ARA Review by randykirk of Final Notice

[randykirk]

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

---

2 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

I really liked the premise: Given 7 days to live, what might a person do. Would they potentially kill someone?

I really liked the way they set it up. But I won't spoil the fun.

The writing was breezy and often a slyly humorous. The characters were well developed and likeable. I really wanted to find out how the book evolved. What would the FBI agent conclude? What would happen to the folks who were giving the characters their final notice? Would there be a way to creatively help these characters be more constructive in their final 7 days.

But I stopped reading 20% of the way through. The book was simply designed to be a political statement. If I was super liberal and hated guns and the NRA, I guess it wouldn't bother me. If I thought that the biggest issue in the US was racism, I would probably be applauding the authors for pointing out how terrible the issue is for various groups. I'm old enough to remember what real racism, overt and not so overt, looks like, and I'm really tired of self righteous folks doing their scold. If the authors weren't taking pot shots at the president of the US, sometimes just parroting Democratic talking points, I might have just held my nose and kept on reading.

Since I don't share the authors POV, it was insulting to be hammered with the agenda. I'm used to writers for TV, movies, books, articles, etc., having a POV that they want to slip in, whatever their political party or religious convictions. This book was not about being subtle, unless you consider jack hammers to be subtle.

It would take a huge rewrite, but I really think the author had a great concept and might find an audience without the brow beating. The issues raised were not necessary to the plot. People can murder or commit suicide with knives, poison, pills, or pillows. The racial preaching had nothing to do with the plot. Just an extra bit of blow hard nonsense.

I have lived in LA and/or Riverside CA for over 50 years. As a very, very white person, I have been in the minority the entire 50 years. I even moved into a neighborhood with 90% black families, and lived their quite happily for 29 years. If those folks were suffering from racism in their daily lives (these were middle class professionals), they weren't talking about it.

Good premise. B+ writing. Would be at least a four if you are progressive. But due to the blatant agendizing, my rating is two out of five.

***
View Final Notice on Bookshelves