A masterful new novel from Per Petterson, who "provides one of literature's greatest gifts . . . a welcome refuge from our cacophonous world" (NPR) Per Petterson's hotly anticipated new novel, I Refuse, is the work of an internationally acclaimed novelist at the height of his powers. In Norway the book has been a huge bestseller, and rights have already been sold into sixteen countries. In his signature spare style, Petterson weaves a tale of two men whose accidental meeting one morning recalls their boyhood thirty-five years ago. Back then, Tommy was separated from his sisters after he stood up to their abusive father. Jim was by Tommy's side through it all. But one winter night, a chance event on a frozen lake forever changed the balance of their friendship. Now Jim fishes alone on a bridge as Tommy drives by in a new Mercedes, and it's clear their fortunes have reversed. Over the course of the day, the life of each man will be irrevocably altered. I Refuse is a powerful, unforgettable novel, and its publication is an event to be celebrated.

Two of us completed our subread of I Refuse, and we felt it was a very quiet but well written book. It's not a flashy or fast novel -- the pleasure of the book comes from the vividness of the descriptions and the consistent well-painted tone of sadness and loss that pervades the story. The plot is fairly simple -- Jim and Tommy have a chance encounter thirty years after losing contact. That encounter cause them to revisit their past as childhood friends, elucidates the differences of their characters (Tommy as impulsive, Jim as thoughtful), and juxtaposes their current reversals of fortune. The book is tight and it does a good job of using fragmented chapters of painting their stories and showing how they formed and why they are still trapped in the chains of their unfortunately childhoods. Our main issue was simply that there wasn't much more to the book than that. The stories of the two characters are well-told, and the arcs and emotions are all well-rendered and believable, but it's a small story overall, and Petterson takes his time working its way through it. Ultimately, I Refuse is a beautiful book, but not a grand one or a showstopper. If a quiet sad book is your speed, this is a nice small read that will satisfy you.