The Final Farewell

by Patricia Wiles

Kevin’s senior year of high school isn’t going as he’d planned. So much has changed, and choices he once thought would be easy to make have become increasingly difficult. His best friend has moved away, his girlfriend has dumped him for the school football hero, and life after graduation looms ahead like a chasm without a bridge. Kevin’s got a hot scholarship offer in his hands, but even though it’s hard for him to talk about his Mormon faith with others, he can’t shake the feeling in his heart that he should serve a two-year mission. When the time comes for Kevin to make the most important decision of his life, one that no one else can or should make for him, he must take a leap of faith and learn to trust his own feelings. Will his decision be the right one, even when tragedy strikes? Find out where Kevin’s choices take him in The Final Farewell, the final volume in the Kevin Kirk Chronicles.

Genres: Lds Fiction, Young Adult

246 pages, paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

My first series of books for middle-grade and young adult readers, about a boy growing up as a Mormon in the south, has been honored twice by the Association for Mormon Letters. I am the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Midsouth region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. My essays have aired on public radio and have appeared in Writer’s Digest, The Writer, and The Writer’s Handbook. My work as a newspaper columnist and staff writer has earned awards from the Kentucky Press Association. My husband and I have two daughters, a son, and a cat. All have left the nest but the cat; he refuses to move out and get his own place.

Reviews

[Tayler Morrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another book from my classroom shelf. Because of that, I didn’t realize that this was the 4th and last book of the series! This is definitely a Mormon young adult book. It’s about Kevin Kirk’s senior year of high school and how he and his very few Mormon friends in his small town deal with changing beliefs, the prospect of going on a mission vs going to college, and surviving a tornado. I’d definitely have my Mormon students read it, but I don’t think it would really interest any non-Mormon kids…
3/5 stars

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Richard R · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how he convinced his girlfriend to get active in the church.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few months ago, Millie was going through this Eat Christian's Books phase (which led to the previous policy known as Lock Millie in the Laundry Room While We're Out [which has since been replaced with the Chain Millie Up Outside Because She Still Isn't Controlling Her Bowels policy]). During her book eating, aside from taking out Deathly Hallows, she also destroyed my Kevin Kirk Chronicles. I recently had these replaced and realized that I hadn't yet read the final book in the series. So I did that on Thursday.

This is perhaps the most difficult book review I've written.

So let's start with some full disclosure: I love Patricia Wiles. Though I had many authors I enjoyed working with while at Covenant, I can easily—oh so easily—say that Patricia was my favorite. And that's because she's brilliant. Utterly brilliant. Her sense of voice is wonderful. Her dedication to her craft—particularly the revision element of her craft—is absolutely stellar. And she doesn't resent and despise her editor. In fact, she actually takes criticism and praise quite well.

As an example, for her second novel, she had submitted a manuscript that was, well, good but not great. Bordering a bit on the meh side of things, perhaps. We spent about an hour or so talking about it on the phone and had come to the conclusion that there were likely too many things going on and things just weren't clicking quite right. So she set out to work on it. About three weeks later, I received her revised manuscript in the mail. And it was magnificent. She had done far more than we had talked about on the phone because she was brilliant enough to recognize what needed to happen. Even if that meant that she and I both lost some of the parts we dearly loved about the initial manuscript.

So I think she's grand.

Unfortunately, I don't think this novel is grand. It's the fourth and final book in the series, and so it's suffering from End of Series Doom I suspect. And it has an epilogue (and we all know how I feel about those). And there just seems to be too much going on with inadequate focus on the more important action scenes. The humor and voice are still good, so it's an enjoyable read that I recommend, it's just that I think the earlier books in the series pull through better.

[Rayni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting. It was my Christmas book this year. I've been looking forward to it & I was not disappointed. I've worried about the catastrophe ever since I read the synopsis, so was rather relieved it wasn't some of the worst scenarios I thought about. I loved the ending & especially the epilogue.

[Princess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the way the series ended up. I liked where the author took Dani's story line. So many youth end up going in her direction. Kevin's reactions to Dani's choices were real. He was confused and concerned. He also faced tough choices about his own life and what he should do. Bravo Patricia Wiles. Good series!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ending to a good series. I must say I was surprised by the final ending. It was fascinating. Didn't quite go how I expected. I was uplifted by the decision that Kevin was faced with and finally chooses. I really enjoyed these books.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was every bit at rewarding as the first three and I enjoyed it immensely. Of course, it ends rather predictably, but she did throw in a couple of twists I wasn't expecting.

[Karina]

Great end to a long life of a boy to a man

[Ryan Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very mormon. I read it before i relized it was the 4th in the series. But that didnt throw me at all. I really like it. Pretty entertaining.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a funny and faith building series. Great for teen boys.

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute series:)

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good ending to a fun series.