Getting to Know the Author Behind They Both Die at the End: Adam Silvera

Adam Silvera has made a name for himself as a young adult author whose novels explore relationships, identity, and the experiences that affect people's lives. His stories often feature young characters dealing with difficult situations while figuring out who they are and where they belong. As a queer author, Silvera has also contributed to LGBTQIA+ representation in young adult literature through the characters and stories he writes. His combination of emotional storytelling and imaginative ideas has helped his books reach a wide audience of young readers. In this blog, I will be focusing in on Silvera's background and his work, discussing They Both Die at the End and how his use of alternating perspectives allows readers to experience Mateo and Rufus's story through the eyes of both characters.

About the Author

Silvera is an American young adult author who grew up in the Bronx in New York City. Before publishing his first novel, he worked at Barnes & Noble and held other jobs related to books. In a Publishers Weekly interview, Silvera discussed how his experiences working in bookstores helped him become familiar with young adult literature. His debut novel, More Happy Than Not, was published in 2015 (1). 

Silvera has received recognition for his writing, and several of his books have earned awards and appeared on notable reading lists. His novel They Both Die at the End became a #1 New York Times bestseller and was named School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and Kirkus Best Book of the Year. It was also selected for the Junior Library Guild and received the Flicker Tale Children's Book Award for Older Readers in 2021 (2).

Silvera identifies as queer and often includes LGBTQIA+ characters within his stories. In an interview with TIME, he discussed wanting to write the books he would have liked to read when he was younger (3). His books give young readers the chance to see characters whose experiences are similar to their own, while also helping other readers learn about experiences they might not be as familiar with.

They Both Die at the End

Published in 2017, They Both Die at the End follows two teenagers, Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio. In their world, a service called Death-Cast contacts people to let them know they are going to die that day. When both boys receive a call on September 5, they decide to use an app called Last Friend to meet each other. Although they begin as strangers, they meet through the app and go on one last adventure together, hoping to make the most of the time they have left (2).                                                                                                                        Kirkus Reviews describes the novel as “engrossing, contemplative, and as heart-wrenching as the title promises.” The review emphasizes Silvera's use of different perspectives and his exploration of death and what makes a life meaningful (4). Sophie Layton also reviewed the novel for Forge Press in July 2024. When discussing Silvera's use of different perspectives, Layton writes that the time-stamped chapters “really helped to reinforce how these scenes and people were interacting.” She praises the chemistry between Mateo and Rufus and gives the novel four out of five stars (5). 

My Personal Reflection

I truly loved reading They Both Die at the End. I was introduced to this author the same way I was introduced to my previous author, Jason Reynolds, which was through my "Teaching with Adolescents and Young Adult Literature" course I took last semester. I was just really intrigued by how these two characters know something about their future that most people never have to think about, and that knowledge affects the decisions they make throughout the story. I also enjoyed looking into Silvera's background and learning more about his experiences as a queer author. I found it touching to learn that he wanted to write the kinds of books he would have liked to read when he was younger. Learning about Silvera's background gave me a new perspective on They Both Die at the End and the characters he created. I already loved the novel's premise and watching Mateo and Rufus grow closer, but researching Silvera also helped me appreciate his interest in including queer experiences in young adult literature. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys dystopian stories and/or books that tell the story through the perspectives of multiple characters.

Works Cited

(1) Sellers, John A. “Spring 2015 Flying Starts: Adam Silvera.” Publishers Weekly, 26 June 2015, www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/67315-spring-2015-flying-starts-adam-silvera.html.

(2) Mendez II, Moises. “Adam Silvera Is Writing the Books He Wished He Had as a Queer Teen.” TIME, 13 Oct. 2022, web.archive.org/web/20250307181637/https://time.com/6218254/adam-silvera-queer-books/.

(3) Silvera, Adam. “They Both Die at the End.” Adam Silvera, www.adamsilvera.com/they-both-die-at-the-end.

(4) "They Both Die at the End." Kirkus Reviews, www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/adam-silvera/they-both-die-at-the-end/.

(5) Layton, Sophie. “Book Review: They Both Die at the End ~ Adam Silvera - Forge Press.” Forge Press, 19 July 2024, forgepress.org/book-review-they-both-die-at-the-end-adam-silvera/