This quick read set in Costa Rica was a quick look into what two different career and moral dilemmas look like. In the end, I wanted to know more about both characters, but appreciated the the lesson learned here: don't take a job or sign a contract just to please others. Or at least that's my takeaway.

This book wasn't for me. I could see where they were trying to go with it but the writing was confusing and then with the time jump, it didn't quite make sense.

Thank you Netgalley, Alex McGlothlin and publishers for gifting me a copy of Renunciation in return for my honest review.

2/5

This book has serious potential, but it isn't quite there. The writing was choppy and it was almost like reading someones personal journal. I can see what the author was trying to get across with the time jumps but it fell flat for me. This would have made for a fantastic rough draft of a movie script.

This book starts off with a look into the past where Michael has been dumped by his girlfriend, how long were they together and what was their relationship like? I have no clue because it glosses right over it. In doing so i felt no emotional connection to the character and was confused why it was even included. The book then moves on to Michael work where he finds out his boss who brought him in and has been a mentor in him is leaving to take another job.

Where does this leave Micheal, well he is now in the running to become editor and chief at his job. He is going up against a big wig sports writer named Sam who is something of a celebrity journalist (Think like Pierce Morgan.) So what does he do, he goes on a journalism job in Costa Rico to interview a surfer who disappeared from competitions.

The rest of the book was enjoyable to learn about Louis and his reasons why he left but other than that I was just left wanting more. There was so much that was left half done or not explained that left the reader wanting more. It was so choppy and disjointed that I felt like I had skipped over parts but nope that was how it was written. This book was only 170 pages but it could have benefited from at least another 50.

Another issue with this book is that at the end it is one of those open to interpretation endings and honestly it fails miserably at that. Not only do they just through some random tragedy into the mix but they also are force feeding the lesson down your throats. This author needs to learn the art of showing not telling. All in all it's a no for me.

N.B. This review contains comments on typos which I will not add to my Goodreads and blog reviews.

Dilemma: do you follow what makes you happy, even though you might have to give up all of your promise, your education, the expectations of others? Or do you carry on doing a job that no longer fulfils you, ever chasing the dream of success and ambition and capitalistic gains? The two men in this short novella are both facing this dilemma.

Epigraph: “Renunciation means letting go of holding back.” -Lama Surya Das

The magazine where Michael Winston works, The Scout Report, has always been balanced politically. Now there’s a takeover and the editor is leaving. She was Michael’s mentor and had envisaged him as her successor, but the new owners prefer someone else, Sam Buell. He is a renowned sports journalist, but a bully and his entrenched far right views put The Scout Report’s political balance in danger. “The firm will give you both a blank check to pursue a major story. Something epic. Or a perspective that shifts the national narrative. Something startling that makes us all feel alive again.” What a challenge! What an opportunity! The story he is sent on is to interview a major surfing star who has suddenly become a recluse and stopped competing. Nobody knows why.

“Sonya had cashed in a career’s worth of favors [sic] to give me the opportunity of a lifetime: I would spend a week hanging out with the man Time Magazine had recently anointed ‘the world’s most mysterious man.’ That man was two-time world surfing champion Louis Giroux. Louis had won the 2015 and 2016 World Surfing Championships in Morocco and Bali just before disappearing from the public eye. Following a competition in Nairobi, Kenya, Louis had not in three years competed professionally, given an interview, or even been seen in public. At 25, the man who many speculated would become the greatest surfer of all time had simply vanished.” And yet his image is still everywhere as he endorses the top brand of surfer sportswear.

The story of the celebrity who wants to escape the pressure is ticking along perfectly pleasantly when he tells a truly bizarre story involving gambling with Somali generals, borrowing U2’s jet to take 42 prisoners to Nairobi and then on to France, which supposedly accepted them with open arms. I know this is told under the influence of a joint, but… And the tale gets crazier!

Like the journalist Michael Winston, who narrates this story, I know nothing about surfing. Ironically, mere days ago I watched a TV segment of people standing on a cliff in Portugal watching a surfer being towed by a jet ski to the top of a mountainous wave, just like the one Louis Geroux describes to Michael as the scariest place he has ever surfed. The surfer in the programme I watched was crushed by the wave and broke his back; now he’s recovered, he still surfs.

Michael’s journalistic ethics are somewhat murky. He’s looking for a feel-good story so would be happy to leave out anything that doesn’t fit that narrative (drug use, alcohol, etc.). He justifies this to himself by saying that even the choice of the story is a form of censorship.

He regularly slips into an odd stream of consciousness that can be oddly colloquial or downright peculiar: “a blue sky that covered us like ninny’s blanket on a summer afternoon when you’re a child and wet from playing in the pool and things can only grow and become more wonderful and you know nothing else. Back at a time when staying dry and warm underneath a big blanket was an activity you enjoyed in its own right.”

