Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead

Mother-child relationships feature prominently in the novel. Discuss Finn’s relationship with her mother. Which aspects of her mother does Finn try to emulate, and which does she reject? How does this relationship help characterize Finn?

Mother-child relationships feature prominently in the novel. Discuss Finn’s relationship with her mother. Which aspects of her mother does Finn try to emulate, and which does she reject? How does this relationship help characterize Finn?

As the second in a planned series of novels, Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead resolves some mysteries and conflicts and leaves others unresolved. How does this impact its effectiveness as a stand-alone novel? Do the ambiguities in the novel’s ending add anything to the text’s thematic arguments?

Vero steals from Finn and gambles the money away in an attempt to get herself out of trouble, creating a financial mess for both herself and Finn. Discuss Vero’s betrayal of Finn, and consider it in the context of Steven’s betrayal. How do their betrayals differ? Why does Finn instantly forgive Vero but not Steven?

What role does the internet play in the novel’s plot, tone, and meaning? How would the story be different without the online component? How would it remain the same?

Discuss Finn’s conflation of her real life and her novel in conversations with Nick, Vero, and even her agent, Sylvia. How do these conversations characterize Finn and the role that writing plays in her life?

At the end of the novel, Finn tells Vero that she has not chosen Nick or Julian and has decided that her novel’s main character is “content to be the hero of her own story for a while” (352). Does Finn seem prepared to truly be the hero of her own story? Which aspects of plot and characterization argue for or against this?

Discuss Cosimano’s use of humor in the novel, and in Finn’s character specifically, using specific examples from the text. How does the humorous tone impact the plot, theme, and characters in Finlay Donovan Knocks ’Em Dead?