Reviews

The Enchanted by Rene Denfeld

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abs15's review

dark emotional reflective

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

This book will disturb and unsettle you in a thought-provoking way that leaves you changed and haunted. I could hardly put it down and haven't stopped thinking about it and the later-realized character nuances since I turned the last page. Bravo.

melissagallant_'s review against another edition

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4.0

Such lovely writing here! What a sense of atmosphere. A brutal but beautiful story.

squirrelsohno's review against another edition

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5.0

THE ENCHANTED is not my typical read - or at least not my typical review, if you rather. It's literary fiction telling the story of a man on death row with mental problems as he tells a story about life behind bars and also the stories of people around him, particularly a mitigation specialist (which our author knows lots about since she is one - it's a person who does intensive research to put together last ditch appeals for inmates) and a fallen priest who counsels the inmates. And even though it's a contemporary tale, Denfeld weaves in magic and lyricism to create a book reminiscent in its storytelling of THE NIGHT CIRCUS, except set in a prison.

Trust me, it's super good.

We follow a nameless man who is on death row for reasons we are initially not told, a man with a number of psychiatric issues that has left him mute and lost in a dreamlike state full of golden horses and tiny men and books provided to him by a compassionate warden who sees him for what he is - a disturbed, pitiful man.

"This is an enchanted place. Others don't see it, but I do."

Denfeld's biggest strength is her prose, which brings to mind Erin Morgenstern's effortlessly evocative writing from the aforementioned NIGHT CIRCUS. The writing is nothing short of amazing, painting a gorgeous yet bleak picture of life behind bars. Our narrator is a man who has turned his time in prison into a landscape littered with magical elements due to his multitude of issues. He's fearful and feared by those around him because of his past.

At the same time, his story is one of redemption. Maybe not for himself, no, but for telling the stories of those around him and weaving tales to keep his mind afloat and alive under the crushing weight of reality - he's on death row for an unspeakable crime, and nothing will save him.

Comparing it to Stephen King and Alice Sebold is a bit incorrect. Yes, in a way it's reminiscent of 'The Shawshank Redemption' and THE GREEN MILE, but Alice Sebold? Not really. It's a lyrical novel about hope and the healing power of imagination when faced with the darkest of circumstances.

But it is a beautiful book, plain and simple.

VERDICT: Amazing, breathtaking, and enchanting. THE ENCHANTED is a must read for fans of literary fiction.

♥♥♥♥♥ - FIVE HEARTS

cami19's review

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

chaosmavin's review

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3.0

This is one of those books I want to be able to give an extra half star to but goodreads denies me. It deserves more the 3 as it is so beautifully written and has a creative take on a subject matter rarely written about in an almost whimsical way...so why can I not give it 4 stars you ask...because it did not move me. I was compelled to read it, and even almost skipped out on a friend one night so I could keep going...yet when it got to then end my eyes were dry and I felt a bit let down...I was neither sad, or angry...As if the notion that of course the people who do bad things have themselves been mistreated and abused has been a fact I accepted long ago...that broken people can sometimes find each other and a little joy...is as well...but the real heart of the story is the mind of a man trapped with no light but through words creates world both mystical and terrifying...That is what I loved and i wanted more of that...I was actually reminded of Ken Kesey's character of Chief which whose mind is as terrifying and yet beautiful...I think the bulk of the book is worth the read and perhaps I'm just growing less tender in my old age that the end let me indifferent.

waqasmhd's review against another edition

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4.0

wth did I just read/hear? I wasn’t expecting to like it this much when I started this book.
so many stories within a book and each one has a grim, melancholic account to tell.
the prose was impressive. this author knows how to draw in the audience. maybe listening to its audiobook made it more enchanting.