Optimisfits: Igniting a Fierce Rebellion Against Hopelessness Ben Courson
2.75 stars
"God does not endure you. He enjoys you."
Ben Courson presents his case as to why you should live life joyfully and let go of the hopelessness that the world around you wants you to believe in. He defines an Optimisfit as someone who doesn't conform to society, who lives life like it's an adventure, who lives with wild abandon, who lives with childlike wonder, and who has unapologetic optimism. I'll be honest, I don't know how to feel about this book. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it either. Ben Courson has a very aggressive and slightly judgmental writing style while also retaining the amount of whimsy and try-hard creativity of a twelve-year-old. I liked the try-hard creativity to an extent, but I found myself raising an eyebrow when he called Jesus a straight-up savage (which he is, but our slang of today makes it sound childish and not as epic as it truly is). I will say that if you are someone who loves religion more than relationship, then this book will definitely make you feel condemned and called out (which may be what Jesus is trying to speak into your life, so don't run away too hard from this book).
If you are looking to challenge your theology, this may do it, but it does not bring in much Biblical text as evidence. Every now Courson references a Psalm without listing it (which I found to be very unimpressive and unimpressive in correlation with the complexities and diverse array of arguments he was attempting to make). I could also do with having to read about his "Squad", but it is nice to see an author who is so heavily impacted by the community of Christians he has surrounded himself with and the positive impact they have on his life. I enjoyed that aspect, but I wish that Courson was more vulnerable and less of a dude-bro who wants to lay down the facts. In all honesty, his facts had a lot of holes in them, but I did enjoy his references to pop culture and historical figures in both philosophy, literature, and history. However, this book feels more like it is targeted towards a high school student or somebody curious about breaking out of the religious mold of Christianity. A lot of his commentary on God aligns with my own (without the juvenile usage of slang, of course), but I think that this book will help many young adults find their way to relationship in a challenging and uplifting way.
Here's my personal favorite quote that made me giggle for way too long:
"She eats rainbow sandwiches for lunch and dines on Pegasus steak."
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2.5
Plotastic Scale: 3
Cover Thoughts: This cover is gorgeous. Kudos to the designer because wow.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harvest House Publishers, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
2.75 stars
"God does not endure you. He enjoys you."
Ben Courson presents his case as to why you should live life joyfully and let go of the hopelessness that the world around you wants you to believe in. He defines an Optimisfit as someone who doesn't conform to society, who lives life like it's an adventure, who lives with wild abandon, who lives with childlike wonder, and who has unapologetic optimism. I'll be honest, I don't know how to feel about this book. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't like it either. Ben Courson has a very aggressive and slightly judgmental writing style while also retaining the amount of whimsy and try-hard creativity of a twelve-year-old. I liked the try-hard creativity to an extent, but I found myself raising an eyebrow when he called Jesus a straight-up savage (which he is, but our slang of today makes it sound childish and not as epic as it truly is). I will say that if you are someone who loves religion more than relationship, then this book will definitely make you feel condemned and called out (which may be what Jesus is trying to speak into your life, so don't run away too hard from this book).
If you are looking to challenge your theology, this may do it, but it does not bring in much Biblical text as evidence. Every now Courson references a Psalm without listing it (which I found to be very unimpressive and unimpressive in correlation with the complexities and diverse array of arguments he was attempting to make). I could also do with having to read about his "Squad", but it is nice to see an author who is so heavily impacted by the community of Christians he has surrounded himself with and the positive impact they have on his life. I enjoyed that aspect, but I wish that Courson was more vulnerable and less of a dude-bro who wants to lay down the facts. In all honesty, his facts had a lot of holes in them, but I did enjoy his references to pop culture and historical figures in both philosophy, literature, and history. However, this book feels more like it is targeted towards a high school student or somebody curious about breaking out of the religious mold of Christianity. A lot of his commentary on God aligns with my own (without the juvenile usage of slang, of course), but I think that this book will help many young adults find their way to relationship in a challenging and uplifting way.
Here's my personal favorite quote that made me giggle for way too long:
"She eats rainbow sandwiches for lunch and dines on Pegasus steak."
Whimsical Writing Scale: 2.5
Plotastic Scale: 3
Cover Thoughts: This cover is gorgeous. Kudos to the designer because wow.
Thank you, Netgalley and Harvest House Publishers, for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Have you read Optimisfits? Are you familiar with Ben Courson and the Hope Generation? Let me know down below in the comments!
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