Review of Not Dead Yet

[Swan Evans]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Not Dead Yet" by Mark Fletcher.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Not Dead Yet by Mark Fletcher is a collection of fictional short stories about aged people in a nursing care home. It is a compilation of very emotional, heartwarming, and funny stories about the nursing home residents who are often forgotten.

The book is written in 15 chapters; each focusing on different characters. The chapters include stories from different characters’ perspectives or as journal writings, poems, or letters. Some of the characters appear in multiple chapters. Each chapter is short, and I felt like I wanted to know more about some characters. However, the excellent writing style and conciseness of the chapters make each character memorable in the reader’s mind.

My favorite characters in the books are Alexander, who struggles, in the beginning, to get adjusted to his new ‘home’ and desperately wants the residents to get his name right; Shirley, who launches her stand-up comedy career in the nursing home; Thomas, who struggles to keep an embarrassing secret; Frank and Douglas, who find love. The stories are not only about the aged people in the facility but also about the nurses and other people who care about the older people living there. There are stories about friendships, the bond people make with unexpected strangers, and how it impacts their lives.

Through the characters, the author tells us the real feelings of the residents of the nursing home and the real issues they face at that stage of their lives. My favorite part of the book is the ‘no-filter’ dialog of some of the characters, especially Shirley’s.

The writing style is commendable, and the editing is exceptional. I do not have anything negative to say about the book. This is a book for readers who enjoy emotional, heartwarming stories about people and friendships. I give this book a wholehearted 5 out of 5.

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Not Dead Yet
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