Book Review : Aya's Last 58 Letters by Kito Aya

Aya's Last 58 Letters by Kito Aya (Chinese Version)

Aya Kitō was diagnosed with a disease called spinocerebellar Degeneration when she was 15 years old. The disease causes the person to lose control over their body, but because the person can retain all mental ability the disease acts as a prison. So in the end she cant eat, walk or talk.

Through family, medical examinations and rehabilitations, and finally succumbing to the disease, Aya must cope with the disease and live on with life until her death at the age of 25.

Review:

This book consists of 58 letters which she wrote to her best friends, spanning from ages 17 to 21. In each letter, she stars off with a simple greeting and ends with "Take care of your health, don't get cold." and "Sorry, my writing is very terrible." Through her words, she expressed her fear and anxiety for the future. Even though she was sad, she tried to cheer herself and her friends up. She was determined to fight the disease, even though she knew that it was incurable. Her fighting spirit will always inspire other people to stay positive when face with problems, because nothing is more important than living. Life is a gift.

"Just being alive is such a lovely and wonderful thing."

Note:
A Japanese TV drama, with the same title 1 Litre no Namida, was aired by Fuji TV in 2005 based on the life of Aya. The main character Aya Ikeuchi, played by Erika Sawajiri, depicts a girl with the same disease as Aya Kitō who goes through many of the same problems.


Erika Sawajiri as Ikeuchi Aya