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A teen grapples with ALS and his decision to die in this "deeply moving" (BOOKLIST , starred review) debut novel infused with the haunting grace of Japanese poetry and the noble importance of friendship.Sora is going to die, and hes only seventeen years old. Diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrigs disease) , hes already lost the use of his legs, which means he can no longer attend school. Seeking a sense of normality, Sora visits teen chat rooms online and finally finds what hes been longing for: friendship without pity. As much as he loves his new friends, he cant ignore whats ahead. Hes beginning to lose the function of his hands, and soon hell become even more of a burden to his mother. Inspired by the death poems of the legendary Japanese warriors known as samurai, Sora makes the decision to leave life on his own terms. And he needs his friends to help him.