Welfare is a coming-of-age novel about one high school boy against the world, the system, and adulthood. Leaving the comfort of his unloving father's home, squatting on couches of friends, the anti-hero of Welfare smokes and drinks and avoids all responsibility until freedom appears. Steve Anwyll is a young writer from Canada who is part of the indie lit scene of Tyrant, Hobart and CCM. Beautiful plainsong prose. Anwyll writes in these short paragraphs, all the same length, that create a rhythm that is very hard to put down. He has nailed something with this structure.
“Steve Anwyll's entrancing novel about a 16-year-old on welfare surprised and moved me, made me smile and laugh a lot, and increased my appreciation for life. I recommend it and look forward to reading it again.” –Tao Lin
"In wakeful, rhythmic prose, Anwyll writes a mirror for our double vision and the selves we don't want ourselves to see. There's no getting out of Welfare. The voice stays in your blood." Mila Jaroniec
