splitdice 's review for:

Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein

4.5

mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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i think this book is a metaphor for multiple things. on one hand, its  a metaphor for the antisemetism that sarah has faced, that her ancestors have faced. but at the same time, its a metaphor for misogyny that she faces both internally and externally, with sentiments about abuse, about survivors guilt, about victim blaming. i think it could also be a metaphor for how isolated one feels when one faces mental illness like depression or OCD, and how your apparent misery turns you into an outcast, furthering a downward spiral. this is a book for eldest daughters, for minorities who have ever felt other-ed, for those who have felt isolated because of their mental illnesses, and for abuse survivors.