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Study for Obedience
Study for Obedience: A novel | Sarah Bernstein
24 posts | 20 read | 8 to read
Included in Granta's Best of Young British Novelists 2023 For readers of Shirley Jackson, Iain Reid, and Claire-Louise Bennett, a haunting, compressed masterwork from an extraordinary new voice in Canadian fiction. A young woman moves from the place of her birth to the remote northern country of her forebears to be housekeeper to her brother, whose wife has recently left him. Soon after her arrival, a series of inexplicable events occurs - collective bovine hysteria; the demise of a ewe and her nearly born lamb; a local dog's phantom pregnancy; a potato blight. She notices that the local suspicion about incomers in general seems to be directed with some intensity at her and she senses a mounting threat that lies 'just beyond the garden gate.' And as she feels the hostility growing, pressing at the edges of her brother's property, she fears that, should the rumblings in the town gather themselves into a more defined shape, who knows what might happen, what one might be capable of doing. With a sharp, lyrical voice, Sarah Bernstein powerfully explores questions of complicity and power, displacement and inheritance. Study for Obedience is a finely tuned, unsettling novel that confirms Bernstein as one of the most exciting voices of her generation.
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review
Gleefulreader
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Mehso-so

Another recently finished book. This one sits between a so-so and a pick for me. A difficult and challenging read, I suspect that I would glean more from it on a second read. Set in the present in a norther country, it is a story of historical injustices and the ways that communities avoid facing their past, and personal complicity in those injustices. Not a fun read, but I think there is something worth the difficulty here.

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Tamra
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😳 I‘ve been bailing left & right on audiobooks, including the tagged novel, The Wren the Wren, two Toibin novels, among others.

I‘m in an audio drought. 🏜️🌵

Leftcoastzen It could be just me but honestly, I find it hard to listen to literary fiction in audio format. A good mystery, thriller, or compelling non fiction works for me. 5mo
TheBookHippie I cannot do audio at all so … 🤣😵‍💫😅 5mo
Tamra @Leftcoastzen I think that is true - I‘ve noticed the same. Requires more concentration. 5mo
See All 15 Comments
Tamra @TheBookHippie gotta be the right book! 😉 5mo
BarbaraBB I bailed on The Wren in print too and I didn‘t like your tagged book either. So maybe it‘s not you but the books 😀 5mo
Cuilin I also bailed on the Wren, and I usually love her writing. 5mo
squirrelbrain I really disliked the tagged, and can‘t imagine listening to it, so I don‘t think it‘s you. 5mo
Tamra @BarbaraBB @Cuilin @squirrelbrain glad I‘m not alone! 😅 5mo
Tamra @Cuilin I think I need to try another. 5mo
Cuilin @Tamra wonderful but incredibly sad story of hers that I recommend is 5mo
Tamra @Cuilin thank you for the recommendation! Stacking 5mo
Ruthiella I‘m with @Leftcoastzen . I prefer audio books with a strong plot. I also prefer series via audio because you have a built in familiarity with it. 5mo
jlhammar I hate when that happens! I also bailed on The Wren, The Wren audiobook. Hope you land on a good one soon 🎧 5mo
Tamra @Ruthiella strong plot definitely makes an audio easier to follow. 👍🏾 (edited) 5mo
Tamra @jlhammar 🤞🏾 Just a matter of time. But it‘s funny how dry spells run in streaks. 5mo
44 likes15 comments
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Graywacke
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On the #Booker2023 longlist

I've been reading the longlists since 2019 and this was a really good year in that small window. I gave five stars to four different books. I really liked that there was a lot of value given to poetic prose, not purple, but poetic and rhythmic, often personal and always generating reflection. Many of the authors are also published poets, and it shows.

