4 out of 4 stars
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Van Fleisher hooks the reader with a very striking question in the prologue, "What would you do if you knew for certain that you had one week to live?" This leaves one pondering over a myriad of possible things people would do if they essentially have only a couple of days to live. Final Notice, a thirty-one-chapter book, is a fictional novel that focuses on stories reflecting the intriguing perception of seniors and how they are treated by younger citizens in the United States. It depicts the insatiable appetite for gun possession, politics, technological advancements, and the role of the media as well as the FBI in all these.
The book opens with Vince Fuller, his wife, Trudi, and their little Corgi – Miles. They are retired, and live a low profile, routine life. Vince starts nursing the thought of purchasing a gun after he is molested by a younger citizen at a store. Incident reports on the media, of seniors involved in shootings resulting in several deaths, also heighten his curiosity on knowing more about guns. He is perplexed that some persons, much older than he, actually know more about guns and even the art of employing them. Subsequent killings ensue; thereby, getting the FBI involved. Although a motive is yet to be established, the objects common to some of these killings are an iPhone and a sports watch.
VitalTech and the National Rifle Association (NRA) have tremendous roles to play in these killings. The NRA encourages seniors to possess guns. Meanwhile, Vijay, a technological guru from VitalTech, invents a watch that accurately reads and interprets a person's vital signs. It is faster and better than any laboratory investigation currently in use. He and his team carry out its alpha and beta testing on seniors between the ages of 65 and 90. The watch has a special and catchy feature – the Final Notice, which tells how much time is left before death. Within this period, most seniors who receive their final notice decide to take revenge on those who have wronged them. Eventually, Vince and Trudi are involved, and the drama escalates rapidly.
Although this is a fictional story, it is quite insightful. The book highlights many questions on relevant social issues. The debate on gun laws and possession is beautifully explored. In addition, the issue of religious discrimination is broached. It is unfortunate to note how many lives are affected adversely by the aforementioned issues.
I appreciate the character development of most of the characters in the book. Trudi and Vince remain my favorites out of all. Furthermore, the author emphasizes the need for healthcare professionals to be more precise and thorough in diagnosis. Morever, the need for appropriate government oversight on gun possession and technological advancements is implied. The book is professionally edited. There are only a few grammatical errors present. Notwithstanding, I believe the novel retains too many characters.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fictional C/T/M/H novels.
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Final Notice
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