Reviews of Refresh, Refresh

"Percy’s talent for putting surprising characters in difficult contemporary settings makes this a memorable collection." —Publishers Weekly

"[Refresh, Refresh] has a fresh and powerful perspective on our times." —Jane Ciabattari, National Book Critics Circle Blog

"Readers who don’t flinch will find themselves rewarded. . . [Percy] delivers up raw stories that ultimately pinch a nerve." —Minnesota Monthly

"Percy takes on bleak subjects, but his honesty and verve give his stories a refreshing voice." —The Plain Dealer

"In [Refresh, Refresh] there’s a rawness and confusion and passion, and even when Percy throws a monster in the woods, or a post-nuclear wasteland into the mix, his people are as real as they come. The emotions are so powerful, and the writing is beautiful. . . I highly suggest that you put this book on your must-have list." —Daniel Golden, Senior Buyer, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops

“‘Refresh, Refresh’ is easily among the most affecting, most original works of American fiction in recent years.” —Michael Andrews, Contrary

“When he is good, Percy is as good as any young writer working today.” —Alan Cheuse, Chicago Tribune

“There’s no wading into a Benjamin Percy story. Reading the first sentence is like falling off a cliff—you keep going until you hit the inevitable yet surprising end.” —Kris Babe, Poets &Writers

“Polished and consistent.” —Jason Kuiper, Omaha World-Herald

“Impressive, utilizing the classic compressed force of a short-story structure to radiate larger truths.” —Orion

“He offers a bracing glimpse of unheroic men.” —Nicole Rudick, Book Forum

“Astonishing intensity.” —Roberta Silman, The Boston Globe

“[Percy] does an amazing job revealing interior landscapes, making us look at what we don’t want to know about ourselves.” —Alice Evans, The Oregonian

“His writing is both generous and hard-edged, so stark at times to feel nearly carved.” —Weston Cutter, Bookslut


"[Refresh, Refresh’s] impact is consistently devastating … Intense and angry, vivid and creepy, these are stories that shock, awe and stay with you." —The L Magazine

“Undeniably, Percy takes on bleak subjects, but his honesty and verve give his stories a refreshing voice.” —Vikas Turakhia, The Plain Dealer