoyed by those who liked this book, which include:
- The Midnight Library - Matt Haig
- If Cats Disappeared From The World - Gekni Kawamura
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