Here are some book club discussion prompts that you can use for They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. I hope you find them useful. Unlike the spoiler-free Reviews, these book club discussion questions assume that you have read the book.
MAJOR SPOILER WARNING.
What is the meaning of the book’s title? Is it a major spoiler? Is it a necessary warning? Despite the clear message at the beginning of the novel that there is no avoiding a death once it has been predicted by Death-Cast, did you still hope throughout the book that Mateo and Rufus survive? Is the book’s title about more than the fates of the two main characters?
How did you feel about the ending of the book? Do you consider it a happy ending or a tragedy? Did you feel hopeful? Were loose ends wrapped up too neatly or were there still a lot of unresolved issues? What would you change about it? Why?
The book does not reveal the source of Death-Cast’s ability to predict death. Why do you think the author did not provide an explanation? How do you think Death-Cast is able to make these accurate predictions?
What effects do you think that Death-Cast would have on our society? How would you react to its existence?
Did you like Mateo and Rufus? Why or why not? What about them made you like them? What would you have liked to see differently about them? How did you feel about their growth? Did it feel natural? Did they seem like real teenagers? Why or why not?
How did you feel about the romantic development between Mateo and Rufus?
Why doesn’t Mateo initially want to tell Lidia that he’s going to die soon? For her benefit? For Mateo’s?
The book is usually told from the point of view of Rufus and Mateo, but it does occasionally switch to other characters. Why? What was the author trying to portray with those other points of view?
A person’s actions can have big consequences, for that person and for others, even people that person does not know. What are some examples of that in the book? Do you see any portrayals of karma in the book? Or was the author portraying random chaos? Or was he doing a bit of both?
At one point, Rufus and Mateo go to a kind of arcade and have simulated “thrills.” It is not fun. Is danger and death essential to the appreciation and enjoyment of life?
According to dictionary.com, carpe diem (seize the day) is interpreted as “enjoy the present, as opposed to placing all hope in the future.” Is that the book’s message? Is that an ideal way to approach life? Why do people assume that there will be more time to accomplish their goals and aspirations in life?
Are there other stories you are familiar with that are similar to this one? How so? How are they different?
