Review by Chrystal Oaks -- Final Notice by Van Fleisher

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 27 Feb 2019, 22:53

[Following is a volunteer review of "Final Notice" by Van Fleisher.]

4 out of 4 stars

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At 70 years old, Vince Fuller, for the first time, considers buying a gun after being the victim of a physical assault. Because of the assault, he becomes aware of rising gun crime and starts questioning the cause. Simultaneously, Dr. Vijay Patel has invented a unique watch called VitalTech (VT2), which monitors the blood of the participant and can be programmed to warn the wearer of their impending death in as short a time as 7 days and up to 30 days. Vijay and his team become aware of a disturbing correlation between participants receiving their final notice and those killing someone with a gun. During the second round of clinical testing of the device, Vince is offered and accepts the VT2. Will he use his newly acquired gun to get justice, if he receives his final notice?

In Van Fleisher’s novel, Final Notice, he draws the reader’s attention to the foreboding question: “What would you do if you knew – for certain – that you had one week to live?”, but the book delves into more than just being prepared to die. Throughout the book the predominant theme is the intricate power struggle between gun control and the National Rifle Association. I completely agree with the views that Fleisher expresses through his protagonist. I live near an area where every time I turn on the local news, it is filled with shootings that frequently end in fatalities. It’s simple; it has to stop. The how is what seems to be difficult for the majority to agree upon both in the book and in real life. Fleisher also engages his characters in dealing with current issues facing the United States such as immigration and the attack on “fake” news media.

The subtle theme throughout the book is the perception and treatment of senior citizens. I have to wonder if Fleisher himself is an older gentleman, because the phrases he uses through Vince and other characters sounded familiar from personal experience. The following statement is one that I thought was thought provoking and heart-felt, “Vince had sometimes felt a dismissive attitude in a lot of other younger people he dealt with and he had to admit, it was hurtful and added to the burden of growing old. Irrelevance was painful.”

Final Notice has a slow start, but once I got into Chapter 6, I felt the storyline picked up the pace and I had no difficulty following the setting changes. I thought Fleisher did an excellent job presenting the ways in which an individual could respond to the warning. They were all from the perspective of a senior citizen, but that was because the first VT2 “testing” targeted the 65 – 90 year old age group. I also liked how Fleisher transitioned from the beginning to the end of the book the attitudes of Vince and Trudi, Vince’s wife, toward guns. In the beginning, Vince and Trudi opposed guns but couldn’t provide a clear reason for their opposition. By the end they had a definitive reason.

I only saw a handful of errors, most of which were formatting errors, but this didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of reading this book. I wish Fleisher could have added more depth in his story by showing emotion rather than telling. There were several incidents where he not only told the reader what the character was thinking but followed it with a dialog. It was redundant, but even so, by the time I came to the end, I had a few tears forming because of a happy ending.

Even though Final Notice is identified as a C/T/M/H because of the crimes committed, I think this book is suitable for any young adult or adult interested in reading about the various viewpoints toward guns, immigration, and senior citizens. As one supporting character responds to Vince, “You made us think about some things that we shouldn’t ignore.” There were no graphic crime or sex scenes, and the language was clean. Overall, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.

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Final Notice
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Post by **Alice Heritage** » 05 Mar 2019, 08:50

The question of whether someone will commit a crime when they know they could do so with impunity is indeed an interesting one. I have read this and wondered whether Vince would be provoked enough. You bring out the book's strengths and weaknesses very well.

unamilagra · Post by **unamilagra** » 05 Mar 2019, 11:39

I have read several reviews of this book, and it's interesting how the takeaways differ depending on whether or not the reviewer agrees with the book's premise. It definitely is a controversial and timely topic in today's society. Personally, if I knew I had a week to live I would be on the first flight to the Caribbean to spend a week lying on the beach drinking rum punches.

sarahmarlowe randomeducator · 05 Mar 2019, 15:51

I enjoyed reading your review! I read this book and didn't come away with all of the same reactions you did. That's one reason I love Online Book Club. It's great to be able to read different perspectives and ruminate a little. Thanks for your great review!

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 05 Mar 2019, 17:38

ButterscotchCherrie wrote: ↑05 Mar 2019, 08:50 The question of whether someone will commit a crime when they know they could do so with impunity is indeed an interesting one. I have read this and wondered whether Vince would be provoked enough. You bring out the book's strengths and weaknesses very well.

I wasn't sure what Vince would do either until the end; the book does have an interesting ending. The surprise ending is probably why I had a few tears in the end. Thank you for reading and the compliment.

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 05 Mar 2019, 17:47

unamilagra wrote: ↑05 Mar 2019, 11:39 I have read several reviews of this book, and it's interesting how the takeaways differ depending on whether or not the reviewer agrees with the book's premise. It definitely is a controversial and timely topic in today's society. Personally, if I knew I had a week to live I would be on the first flight to the Caribbean to spend a week lying on the beach drinking rum punches.

I agree; this book does raise some controversial issues. I'm with you on doing something relaxing and living it up if I only had a week to live. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 05 Mar 2019, 17:57

sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑05 Mar 2019, 15:51 I enjoyed reading your review! I read this book and didn't come away with all of the same reactions you did. That's one reason I love Online Book Club. It's great to be able to read different perspectives and ruminate a little. Thanks for your great review!

I am going to go read your review. I enjoy Online Book Club for the same reason; it's fun to read other's responses and reflect. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Jackie Holycross · Post by **Jackie Holycross** » 08 Mar 2019, 14:40

I read this one too. I liked the characters, but the politics were a bit one-sided for me.

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 08 Mar 2019, 20:59

teacherjh wrote: ↑08 Mar 2019, 14:40 I read this one too. I liked the characters, but the politics were a bit one-sided for me.

I think Fleisher wanted to present both sides, but it ended up more one-sided. Thank you for reading and commenting.

Ashiyya Tariq · Post by **Ashiyya Tariq** » 20 Mar 2019, 01:40

Fleisher covers a very important issue in this book. Gun control program is a heated debate today, especially, after the gunfire incident at a mosque in New Zealand. Hope this book will contribute positively. Great review.

Chrystal Oaks · Post by **Chrystal Oaks** » 20 Mar 2019, 20:37

Sarah Tariq wrote: ↑20 Mar 2019, 01:40 Fleisher covers a very important issue in this book. Gun control program is a heated debate today, especially, after the gunfire incident at a mosque in New Zealand. Hope this book will contribute positively. Great review.

I agree; gun control is an extremely heated debate. I think you will like Fleisher's novel, as he does a great job covering this topic. Thank you for reading and commenting.