They Both Die at the End

The company Death-Cast can predict death dates. They call just after midnight to let people know they are going to die that day. Mateo has always been afraid of dying, and it’s made him scared. He hopes to find his brave self on his last day. Rufus gets the call while he is beating up his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. He wants to be a better person. Mateo and Rufus meet through the Last Friend app, and they decide to spend their final day together.

The premise of this book is interesting. The experiences and the dialogues the boys share make you think about life, death, and how you would spend a day knowing it was your last. (This book discusses other mature topics such as sexuality and suicide.)

I found part one a little forced. Rufus doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who’d use a Last Friend app. Also, Rufus insists he made a mistake beating up Peck, and that’s not who he really is, but it’s a difficult image to shake. By the end of part two, I cared about the main characters enough that I wanted to see what they would do next to make the most of their remaining hours, but it took a while for me to get there. The book will make you feel and make you think, but there are inconsistencies.