Such Good Work: A Novel

There is a worldwide opioid crisis. One could glean that information just by reading new novels, written in memoir fashion about drug use. The main character of this book, Jonas, complains that addicts tell long, fabricated stories, and reveals that he does the same thing. The book only starts to become interesting when Jonas gets out of his own story and into the lives of migrant communities relocating to Sweden. The author also includes contact information for an organization which educates refugee children giving verisimilitude to this story.

The book does seem emblematic of the new global hipster who floats through the world in an improvised fashion. It is interesting that this character is written so that he remains likable even when the reader fears he will never escape his escapist lifestyle. We revel along with Jonas as his story is accepted for publication so that he can truly become the writer that he strives to be. This is a well written and readable novel.