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Laurie W. (Sunnyvale, CA)
Doing the best they can
As a woman in her 60's, I didn't connect with any of the main characters - two old men and an alcoholic young girl, none of whom seemed particularly likable - at first, so it took a while for me to get interested in the story. After a couple of chapters I did get pulled in. In the end, the book is about people who are obviously flawed trying to do the best they can. Duffy, the main character, waffles between focusing on himself by working hard to keep himself from getting kicked out of the assisted living center and focusing on others by breaking rules that would jeopardize his living status in order to help
…more others. Although the underlying content is serious, the story is told in an entertaining manner, full of exploits and adventures.
Readers who live in, or are familiar with assisted living situations, will have the easiest time connecting with the characters. (less)The Big Finish provides chuckles, empathy, and humans at their best and worst at any age. I sure hope assisted care homes have caring, flexible, best human staff like these. The first 80 pages were slow to pull me into the characters and story. Once in, I enjoyed this book immensely. Though bodies fail, key human characteristics of humor, caring, anger, love of adventure remain. The author reveals much about what it feels like to be an alcoholic and conquer the addiction. Also revealed is the abhorrence of going to a nursing home. These characters have life and the story is a good one. Definitely a good read.
Susan T. (Bahama, NC)
Enjoyable read
I really liked this book. It grabbed my attention from the first page and by a couple pages in, I knew it was going to be enjoyable to read. The story is from the point of view of an elderly man in an assisted living home which I found to be a refreshing and original idea. His roommate's granddaughter shows up, throwing his routine off, but adding 'spice" and more importantly, purpose to his days. I thought the author did a good job of interweaving the lesson of trying to live your best life into the story without coming across as lecturing her audience. All in all, I thought the story was entertaining and held
…more my interest--a good first novel. (less)I enjoyed The Big Finish, especially the character development. Duffy is the lovable curmudgeon with a mind full of mischief, and his cronies are an accurate representation of the broad variety of personalities that one will find in a senior living environment. These seniors have lived long enough to have gained wisdom, be set in their ways, understand friendships, and they still want to be a contributing part of life. Coupled with having too much time on their hands, there were some laugh-out-loud moments. The more somber moments dealt with stark realities of life: abuse, addiction, recovery, loss and death. A
…more fine, inspiring read for adults of all ages.
Note: As a facilitator of support groups in senior settings, I'll be recommending this book to a few of my group members! (less)For fans of A Man called Ove, this books tells the story of 2 roommates in a FL nursing home when one's granddaughter climbs in the window smelling of alcohol, barefoot and with a black eye. Several people try to help her. The characters and their interactions are interesting.
Kristi L. (St. Petersburg, FL)
Heart Warming
The Big Finish is a cute, heart-warming novel about what happens when a querulous, grumpy old man, nearing the end of life, is faced with a woman who has started hers off on the wrong foot. He really doesn't want to care. But he just can't help himself. In this respect, The Big Finish reminded me a lot of A Man Called Ove.
Duffy, the grumpy old man in question, and his roommate Carl live in a nursing home (erm... excuse me, assisted living!) community with various other residents, all of whom enrich the story with their combined resilience, wisdom, and quirkiness.
Based on the cover, I was expecting some sort of
…more road trip to occur. I was more than a little disappointed when this detail never emerged. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book and I'm glad I read it. I think many of the physical and social aspects regarding end-of-life care would make a good topic of discussion for a book group. (less)Eighty-eight-year-old Duffy Sinclair and his roommate Carl Upton consider themselves lucky to live at Centennial Assisted Living -- it sure beats the less upscale nursing home across town. Staying there depends on good health and good behavior. The behavior part gets challenged when Carl's granddaughter (who, it turns out is an alcoholic with a nasty boyfriend) climbs in the window of their room and asks to stay for a few days. With no overnight guests allowed, helping her out offers a challenge -- and they accept it. Adventure ensues, and the resulting story, narrated by Duffy, redefines family and friendship,
…more and ends with the titular Big Finish. The book is a fast read, written in a casual vernacular with lots of quirky characters and a good bit of rather dark, age-related humor. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised by all the 5-star reviews. It's quick and entertaining, but not THAT fabulous. (less)A charming story of great characters in an assisted living. This was a quick and easy read. I found it easy to relate to the characters.
