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ogik's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, and Antisemitism
deedireads's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Study for Obedience was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize and winner of the 2023 Giller Prize, and while it’s definitely not going to be for everyone, it was very much for me. I actually enjoyed it even more than I expected to.
This is one of those (fortunately short) books that begs to be read at least twice. The prose is atypical and more akin to a stream of consciousness (although not quite) than traditional storytelling. There’s also no dialogue. But trust Sarah Bernstein, because she’s going to spin you up into a state where suddenly you’re exploring power dynamics and how someone subjected to abuse can twist it into its own form of controlling power.
Honestly, reading this book was unsettling, and I never quite felt like I fully understood it at any given moment, but also felt like witnessing literary witchcraft. If you’re comfortable being uncomfortable, I recommend it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Animal death, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse
nanc_282's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Glacially paced, felt like reading a creative writing dissertation. Moments of interest exploring the legacy of discrimination.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Moderate: Antisemitism and Toxic relationship
rebeccafarren's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Hate crime, Bullying, Animal death, and Abandonment
mmccombs's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
2.5
Reading this felt tedious and often impenetrable. While there were some very brilliant lines and compelling ideas, I often felt like I was drowning in repetitive, long sentences. For a text so concerned with history, I felt it lacked adequate historical context to understand it properly. After finishing the book and reading reviews, I learned that maybe the narrator was Jewish. I must have missed like a single line, and in doing so missed a whole layer to the ostracism and “otherness” explored in the novel. This is definitely a book that would reveal itself in a reread, but it was kind of a slog to get through despite its length, so I doubt I’ll be motivated to try again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
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