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    The Last Leaves Falling
    The Last Leaves Falling
    The Last Leaves Falling
    Ebook378 pages4 hours

    The Last Leaves Falling

    By Sarah Benwell

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    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 he’s only seventeen years old. Diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), he’s 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 he’s been longing for: friendship without pity.

    As much as he loves his new friends, he can’t ignore what’s ahead. He’s beginning to lose the function of his hands, and soon he’ll 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
    Release dateJun 2, 2015
    ISBN9781481430678
    The Last Leaves Falling
    Author

    Sarah Benwell

    Sarah Benwell lives in the picturesque English city of Bath, where she studied for an MA in Writing For Young People. Now she writes, runs creative writing workshops for teens and adults, such as the Young Writers Squad at Trowbridge Library where she’s also a writer in residence, and works retail at unsociable hours. Having seen a good chunk of the world, Sarah is a keen advocate for diversity in life and on bookshelves, and she loves nothing more than acquainting herself with both. As such, she co-runs DiversifYA.com: an online space that highlights diverse experience and promotes inclusion in YA fiction.

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    Reviews for The Last Leaves Falling

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    • 4/5
      I liked this one and found it a powerful yet quiet read. The narrator has ALS, fatal, and at 16 (?) feels very cheated. Why does he have to fall apart and die so young? And does he have to accept the "prescribed" route to death? Or can he take control from the disease and decide when he will die?
    • 4/5
      Four Stars for this well written, poignant tale of Abe Sora, a seventeen year old young man who is dying from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also know as Lou Gehrig's disease. Intelligent, loved by his family, he seeks answers to life's questions, primarily, he longs to know what will happen when he dies. Is there another life? Does he have the right to choose when this one should end? Throughout his journey, rarely, if ever, does he sink to the depths of why me, why not someone else. Rather, he longs for friends, which he does eventually find through an internet chat room. And, he longs for relief from the fact that each new day brings less muscle coordination.The author weaves a beautiful tapestry of the friendship of Abe and his two friends who gladly learn to see the world through his eyes. Each day is a blessing, and he and his friends try as best as possible to make each journey special. The setting is Japan, and I very much liked the way in which the culture was portrayed throughout the story. With a strong bond of his mother and her parents, Abe walks a fine line between wanting them to answer some of his questions, yet not wanting to burden them.With this wonderful book as the author's debut, I anxiously await another.
    • 5/5
      This is the story of Abe Sora who was diagnosed with ALS at 17. At the point we meet him, he has already lost the use of his legs, he is no longer attending school and he is experiencing depression for all he has lost, as well as knowing he has a terminal disease. He lives with his single mother but is close to his grandparents who are also suffering from his situation. Feeling closed off, he goes online to various chat rooms where he befriends two people who come to mean a great deal to him – Mai and Kaito. While Abe fears death, he also fears an end without dignity. This is the story of the choices he makes, the friends who understand and help him, and why each moment we have on earth is valuable. It is a tearjerker so do not read in public!
    • 5/5
      Abe Sora is seventeen years old, and he’s got an older person’s degenerative and fatal disease: ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. It’s progressing extremely fast. His school has been unwilling to allow him to continue since he’s now using a wheelchair, so he stays home, surfing the web, with his mother for company in the evenings. That is the extent of his life. Then he meets some kids in a teen chat room, and friendship blossoms. Their first physical meeting is awkward, but the relationships evolve, as does his relationship with his mother. He gets to be a teenager again, doing things with friends as equals. The joy he finds is always edged with sorrow because of his limited time on this earth, but he finds himself taking his life into his own hands instead of being told what to do or being limited by his condition. He blossoms, but the story is piercingly sad. It’s a coming of age story, but a coming of age that you know is going to end soon. Beautifully written; my heart ached for Abe.
    • 5/5
      "The Last Leaves Falling" was a poignant, beautiful story about Sora, a Japanese teenager with ASL who wants to die with dignity. I adored the characters in this book. Sora's narration was raw and heartbreaking, and from the start I felt his frustration as he battled with the physical deteriorations of his body. Thankfully, Sora is surrounded by people who love him. Although only a secondary character, I adored Sora's mum and the wonderful relationship she had with her son. I also loved Sora's new, internet friends, Mai and Kaito, who became real friends and remained loyal and supportive to the end. Beautifully written and incredibly powerful, I was a sobbing mess by the last page. This was Benwell's debut novel, and what a beauty it was. I am now eagerly awaiting her next offering.

    Book preview

    The Last Leaves Falling - Sarah Benwell

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