This smart, honest book is less about death than about finding meaning in life, and while it is often quite sad, it's not depressing to read in the slightest. Danny is a likeable character in an unbearable situation, having lost everyone who matters to him over the course of recent years. As he desperately searches for meaning and for a way to feel again, he discovers important truths about his late mother, about the other important people in his life, and about himself as well. 
 I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and the setting. The story flows, and is touching and believable. 
 My full review is up at http://wp.me/p2B4Be-1gv.