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I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger - 4.5* - My Review

Set in a near-future dystopian society, the novel opens with a happily married couple, Rainy and Lark, living near Lake Superior and running a small bookshop. They take in a secretive boarder, Kellen, whom Rainy treats as a younger brother. Their lives are shattered when Kellen disappears, leaving a tragedy in his wake. As a result, Rainy ends up fleeing from criminals on Lake Superior in his small boat, The Flower. He encounters both kind and malevolent people, with social changes bringing out the best and worst of human nature. Rainy eventually comes across nine-year-old Sol, a girl who needs help escaping from shady characters. Sol is plucky and high-spirited, and the two form a close bond.

Enger’s writing is beautifully descriptive, and I felt immersed in the story. The title is taken from a book that Lark loved, called I Cheerfully Refuse. Rainy is a musician and the solace of the arts is part of the story. The future society seems all too realistic, with the wealth gap widening to the point where there are a few extremely rich people (called “astronauts”) and everyone else barely surviving. It contains many adventures and evokes a wide range of emotions. The tenderness of a man protecting a young child is touching, and it is one of those rare dystopian novels that is not totally bleak and depressing. This story and its characters are sure to linger in my mind.

4.5

Joy, Rainy has lingered in my mind. He's such a kind man. I thought the book was both beautifully written and thoughtful. My lower rating of 3.8 reflects my own discomfort when reading dystopian fiction.

Again, this is a book that would have been a good buddy read. Here is my review. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thanks, Holly. I found it interesting in looking through some reviews after I wrote mine that some found it bleak and depressing, but I thought it was hopeful, particularly for a dystopian novel (view spoiler)[especially the ending. (hide spoiler)] I agree it would make for a good buddy read.

I just bought the audio of this on sale at Audible for something like $2.97. I loved both Peace Like a River and Virgil Wander. I hesitated on this one because some people said it was depressing, so I'm glad everyone didn't think so.