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Summary: sympathetic young mortician narrates zany plot
Review: An ardent undertaker protagonist may seem more Halloween fare than beach, but this peculiar love story (by an undertaker) is a conversation stopper anywhere. Casey Kight found his vocation the day of his parents' funeral when his only solace was the comfort of the Morton-Albright Funeral Home. Twelve years later, on his 21st birthday he's still eager.The boss puts him in the embalming room to test his mettle and if you last with Casey through chapter two's graphic descriptions, chances are you'll stick with this funny, zany and, yes, heartwarming debut through to the end. Casey's ambition is whetted by the experience - he can't wait to try it himself and everyone agrees he's the perfect match for the boss' daughter, Natalie, whose highest compliment is "deathy." The unfocused plot is all over the place - the love story (which involves teaching embalming techniques to Natalie, barred from the business by her sex), a hostile takeover bid by an unscrupulous conglomerate, a wise ghostly presence and nasty human ambition. But Kight's naïve, well-meaning voice strikes just the right note and the core is the funeral industry itself - from the techniques, tricks and practical efficiencies of a job well done to grisly industry abuses certain to strike horror into any beating heart.
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Summary: First three letters in funeral are f-u-n...
Review: And that's exactly what this book is. I like that the author gives a bit of a disclaimer warning readers that this book is, at times, an irreverant look at the funeral business. Probably best to not read the book if you've experienced a recent death in the family. It's clear that Mr. Andrew followed the first basic rule of creative writing: write what you know. Perhaps he will dispel some of the myths about folks who tend to go into this business; if nothing else he certainly gives them human qualities that make the characters unforgettable. Filled with quircky people and an interesting plot, "Final Arrangements" is Southern grotesque at its best.
Rating:
Summary: First three letters in funeral are f-u-n...
Review: And that's exactly what this book is. I like that the author gives a bit of a disclaimer warning readers that this book is, at times, an irreverant look at the funeral business. Probably best to not read the book if you've experienced a recent death in the family. It's clear that Mr. Andrew followed the first basic rule of creative writing: write what you know. Perhaps he will dispel some of the myths about folks who tend to go into this business; if nothing else he certainly gives them human qualities that make the characters unforgettable. Filled with quircky people and an interesting plot, "Final Arrangements" is Southern grotesque at its best.
Rating:
Summary: I am dying to tell you about this book
Review: Death follows Casey Kight everywhere he goes it seems. He has been obsessed with becoming an undertaker since his parents died in a plane crash when he was nine, where he found comfort within the walls of Morton Albright, a family run funeral home, fighting to stay independent while threatened by a huge corporation. Casey is a "natural", drawn to all aspects of the morbid trade. He soon takes up with the owner's daughter, eccentric and strangely lovable "deathy obsessed" Natalie who everyone within the funeral home wants him to marry, to produce a male heir to foil an inner family conspiracy to sell Morton Albright out from under the family out of sheer spite. Be warned this book is dark, often graphic and liberally sprinkled with post-mortem detail. Sometimes uncomfortably too much information is present about the corpses lying in wait for burial and their preparation techniques, yet Andrew has accomplished a difficult task; bringing together rather distasteful scenes, humorous and delightful dialogue and wonderfully three dimensional characters into a page turning book. It has been some time since a book made me laugh aloud like this one. Andrew's debut novel is written from obvious experience and his well-crafted characters come alive though people are dying all around them.
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Summary: Fast, Easy Read - funny Too
Review: Do you like the HBO series 6'Under? If so, this book is a must for you. It is written by a man who works as a Funeral Director. It's a great little story set in the world of Funeral homes. One would almost think Miles Keaton Andrew wrote it over night to coincide with the events happening in Alabama at the Crematory!If you have ever wonder what happens in the back rooms at the Funeral Home, this will expose a whole other world. It also illustrates how the role of Funeral Director is one of the ultimate services that express compassion for the living, not a morbid preoccupation with the dead.
I hope Mr.Andrew will continue to write - I especially enjoyed the photo of the author on the back bookjacket, usually a pose struck showing intellect, wisdom, arrogance . . . Miles is shown full body in an open wooden casket in the ground! What a sense of humor this guy must have, I love it!
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Summary: Do Yourself A Favor and READ THIS BOOK!!
Review: Final Arrangements was really a great read. I absolutely LOVED each and every character in the book. At first it was a little difficult to get the family tree down, but the more I read, the easier it was to understand. I laughed out loud at points while reading this WONDERFUL story! It is hard to believe that the author could put such a great spin on such a morbid topic, but he managed to do it with a flair unmatched by any other author I have ever read. Absolutely in my TOP 10 Books of All Time!!! Give yourself a treat and read this book!!
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Summary: Funniest Book I Ever Read!
Review: How long has it been since you embarrassed yourself laughing out loud on the train ride home? This one did it for me. How long has it been since you fell in love with fictional characters? I hated to see them go. I laughed, I cried, and when it was all over, how I hated turning that last page! A must read. Casey Kight lives! Natalie is deathy as hell!
Rating:
Summary: Who knew how funny funeral homes could be
Review: I bought this book after running across it on anew release rack at my local book store. I read the jacket and decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. It has a dark sense of humor that keeps you entertained throughout the book. The story is engaging enough to keep you turning pages until it is done. His writing style is very engaging, especially for first time author. I recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an engrossing and entertaining read. Just make sure you are not squeamish as some of the details of the funeral home business can be somewhat explicit.
Rating:
Summary: Who knew how funny funeral homes could be
Review: I bought this book after running across it on anew release rack at my local book store. I read the jacket and decided to give it a try. I am so glad that I did. It has a dark sense of humor that keeps you entertained throughout the book. The story is engaging enough to keep you turning pages until it is done. His writing style is very engaging, especially for first time author. I recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an engrossing and entertaining read. Just make sure you are not squeamish as some of the details of the funeral home business can be somewhat explicit.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE this book
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. ...if you like "Six Feet Under", you will probably enjoy this book. Face it: this is a business most of us hope to have as little contact as possible with, but it is fascinating to learn about (just don't ask me to ever DO this job). Beware, however: there are sections of this not for the squeamish. If you are sensitive on the subject of death, you may be offended by some of the dark humor (I suspect that if you work in this business, you have to be able to maintain a sense of humor to keep you going through the grief around you).
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