Review by jeanmtdb -- Final Notice by Van Fleisher
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jeanmtdb
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Review by jeanmtdb -- Final Notice by Van Fleisher
[Following is a volunteer review of "Final Notice" by Van Fleisher.]
What would you do if you found out you had only days to live? Final Notice by Van Fleisher gives us an insight into the minds of people who get their final notice. Different people have different reactions, and some fight a moral and ethical battle. Would you use the time to put your affairs in order, tell some people you love them, seek forgiveness, right some wrongs, give forgiveness, be charitable, or seek revenge?
Vince Fuller, a physically fit 70-year-old man, was knocked down at the mall by a young bully. He would have fought back when he was younger, but now he was a vulnerable older man. He and his wife, Trudi, are the main characters of this book. Vijay Patel was born in Mumbai, India, and immigrated to the United States. He was the genius who invented the VitalTech2, a sports watch that monitors the wearer’s health. It analyzes the data in real-time and alerts the person to serious health conditions, including predicting the time of death. As VitalTech begins beta testing the watch, they find that some people use their time to seek revenge. Vijay and his employees grapple with the moral and legal aspects of the misuse of the VT2. Some people who receive their final notice settle a score by murdering the person they feel wronged them. Vince and Trudi follow the news about the VT2 and the murders associated with it. They must figure out where they stand on the issue of gun control. Could they, would they use deadly force if they felt it necessary? They become passengers on the roller coaster of self-discovery.
Van Fleisher draws the reader in from the very first page. He develops realistic characters through intermingled subplots and dialogue. The difficult subjects of immigration, healthcare, ageism, gun control, technology, and politics are expertly managed through discussion. Vince and Trudi talk about these subjects with their friends who have different occupations and come from different ethnic backgrounds. The Fullers' views on these subjects develop over time influenced by their friends and the unfolding events.
I enjoyed the way the short subplots were woven into the main thread of the plot. The author’s writing style made the series of events easy to follow with no unrelated story tangents. I appreciated the humor and the way the author spoke directly to the reader – very unusual. While this is a work of fiction, the advances in technology, the modern issues we face, and today’s moral climate is reflected in this novel. There isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There were no obvious grammatical errors. There were some instances of profanity, but they did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. Final Notice would be an excellent choice for a book club, especially since the author has included questions for that possibility at the end. All in all, this book is a winner.
I believe older teens to seniors would enjoy this book. People who are open to other points of view and appreciate philosophical debate will like this book. People who enjoy books written by Aldus Huxley will especially like this book. People who are very sensitive to violence or very pro-NRA would probably not like it.
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Final Notice
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
What would you do if you found out you had only days to live? Final Notice by Van Fleisher gives us an insight into the minds of people who get their final notice. Different people have different reactions, and some fight a moral and ethical battle. Would you use the time to put your affairs in order, tell some people you love them, seek forgiveness, right some wrongs, give forgiveness, be charitable, or seek revenge?
Vince Fuller, a physically fit 70-year-old man, was knocked down at the mall by a young bully. He would have fought back when he was younger, but now he was a vulnerable older man. He and his wife, Trudi, are the main characters of this book. Vijay Patel was born in Mumbai, India, and immigrated to the United States. He was the genius who invented the VitalTech2, a sports watch that monitors the wearer’s health. It analyzes the data in real-time and alerts the person to serious health conditions, including predicting the time of death. As VitalTech begins beta testing the watch, they find that some people use their time to seek revenge. Vijay and his employees grapple with the moral and legal aspects of the misuse of the VT2. Some people who receive their final notice settle a score by murdering the person they feel wronged them. Vince and Trudi follow the news about the VT2 and the murders associated with it. They must figure out where they stand on the issue of gun control. Could they, would they use deadly force if they felt it necessary? They become passengers on the roller coaster of self-discovery.
Van Fleisher draws the reader in from the very first page. He develops realistic characters through intermingled subplots and dialogue. The difficult subjects of immigration, healthcare, ageism, gun control, technology, and politics are expertly managed through discussion. Vince and Trudi talk about these subjects with their friends who have different occupations and come from different ethnic backgrounds. The Fullers' views on these subjects develop over time influenced by their friends and the unfolding events.
I enjoyed the way the short subplots were woven into the main thread of the plot. The author’s writing style made the series of events easy to follow with no unrelated story tangents. I appreciated the humor and the way the author spoke directly to the reader – very unusual. While this is a work of fiction, the advances in technology, the modern issues we face, and today’s moral climate is reflected in this novel. There isn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. There were no obvious grammatical errors. There were some instances of profanity, but they did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. Final Notice would be an excellent choice for a book club, especially since the author has included questions for that possibility at the end. All in all, this book is a winner.
I believe older teens to seniors would enjoy this book. People who are open to other points of view and appreciate philosophical debate will like this book. People who enjoy books written by Aldus Huxley will especially like this book. People who are very sensitive to violence or very pro-NRA would probably not like it.
******
Final Notice
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Latest Review: Did you know by Ashok Bhaskaran