I really enjoyed this short story, although I found the ending slightly ambiguous. There was a sufficient element of mystery and jeopardy to make it interesting without it ever becoming a thriller. There were also a couple of inspirational fables included, which I certainly hadn’t expected. You won’t learn anything much about surfing or Costa Rica if you read this, but you might spend a few happy hours dreaming of beaches and leaving behind the normal pressures of life and career.

Corrections

The one thing that was off-putting was the rather high number of typos, grammatical errors or things in need of an edit (it’s-instead-of-its type errors). This, on the first page, didn’t bode well!
“I mean we want it, right?” you asked.
…
She kissed me and wrapped her arms around me. [That ‘she’ should be ‘you’.]

social conscious should be social conscience (p.2)
who’s – should be whose (p.2)

black- and-white short films in a remote third-world bar arm wrestling with indigenous people => note the non-PC terminology (p.4)

Donde es el yao? - yayo is Spanish slang for cocaine. Also spelled yeyo or llello, not yao. https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/yayo (p.5 / 23)

I treaded water – should be trod water (pp.7 / 25)

Derogatory: long shiny effeminate hair.

Doesn’t scan: After rumbling across rocky roads ran through the front lawns of farms,

Ungrammatical: if they’d even went to the trouble

yocal – should be yokel

bikini that complimented your breasts – should be complemented (pp.96 and 116)
before you lied down – should be lay (pp.96 and 116)
Not if your unpublished – should be you’re p96 / 116

“A small boat motored by with a thin man sitting on the stern. He had one hand casually on the motor and the other on the coastline. Holly road in the gunwale, waving broadly as the boat passed.” How is one hand on the coastline? Should be Holly rode.

as she seemed want to do. Should be wont

Greek cuisine : dolomites! Should be dolmas!

the sun blearing down on us. Should be glaring, blaring?

offered to sale us chicken tacos. Should be sell.

Disclaimer: My thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC. This review reflects my honest opinion after reading.

I feel like the author and editor needed to go over this with a fine-toothed comb, and they never did.
There are typos like “Thor was Michael’s coach”, when Michael is the 1st person PoV, (I think they meant Louis’ coach.)
Also the main character extols his own virtues constantly, very pick me not like other girls vibe. We get it, you’re a political moderate.
Some characters like Nick were completely unbelievable, no one would put up with that in real life. Many characters were like this, and I really found no one to be likeable.
And how is he supposed to be a reporter if he’s not allowed to ask questions or take pictures? Those stipulations given at the beginning NEED to be taken down a notch.
Feels like an attempt to tackle the Great Gatsby that just did not work out.
Honestly the story was solid but there were so many problems with the writing that it completely distracted from the plot.
I’m not going to make a review video for this, because I think this author has room to improve and I don’t want to put out negative content for someone who can turn into someone I’d want to read someday. But this book, as-is? Is not it.

What a captivating story! Wow! I was transported to the sandy beaches of Costa Rica and now I never want to leave. And the ending – I loved it!!

The Renunciation started as a story about a struggling journalist looking for his big break but turned out to be so much more. Michael Winston travels from New York City to Costa Rica to interview an elusive, world-famous surfer, Louis Giroux, who disappeared from the public eye three years ago and is now supposed to make a rare appearance and compete with another World Champion. Louis seems to have everything a 28-year-old athlete would need but little by little Michael begins to realize that Louis’ life might not really be his own. So what does Louis really want? And what about Michael, is the path he has found for himself really the one he wants to follow?

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this beautiful novella.

"The Renunciation" by Alex McGlothin is a fast-paced novella.

Michael, the main character, has just lost his girlfriend and may also lose his dream job if he cannot write a good enough story to win him the votes of the board, who already prefer another candidate. Michael heads to Costa Rica in the hopes of writing a career-making story about Louis Giroux, a surfer who completely disappeared from the world stage but is set to take part in a special surfing event against the current world champion.

This is only the superficial storyline. The book is about so much more, including what defines success, happiness and freedom and what we are willing give up to get what we think we want.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Journalist Michael Winston is not having a good time - his girlfriend left him, he lost his dream home and his job is hanging by a thread. In order to try and save his job, he’s sent on an expedition to Costa Rica to try and get the story of his career. The story is Louis Giroux, a world champion surfer who is considered ‘the world’s most mysterious man’ after disappearing from the world stage three years ago.

While on the surface, this short book seems like it’s about surfing and trying to get a story, it’s really about figuring out what is important to us and what we want from life. Is fame and fortune really worth it if we don’t actually have our freedom with it?

The style of writing throughout was enjoyable, but I found the first chapter written in second person tricky to fully understand and get through. The novella was a pleasant read, and definitely makes you think about what celebrities deal with to enjoy their fame and fortune.

The ending felt like a bit of a letdown to me and seemed very abrupt - I actually wondered if I was missing the end of it! The result of who was getting the editor job seemed a little too tied up in a bow, and Michael’s decision didn’t really follow through.

A pleasant read nonetheless, and raises good questions on personal freedoms vs money and fame.

