The book’s title—They Both Die at the End—gives away the ending of the story. Why might the author have chosen this title? What does it say about the larger themes surrounding mortality?

Though Part 3 is located halfway through the book, it is titled “The Beginning.” Why? What changes have taken place that might make this a kind of beginning? Discuss them in terms of both Mateo’s and Rufus’ character evolution.

Unpack the following quote: “But no matter what choices we make—solo or together—our finish line remains the same […] No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end” (79). How does this quote encapsulate the book’s themes about mortality and living without regret? How do those themes intersect with the concept of free will?