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There are currently 48 member reviews
for The Big Finish
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Gail L. (Dallas, TX)
What is a family?
I loved reading The Big Finish. It is skillfully written and edited. The story moves quickly and is filled with humor and a moderate amount of suspense. However, the characters are beautifully developed and the story presents an unexpected amount of approachable information about alcoholism.
The story is set in an independent living center, but it is really about a non-traditional family. It does include the issues of aging and even death, but has wide appeal for most ages. Delightful read!
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Judy K. (Montgomery, TX)
How did this happen?
I'm assuming Brooke Fossey is a young woman. I don't know any old ones named Brooke. How she was able to write this book from the perspective of an 88-year-old man is a total mystery. But, by golly, she did it. My sister is in assisted living and this book mirrors the activities in her home to a tee. The story, I thought, gives hope to those of us facing end-of-life decisions. If other readers found that depressing, just keep whistling in the dark, my friends. I found the story of the Centennial inhabitants to be very encouraging. If, at the end, we can be with friends, people who care about us and people who can come together to help one another and even strangers, what a blessing. A warm, inviting read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
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Sylvia T. (Rancho Mirage, CA)
It's Never Too Late to Start Living Your Life
Brooke Fossey shows how age underlines the experiences and interactions of the characters in the story and the varying portrayals of society's treatment of the elderly. Throughout the book, various themes are presented. Friendship being one. Though Duffy and Carl are very different men, they've managed to form an inseparable bond. The theme of fatherhood shows how the absence of fathers impact different characters' lives. God's existence is also another reoccurring question. Grief another. Alice tells Duffy, "Whatever it is you're mourning from back when, don't. It brought you here, now, to do what you're doing, and what you're doing is honorable and right." I agree with Alice's positive outlook when it comes to playing life's long game. Josie's journey to sobriety is unfinished at the book's close and I'm left wondering if Anderson will play a lasting part in it. I really enjoyed this book. It got me wondering at the end of my life, what will my big finish look like. The Big Finish shows that it's never too late to start living your life. This book will be a great book club pick. Lots to discuss here!
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Miriam B. (Lakewood Ranch, FL)
The Big Finish
I loved The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey. Duffy and Josie and Carl will stay with me a long time and I'm glad they will. I love all of the residents of the Centennial assisted living home where this story is set and the way they interact and the story plays out is so real and compelling. However, Duffy and Josie steal the scene throughout. This book is one you can't put down and the ending is so perfect yet hard to anticipate. I will be talking and thinking about this one for quite some time. The ending was just what I wanted and more.
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Susan R. (Julian, NC)
The Importance of Friendship at Any Age
Duffy lives in an assisted living home and Carl is his roommate. During the years that they've both been residents here, they've become best friends (in fact, Carl is the only friend that Duffy has ever had) and know everything about each other's lives. Or do they? Duffy finds out that there is a lot he didn't know about Carl, when a 20ish year old woman with a black eye and the small of alcohol on her breath climbs in the window of their room and claims to be Carl's granddaughter. Josie wants to stay in their room for a week - she says to get to know her grandfather better but Duffy knows that there is more to her story. Duffy knows that he needs to stay on his best behavior at the home because he has nowhere else to go but a nearby nursing home where people are sent to die and doesn't have the quality of care that he is getting at Centennial. He sees no choice but to get rid of Josie but Carl wants to get to know his granddaughter better and wants her to stay in their room for a week and keep her hidden from management. Despite the fact that he thinks it's a really bad idea, Duffy's friendship with Carl is so strong that he agrees to let her stay. Before long, this crotchety old man who never married or had a family, starts to feel like Josie is part of his family and he strives to help her with the demons in her life no matter what the repercussions will be in his life.
This is a book about aging, love and most of all friendship; it's about making family out of the people that you care about loving them the best you can. It's a wonderful look at bravery and love in old age when you can help someone in your 'family.' Duffy is a wonderful, well rounded character who I fell in love with and really enjoyed his journey. It made me laugh and I shed a few tears, too, but I was rooting for Duffy all the way through the book.
Thanks to BookBrowse for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
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Alyce T. (San Antonio, TX)
The Big Finish
This was the most delightful book I have read in ages. I smiled and laughed all the way through this easy and quick read. Brooke Fossey covers the light side of assisted living along with the normal concerns of the residents preparing for their end days. So many clever and colorful words by Duffy and his love for Alice and concerns for his roommate's grand daughter, Josie, made it a real page turner. Unexpected adventures add to the story. I hope Brooke Fossey writes another book.
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Debra C. (Vienna, GA)
The Big Finish...what a wonderful way to go!
Turning 62 this year has brought me to a new reading genre, nursing home survival novels. All joking aside, THE BIG FINISH, came to me right after I read and thoroughly enjoyed, THE GREAT UNEXPECTED; what a kismet this lovely novel was to read. Information in the cover adequately prepares you for the story line, but the story you find between the covers will fill your heart. Duffy, Carl, Josie, Alice, Anderson, Nora, the shameless Sharon, and a delightful cast of residents and caregivers, allow everyone approaching assisted living or anyone who is assisting the elderly a reason to believe that true love never dies, family and friends are forever, good, with a bit of old age wisdom, always overcomes the bad guy or a scheming woman, and life's most important lesson, as you reach the age of assistance :WHITE FLAGS ARE NEVER AN OPTION!!!
You will laugh, cry, wonder, question, and learn the importance of living your life so you too can enjoy A BIG FINISH!!!!
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