Michael is a journalist who lost his girlfriend and is on the verge of losing his dream job—to be editor-in-chief. To be able to get the job, he needs to write a good story that will get the votes of the board. But in line with that, there's another candidate that the board wants. So the current EIC, who wanted Michael, gave the assignment to meet the mysterious and elusive surfer champion, Louis Giroux. She thought the story of a surfer's absence for two years in competition would eat up and would caught the attention of the readers.

Louis has everything, but with the things he possesses, he wants one. The freedom. And when Michael gets to know him, he realized something. The things they want can be a consequence of no freedom. Would he be the same?

The Renunciation is a short novel. It is interesting but there are just some parts where I struggled to move on to the next chapters. But I enjoyed and had fun reading it. Because I loved how they recognize their growth and realize that sometimes fame and power could only hinder your love for your passion. It is still better to do something you love without the responsibility and surrendering the joy to pursue the big thing.

I found the topic of this novel really intriguing. It felt like the struggle of the main character was relatable in a lot of ways. Struggling with his relationship, trying to grow in his career, dealing with family that just doesn't get it, you get the point. But too be honest, I didn't really like the main character as a person as much. He seemed a little judgmental. But there was some interesting character development. I didn't understand why two references to N*zi' Germany were necessary. It just felt weird and out of place. I guess for juxaposiiton to the location of the book, but eh not my thing. This book made me want to go to Costa Rica so bad. It's been a place I've wanted to go in the past but this book described the island as a really in a way that made me smile and imagine myself there with my toes in the sand. Overall, I enjoyed this book and thought it had a nice message.

I received an advance review copy through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

4/5 stars! This was a whirlwind short story and an enjoyable quick read. It is a story of growth and recognition that moving forwards doesn't mean you lost something. I do think it could have benefited from slowing down the story and making it a bit longer, as the last 25% felt a bit rushed. But I appreciated learning Michael's thought process and watching him find out what was next for his own story.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

I really enjoyed the concept of this book but it just fell a little flat to me. I loved the flashbacks to previous moments that helped to propel the story forward in present time. However, I feel like the ending felt rushed and vague as well. I enjoyed the descriptions of the town and the feelings of the surfers though.

Michael has already lost his girlfriend and now it looks like he’s going to miss out on the editor job of his dreams. Another journalist is also in line for the position so there’s a run off to decide who gets the golden ticket. Whoever writes the better story wins.
Michael sets off to Costa Rica to meet the elusive Louis Giroux an elusive, one time world champion surfer who the media have labelled “the world’s most mysterious man.” He hasn’t been seen by the general public in three years but in a few days’ time Louis will be competing against the current world champion in a special surfing event and Michael has “access all areas” in the run up to it.
Louis has everything, the beautiful actress girlfriend, the luxury home, the servants and a very lucrative contract with Poseidon Sportswear. What more could he want?
The more Michael gets to know Louis, the more he realises that Louis is a prisoner of circumstance. His life isn’t his own, it’s run by his manager who answers to Poseidon. Everything Louis does, wears or even eats is carefully choreographed. Has he sold out his freedom for the prize that he thought he wanted and isn’t Michael falling into the same trap?
It’s a novella so a pretty quick read but being honest I struggled with the first chapter though I can’t tell you why. After that it was fine and I enjoyed the book. There were a couple of places where the words didn’t seem to make sense but this was an ARC so I’m guessing it was an editing glitch. Overall a very solid 4 stars and I thank the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I figured I’d kick off the month’s reading with a surfing trip to Costa Rica. Well, an armchair version thereof, but still…
This short novel offered just that and did so nicely. The message of it might be fairly trite and heard-it-all-before: the contemplation of the meaning of freedom and all that…is it worth it to chuck it all (fame, fortune, etc.) away to live as you please or does one stay locked in a race wheel of success?
The protagonist of this novel, a young journalist fresh from being dumped and crushed, who goes on one sensational assignment in a bid to get a promotion, wasn’t ready for all that contemplation. All he was after was a good story about the mysterious surfer champion.
But the mysterious surfer champion isn’t all that mysterious – he’s just a man who’s tired of it all, had enough, and now just wants to surf in the sun.
Which is an easy option because his gf is floating their lifestyle.
And soon enough, the surfer’s laid back do what thou will ways are going to seep into the journalist’s mind.
Of course, those types of choices/mentalities only work when there is something to throw away or walk away from, so it is, in a way, a privilege. But it is a tough choice and as such makes for a compelling read.
In fact, no matter where you are on the moral choices here, compelling is what the author got right. From the get-go, his characters and their idyllic surroundings are strong, realistic, vivid. Makes for an engaging quick enjoyable read. I’m the first to review this one on GR, so there you go book, you’ve been reviewed. Thanks Netgalley.

I really felt for Michael Winston, it was a well done novella. The characters felt like real people and I could understand what was going on. It was what I was hoping for and really enjoyed the way Alex McGlothlin wrote this.

"That all added up to me. But then why was Louis so frustrated? It seemed like there was more to the
decision and I made a mental note to ask Louis if I got the chance to be with him alone."