I finished last week. My personal rankings are in the comments

Graywacke My five-star reads
1. Study for Obedience** by Sarah Bernstein (Canada)
2. Prophet Song** by Paul Lynch (Ireland)
3. In Ascension* by Martin Macinness (Scotland)
4. Western Lane** by Chetna Maroo (England - Kenya-born British Indian)
6mo
Graywacke Other fantastic reads - still highly recommended
5. The House of Doors* by Tan Twan Eng (Malaysia)
6. All the Little Bird-Hearts* by Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow (England)
7. How to Build a Boat** by Elaine Feeney (Ireland)
8. Pearl** by Siân Hughes (Wales)
6mo
Graywacke Great reads - still recommended
9. This Other Eden** by Paul Harding (USA)
10. A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (Nigeria)
11. Old God's Time* by Sebastian Barry (Ireland)

Good, but mixed - YMMV
12. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray (Ireland)
13. If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery (USA - Jamaican descent)
(edited) 6mo
See All 12 Comments
Graywacke * means I really liked the prose style and it has a really nice rhythm to it
** means I thought the prose was poetic in spirit
6mo
BarbaraBB Wow thank you for sharing this. You had a great reading experience, so many you thought fantastic! 6mo
TrishB Thanks 👍🏻 I still have a few of these on the pile to get to. 6mo
Graywacke @BarbaraBB 11 of 13 is pretty good. And the other two made the short list and have plenty of fans. Yeah, it was a fun year. 🙂 6mo
Graywacke @TrishB thank you. Do you have any favorites? 6mo
TrishB I‘ve read 2, 5, 6, 11 & 12 so far. I enjoyed them all except Bee Sting which I found numbingly boring! I have 3, 4 & 7 still on the pile to get to. 6mo
Graywacke @TrishB well, i loved those three you have waiting. How to Build a Boat is actually uplifting. 🙂 The other two, Western Lane and In Ascension, give them time for narrative flow to kick in. 6mo
rockpools I really like your approach to this. It‘s ridiculous, but I tend to think I‘ve missed the chance, if I haven‘t read the bulk of a list before the winner is announced. Will stop being daft and actually tackle this year‘s International Booker - thank you! (edited) 6mo
Graywacke @rockpools Awesome! I‘m working on the international booker. Less enamored, unfortunately. But it calls. And nothing had been bad so far. 6mo
55 likes12 comments
review
Graywacke
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this curiosity, found it wonderfully done, found the writing, which focuses so much on the sound, always interesting and terrific, with its own rhythm and life. And I say this even I didn't really get it. (I missed a lot, as I discovered afterwards reading online reviews) This maybe should have won the Booker (and I loved the winner, Prophet Song)

50 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LiteraryHoarderPenny
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Lindy On September 4 I‘m going to be at a week-long fibre arts retreat without power or internet. So I will see it the next week. 7mo
LiteraryHoarderPenny @Lindy oh wow okay! Have a great time!! 6mo
12 likes2 comments
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Graywacke
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She‘s like, “yeah, right” 🙄 But it‘s my next read and I‘m looking forward to it. #booker2023

RaeLovesToRead Kitty 🥰🥰🥰 7mo
Jari-chan 😻😻😻 7mo
Aimeesue What a pretty cat! 7mo
See All 7 Comments
Cathythoughts Great picture 👌🏻 7mo
dabbe 🖤🐾🖤 7mo
Graywacke @RaeLovesToRead @Jari-chan @Aimeesue @Cathythoughts @dabbe I appreciate your comments. Nikki, well please forgive her neglect, she‘s a cat after all. 7mo
dabbe @Graywacke And a gorgeous one, too! 🤩🐾🤩 7mo
47 likes7 comments
review
Hooked_on_books
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Panpan

I feel like there‘s a really excellent, moody, disturbing short story buried in this book. But as a novel, even a short one, it‘s a meandering mess. And yet it‘s a prize winner! Baffling. #tob24 longlist

BarbaraBB Agree!! 9mo
squirrelbrain Completely agree! 😬 9mo
dabbe #hailthebail! 🖤🩶🖤 9mo
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review
andrew61
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Pickpick

The reminded me of 'Discomfort of evening' in its depiction of an unsettling narrator within an uncomfortable environment. It is a disconcerting read as we find ourselves possibly considering uncertain sibling abuse as well local folkloric belief in witchraft. The theme of the living with the sins of the holocaust also is implicit. A challenging read + I put it down, scratching my head but wanting to pick up again.

Tamra I‘m curious about this one. 11mo
BarbaraBB Great review. I am glad you got from it what I didn‘t. I like the comparison to Discomfort! 11mo
Anna40 Great review 11mo
44 likes3 comments
review
Chelsea.Poole
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Mehso-so

I‘m so torn on this one! I listened to the audiobook quickly; it was over before I could get my bearings. I kept thinking the setting was northern UK in 1666 (where my previous read took place!) but then the narrator would speak about Microsoft Teams! This is somewhat brilliant on the author‘s part: a timeless story, layering experiences of women over millennia of abuse and forced obedience. However, it was a confusing reading experience.

