Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

• a novel retelling the story of Achilles and Patroclus
• touches on the theme of Inescapable Mortality and Living with Regret because Achilles knows that he will either live a long but boring life or a short but legendary one
• SuperSummary’s The Song of Achilles Study Guide

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

• a novel-in-verse that tells the story of two daughters as they cope with their father’s death
• touches on the theme of Intersectional, Marginalized Identities
• SuperSummary’s Clap When You Land Study Guide

The Circle by Dave Eggers

• a novel about the increasing role of technology and social media in individuals’ lives
• connects to the theme of Connection and Isolation in a Changing Society and the motif of dystopia
• SuperSummary’s The Circle Study Guide

Other Student Resources

Author Adam Silvera’s website

• provides some context about the author and excerpts from reviews of They Both Die at the End

“On Intersectionality” by Mary Maxfield

• explanation of intersectionality that connects to the theme of Intersectional, Marginalized Identities
• includes references to the original work done by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw on the subject

Children’s/YA Dystopian Fiction: What is dystopia anyway?

• research guide from Simmons College on how to understand science fiction
• provides an overview of the motif of dystopia and recommended reading

Teacher Resources

Mental Health Resources for Adolescents and Young Adults

• provides resources for young adults from the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine
• can help readers who may struggle with the novel’s topics of death and suicide

Adam Silvera’s Inspiration for They Both Die at the End

• a YouTube video featuring Adam Silvera
• discusses the inspiration for the book and the theme of Inescapable Mortality and Living Without Regret