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A review by jrayereads
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger
4.5
I Cheerfully Refuse is a lovely dystopian novel with some of the most refreshingly gorgeous prose I have read in a long time. The world that Lief Enger built was familiar enough to create a looming darkness and bleak atmosphere, but it was foreign enough to feel anxious at what the harshness of these different coastal towns would throw at our protagonist. Enger’s characterization is stellar. I adored Rainy as a protagonist. He is gentle, observant, and clever, which made accompanying him through a confusing and sometimes infuriatingly unfair landscape deeply satisfying. The writing was concise and beautiful with moments of being genuinely hilarious.
This is not a fast read and it was a book that I slowly enjoyed over a much longer period of time than I usually take to finish a 300~ page book. One thing keeping it from a full 5 stars was a few moments where the excellently built tension and momentum would stall, leaving me either a bit confused by where we were at or antsy to get moving forward. Despite this, the payoff was worth it for the moments where the story stagnated and despite the occasional frustration, the ending was deeply satisfying.
This is a story about grief and community, exploitation and dread, existential malaise and finding meaning when things feel hopeless. It felt granular and personal but it was also a daring adventure. I will be thinking about this world and these characters for a long time.
This is not a fast read and it was a book that I slowly enjoyed over a much longer period of time than I usually take to finish a 300~ page book. One thing keeping it from a full 5 stars was a few moments where the excellently built tension and momentum would stall, leaving me either a bit confused by where we were at or antsy to get moving forward. Despite this, the payoff was worth it for the moments where the story stagnated and despite the occasional frustration, the ending was deeply satisfying.
This is a story about grief and community, exploitation and dread, existential malaise and finding meaning when things feel hopeless. It felt granular and personal but it was also a daring adventure. I will be thinking about this world and these characters for a long time.