Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of death and grief.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. I Cheerfully Refuse blends dystopian elements with a deeply personal journey. How effectively did Enger balance the larger societal issues like climate change and wealth disparity with Rainy’s personal quest to find meaning after Lark’s death?

2. Rainy’s musical abilities and his journey to reconnect with his deceased wife draw heavily on the Greek myth of Orpheus. How did this mythological framework enhance or reshape your experience of the story?

3. Enger’s novels often feature protagonists who embark on transformative journeys through distinctive landscapes. If you’ve read his previous work Peace Like a River or Virgil Wander, how does Rainy’s odyssey across Lake Superior compare to those journeys? Alternatively, what other literary journeys did I Cheerfully Refuse bring to mind?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Throughout the novel, Rainy uses music as a healing force to calm others and process his own emotions. What role has music or art played in your own life during times of grief or significant transition?