Chelsea.Poole There were definitely some things I missed here…but it felt like a grown up fairytale. Also, spoiler, was she poisoning/killing/hurting her brother? Hardcore unreliable narrator territory! 11mo
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AmyG Let me just say….this is my Aunt‘s name. Made me chuckle. 11mo
Chelsea.Poole @AmyG lol! (edited) 11mo
Hooked_on_books Curious! The hold for this one at my library is super long, but I‘m on it regardless. Not sure I want to see this make the short list, as if it doesn‘t I may skip it. But you have me intrigued. 11mo
TheKidUpstairs My least favourite of the year. I was left with an overwhelming feeling of “Why?!“ Why tell this story, in this way? Why these characters? Nothing felt in any way justified or necessary to be told. And every article or interview I read where she talks about the book, I feel totally disconnected, like I read a completely different book than the one she wrote! 11mo
BarbaraBB I can‘t remember much beyond not liking it 🤦🏻‍♀️ 11mo
Chelsea.Poole @TheKidUpstairs yes, solid point. There are many titles that are celebrated by prizes/lists that baffle me. If you want to make a point to your readers, do so, and don‘t be so obscure with the meaning. By no means a favorite of mine either, but I did appreciate the feeling of timelessness the author created. Also, at least it‘s short, lol! 11mo
Chelsea.Poole @BarbaraBB probably because everything is so vague to begin with…nothing to really hang on to with this. Except for me it‘ll be the book “where the adult sister dresses her adult brother” 😬 11mo
67 likes10 comments
review
MysticFaerie
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Pickpick

3⭐️/5⭐️

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TheKidUpstairs
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This year's #GillerPrize Longlist was incredibly strong, diverse, intriguing, thought-provoking, and challenging, with many beautiful, engaging stories that played with style while delivering on substance and story. I'm glad other readers are finding more in Obedience than I did.

I highly recommend checking out some of the other titles from the list, especially The Double Life of Benson Yu, All the Colour in the World, and We Meant Well.

BookNAround I haven‘t read this one but did really like We Meant Well. 12mo
TheKidUpstairs @BookNAround this was, by far, my least favourite on the list. I guess I'm missing something! 12mo
Lindy This was my favourite on the shortlist, so I‘m delighted to see Bernstein win. 12mo
See All 8 Comments
BarbaraBB So surprised by this… there were so many books on that list I‘d preferred to win 🤷🏻‍♀️ 12mo
TheKidUpstairs @Lindy I'm glad to hear it worked for you! It seems to be one of those books you either love or hate, very little middle ground. 12mo
TheKidUpstairs @BarbaraBB me too. Some of my favourite reads of the year came from the Giller list, so I was disappointed that my least favourite won. @squirrelbrain did you see this? What do you guys think, will she go 2 for 2 and take the Booker as well? 12mo
squirrelbrain It would be unusual for one author to win 2 prizes in a year, I think but, clearly, what do I know about book prizes?! 🤣 12mo
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain I agree it would be weird, but I was so surprised it won last night it just feels like anything could happen! 12mo
62 likes8 comments
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Jas16
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Bailedbailed

After a long week I just couldn‘t do it and I honestly didn‘t even try very hard. Two more books to go on the Booker short list but I won‘t read them in time and I am ok with that since I reading the list was a total impulse.

dabbe #hailthebail! 🤩 12mo
squirrelbrain This was my least favourite on the whole longlist. In fact I shouldn‘t even use the word favourite…it was the worst book on the longlist. 12mo
AmyG Ha! That was my aunt‘s name! 12mo
See All 6 Comments
TheKidUpstairs I'm with @squirrelbrain - this book is on both the Booker and Giller shortlists, and I just don't get it. I actively disliked it. I know it worked for some people, but if it wasn't working for you, bailing was the right call! 12mo
Jas16 @dabbe @squirrelbrain @TheKidUpstairs Thank you all for making me feel better about my decision. I am always to reluctant to give up even when I am at the point where I am essentially skimming. 12mo
dabbe @Jas16 Life's too short, and there are too many other fantastic books out there for you! 💜🖤🧡 12mo
54 likes6 comments
review
BookishTrish
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Mehso-so

This one definitely got me out #audiowalking but I‘m not sure what to make of it. Yes, the writing was skilful but things were so freaking vague that it‘s hard for me to get excited about the book.

