ARA Review by yachtsee of Final Notice

[yachtsee]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Final Notice.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Final Notice by Van Fleisher is a fiction book that will make you think. It’s a story about difficult end of life issues and ethics.The overall premise is, if you knew you were going to die soon, would you kill someone knowing you would get away with it? And could a good person be driven to commit murder?

The story revolves around the invention of a watch (the VT2) that tells you how much time you have before your life ends. Anywhere between 7 days to 30 days. The disturbing thing is that the technology may not be too far off in the future. It seems very plausible because of all the advances we’ve seen with Artificial Intelligence in the past year.

The basic premise of this story is the marketing of this device aimed at senior citizens. Not coincidentally, the NRA is offering senior citizens a 50% discount on buying any gun. These two divergent events create an interesting dilemma and result in an imaginative and unique plot. Readers see how different individuals respond to their “final notice”— some reacting with anger and some reacting with love.

The story raises the ethical question of whether murder is ever justified as it explores the relationship between two seniors, Vince and Trudi, an elderly couple. Also others, but they are the main characters experiencing the dilemma. We see how their opinions on guns change as they go through a traumatic experience.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who likes to think about ethical questions. The ending may not be realistic, but it would make a great movie. It forces you to think about views other than our own.

It isn’t what you call a fun read, but I enjoyed the story and the plot so it gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.

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