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“Life isn’t meant to be lived alone. Neither are End Days.”
Near the midpoint of the novel, a minor character and Decker named Zoe Landon reflects on the importance of human connection. Her sentiments parallel the way Mateo and Rufus are both alone and suffering before meeting each other. For Mateo, he’s closed himself off from others because of his anxiety. His unwillingness to take risks and try to live the life he truly wants keeps him isolated. It’s only through the support and encouragement of Rufus that Mateo is able to enjoy what’s left of his life. Similarly, Rufus is alone even within his found family, the Plutos, because he never shares all of his grief and anger until he meets Mateo. Throughout the novel, the idea of people needing others is illustrated not only through the main characters and their relationship but also through Lidia and Penny, the Plutos, Zoe and Gabriella, Officer Andrade and his partner Graham, and Delilah and Victor. The intersection of the lives of each character, no matter how big their role in the story, reveals that small connections can make an enormous impact and emphasizes the importance of finding one’s community and standing by them, right up to the end.