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Kazzie
Pickpick

This was very strange. I went through a wide range of emotions towards the protagonist - very unreliable. Sympathy, incredulity, dismay and disgust. Fascinating.

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SaraBeagle
This post contains spoilers
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What to make of this narrator? She seems to be the victim of abuse, definitely by her brother. She talks about being smart, knowing the answers in school, but being knocked down and silenced. And later she says she knows nothing, knows little. Is that sarcasm, or has she internalized the abuse? All this, plus her speech at the end make me wonder if she really is a witch? Is this all revenge for her ancestors?

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sisilia
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Nice cover but I‘m skeptical…

BarbaraBB You better 😉 13mo
sisilia @BarbaraBB I saw your review and others, and it was an easy decision 🤪 Saving my money for another 19th century novel 😆 13mo
BarbaraBB You‘re so right! 13mo
See All 9 Comments
Gissy I‘ll wait for your review. It has no good reviews but you never know until you read it. 13mo
squirrelbrain Good decision! 13mo
sisilia @Gissy I decided not to buy 😬 13mo
Tamra I‘ve definitely seen mixed reviews! 13mo
Gissy @sisilia Well I think is a good decision. Maybe later as a used book that it will be cheaper🤗 13mo
43 likes9 comments
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Lindy
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Friday Reads September 8: Trash & treasures; Booker & Giller prizes; kids‘ books; Read Across Canada
https://youtu.be/dWLliu8f7zk

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JenP
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Nope. This is the kind of writing style I don‘t care for. This will be a struggle for me. 😬

Bklover This reads like someone writing an essay and using all the big impressive words they could find. 1y
JenP @Bklover it feels pretentious and overwritten to me but the book gets a lot of acclaim. I‘m hating it lol 1y
Bklover You have my sympathy. I think I‘d hate it too. 1y
squirrelbrain I hate-read this right to the end, because I‘m a #listcompletist. It‘s definitely bottom of my Booker longlist at the moment, with only 2 to go. 1y
19 likes4 comments
review
BarbaraBB
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Mehso-so

I am not sure what I just read. A young woman moves in with her brother in the isolated house of her ancestors. She‘s been an outsider all her life and aware of it. The local community blames her for incidents happening to the local animals. The narrator seems to be surrounded by death and decay but why? And what‘s her role, her responsibility? I am not sure what to think. #booker23 7/13

(Photo: Kioni, Ithaca, Greece)

squirrelbrain Great review - rather an odd little book! 1y
charl08 Not read this one yet. Love the picture: such blue sea! 1y
sarahbarnes Hmmm…continue to be unsure about this one. Great photo! 1y
Suet624 Love your photos of your adventures 1y
72 likes4 comments
review
TheKidUpstairs
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Panpan

I'm glad other readers have found success with this one, but it did not work for me. I'm glad i read @squirrelbrain 's review before buying it, and decided to borrow instead. This lacked atmosphere, plot, character development, anything. Moments have an almost tragicomic feel that could have worked if pushed into satiric territory. And I think at one point there was some thought given to ideas of accountability vs oppression? (Cont'd)

TheKidUpstairs It all just felt too vague and obscure to work for me. I think if it was tightened up a lot, it could have worked as a short story. But as is, the lack of clarity didn't work for me. Why this story? Why this character? Why any of it? 1y
Laughterhp I don‘t like that the cover has a dead bird on it... (I know nothing about this book at all). 1y
squirrelbrain Phew, I‘m glad you agreed with me! 😮‍💨 I feel like it could have been so much more, if it had just been strengthened a little bit. 1y
BarbaraBB I am not looking forward at all now to this one. It‘s on my #WeeklyForecast though 🤷🏻‍♀️ 1y
58 likes5 comments
review
ClairesReads
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Pickpick

This is unconventional and unsettling storytelling. Where for some readers, the obscurity of the plot will be alienating, I found this helps Bernstein to build the ‘vibes‘. In a story about an outsider in an isolated community, strong overtones of religious persecution, and unconventional relationships between family members, and with the outside world, this felt like an asset. By no means a perfect reading experience, but thought provoking.

