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Cheating fate Pfitzenmaier, Audrey

Abstract

A fast-paced children's literature novel for young adults about four teenagers who discover the life affirming value of friendship when they are forced to give it up. Cassidy, Jeremy, Kyle and Sukhwinder, all best friends since kindergarten, have grown up together in a small town in British Columbia. Their friendship grows stronger as, over the years, they share in each other's coming of age as they struggle through first romantic experiences, the heartbreak of a broken home, the death of a family member, and the joys of growing up in the beautiful Cariboo mountains. But uncertainty shrouds their futures when the four young friends survive a serious snowmobile accident, only to discover they share remarkable and frightening memories of their near death experience: they will die at some unknown time—together. Tension builds as the teens are forced to make sense of their spiritual beliefs in the existence of God, then decide they must separate into pairs to cheat fate rather than tempt it. Their perceived invincibility triggers recklessness and danger as their lives are shaken physically, emotionally and spiritually through Jeremy's alcohol and drug use, Kyle's daring rise to glory in motorcross racing, Sukh's descent into crime and Cassidy's fragile mental health as she constantly fears for the safety of her best friends—until they all realize that life without each other is not a sacrifice they are willing to make.

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