Tournament of Books discussion

A thread to discuss Leif Enger's novel "I Cheerfully Refuse."

I started this on audio and could not get into it, so got on a hold list for the ebook. Hopefully the change in format will make a difference!

I'm going back and forth between the book and audio and often at the same time. Sometimes the audio holds my attention a little better. I have it on 1.5x so I don't fault the reader if it sounds weird.

I love the hazy backdrop of dystopia of this book. It's all gone to shit but you can still get coffee if you prioritize it over other basic needs. I'm not confident we'll have coffee next year!

Chrissy wrote: "I started this on audio and could not get into it, so got on a hold list for the ebook. Hopefully the change in format will make a difference!"

Me too. I listened to it and liked the characters and the story, but the pacing was SO SLOW I regretfully DNF'ed.

I love, love, loved this one. Rainy was such a pal.

Me too, Kyle. Rainy was the best!

Started reading on paper last night, and it is a very different vibe for some reason. I’m only 50 pages in, but I’m enjoying it.

Just finished! I really enjoyed both the story and the writing - such vivid descriptions of the sea in all its moods. Rainy, Lark, and even Sol were exemplars for different approaches to facing the decay of the world with hope.

I'm about 20% in and enjoying it so far.

I've now finished it, and while dystopian is not really something I read a lot of, that was so much in the background that I had to remind myself about that larger world issue. I really enjoyed this one, consumed in print form. I particularly enjoyed experiencing the parts on the boat, fighting the weather and the cantankerous nature of engines and how one refreshes supplies in an unpredictable world. Great characters and wonderful descriptions of the power of nature...in the lake and from above.

I read the protagonist’s voice like a character from The Vinyl Cafe which had me smiling through entire sections.

I absolutely loved this and didn't expect to. I also had trapped time to do nothing but read and can never tell if this is a good thing or detracts from books that I am just too busy to get into. time + place + mood + expectations = unknown. LOL

One of my favorite books so far this year!

I'm the party pooper who DNF'ed it on audio, finished it a couple of days ago in print, and found it only marginally better. My problem was the character of Lark (in person or in memory) who felt like a sappy stereotype. On the other hand, I enjoyed my time with Rainey, and liked the dystopian world and story. Over all the book felt like a people-pleaser trying too hard. Maybe it's a 'it's me, not the book' situation.

Oh look! Another lit fic with genre framing. Is this my jam? Is this what I read now? I loved I Cheerfully Refuse. Is it perfect? No. But I enjoyed the mix of climate disaster and grief and stubborn hope. Some might want more despair in the mix - there are plenty of books which lean heavier on the grief (Ex. Migrations). But for me, this was the balance. Humanity is unfathomably cruel and yet individuals will constantly surprise you with their willingness to help.