BarbaraBB Great review. I was a bit scared off by @squirrelbrain ‘s review and am glad with a recommendation. Will get to it soon! 1y
squirrelbrain Glad you enjoyed it - I didn‘t! 😬 1y
BookwormM Great review I have the same feelings 1y
See All 6 Comments
ClairesReads @BookwormM thank you! 1y
ClairesReads @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain you definitely need to be okay with a very obscure plot for this to work for you- it won‘t be for everyone! 1y
TheKidUpstairs I'm almost done this one. Glad it worked for you, but it's not for me! I can totally get down with some obscurity, but this one was just too much for me. It failed to build the ominous atmosphere that obscurity can create. 1y
38 likes6 comments
review
squirrelbrain
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Panpan

#bookerlonglist #7

This one is definitely bottom of my list so far. An unnamed woman goes to an unnamed country, where she doesn‘t speak the language, to be a kind of housekeeper / carer for her older brother. (And that will give you the ick! 😬)

All of the locals seem to be afraid of her, even before terrible things start happening. There is definitely some kind of undercurrent of anti-semitism but, other than that, I couldn‘t fathom ⬇️

squirrelbrain ⬆️ any kind of allegorical meaning. It‘s the kind of book where it makes you feel stupid for not understanding what‘s going on (well, me anyway!) rather than intrigued and anxious to find out more. 1y
TheKidUpstairs Oh no! I was looking forward to this one. Sorry it didn't work for you. 1y
TrishB Thanks Helen 👍🏻 another one I feel no desire to read! 1y
See All 26 Comments
rockpools Gah. Thanks for reading it for us! I really don‘t like the ones that make you feel dim. I‘ll pass on this one too. 1y
BookwormM Oh joy another one I am now not looking forward to 1y
Megabooks Pass but fantastic review!! 👍🏻 1y
LiteraryinPA Yikes. Thanks for taking one for the team! 1y
Deblovestoread Had this one as a potential Audible purchase but think I‘ll give it a pass. 1y
JamieArc This was on the bottom of my Booker TBR to start with so I think it will stay there! 1y
LeeRHarry Great review - don‘t think I‘ve heard of anyone liking this one yet. 1y
BarbaraBB Great review nevertheless! I brought this one with me to Greece so will probably give it a try soon. Just to get it over with! 1y
Bklover Great review! Depressing book cover! 1y
squirrelbrain I hate being one of the first to review a book - now I‘m worried that it‘s not that bad and I‘ll be responsible for you all not reading it! @TheKidUpstairs @TrishB @rockpools @Megabooks @LiteraryinLawrence @Deblovestoread @LeeRHarry @Bklover 1y
squirrelbrain @BookwormM @JamieArc @BarbaraBB - one good thing, it‘s short so doesn‘t take long to read! I forgot to mention, though, that the author is a fan of very long sentences, with lots of sub-clauses - the sort you have to read two or three times to understand them. 🙄 1y
Bklover No worries on my account- I wasn‘t going to read it anyway!😘😉 1y
AnneCecilie I see a lot of negative reviews for this one, so I‘ll probably skip this one from the longlist 1y
batsy Nice review, but now I'm also intrigued 😆 1y
BarbaraBB I hate that 😂 1y
sarahbarnes I was actually looking forward to this one based on the summary, and I‘m with @batsy that even though you didn‘t like it your review sort of makes me still want to read it! 😂 1y
squirrelbrain @sarahbarnes @batsy - @ClairesReads has just read it and like it so maybe it‘s just me! 1y
Caroline2 Yep. I already had no interest in this one and your review has confirmed my suspicions. 😆 👍 1y
TheKidUpstairs Don't worry, you haven't stopped me reading it! But I was considering buying it, you just encouraged me to take a step back and borrow it from the library instead! 1y
ClairesReads @squirrelbrain I think you need a high tolerance for obscurity of plot- which I am blessed with. It definitely won‘t be for everyone! 1y
TheKidUpstairs I am almost done this one, and I'm kind of angry with it! There is so much potential there, but it is just a whole lot of nothing. I should be finished today, review forthcoming! 1y
squirrelbrain I‘m glad you agree with me @TheKidUpstairs as it was starting to feel like I was the only one here that didn‘t like it! 1y
TheKidUpstairs @squirrelbrain you are not alone! My kobo says I only have about 40 minutes of reading time left, and yet I still kind of want to bail 1y
71 likes2 stack adds26 comments
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ClairesReads
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Ominous opening