Hi. How is your week? Lately we’ve had many clear days with windy conditions. It was so windy a few days ago it sheared off some large branches from our poplar trees. We spent some of the weekend picking up the debris. We live near the prairies and the foothills here and it’s definitely the windiest place I’ve ever lived. In the summer there’s always a steady wind blowing.
You might have caught the news that author Sarah Bernstein won Canada’s Giller Prize last night for her novel Study for Obedience. Wow! This surprised me since I sort of thought Eleanor Catton would win for her novel Birnam Wood, but No! Perhaps it’s a bit of an upset. Bernstein, who grew up in Montreal and now lives and teaches in the Scottish highlands, takes home $100K for the win. Congrats to her. The timing couldn’t have been better since I just finished reading Study for Obedience over the weekend (see review below). How apropos. The author’s novel is also on the shortlist for the Booker Prize. Will she win again? That would be quite a coup, but some are guessing Paul Murray’s novel The Bee Sting will win. Though we will have to wait and see on Nov. 26 when the prize will be announced.
In other news, we’ve been watching and liking the TV series All the Light We Cannot See on Netflix and should finish it in a couple days. The two leads who play the blind French girl Marie-Laure and the German soldier boy Werner seem to be new actors and are pretty refreshing in their roles. With only four episodes in the series, the script seems to move at a brisk pace, faster than the novel it’s based on. Someone said the ending differs from the book, so I will prepare for that.
Also on Netflix we liked the movie Nyad based on the true story of Diana Nyad’s long-distance attempts with her team to swim from Cuba to Florida in her 60s. It’s quite an interesting and unreal story … and I think Annette Bening spent a couple years training for the role. She’s a dedicated swimmer now. Jodie Foster is also good as her coach and long-time friend Bonnie Stoll, and the shots from the ocean are pretty compelling and put the miraculous feat into perspective.
Earlier we finished the final season (Season 3) of the British crime drama Happy Valley with Sarah Lancashire as Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood and Siobhan Finneran as her once-addicted sister. They’re both excellent in their roles, dealing with a demented bad guy who years ago hurt Catherine’s daughter. But man that small town in Yorkshire is riddled with dark crimes. It’s not exactly a ‘happy’ place. We followed that with Season 3 of the news drama The Morning Show, which was a pretty crazy season and sort of soap opera-esque. I’m not sure I’d recommend it, but at least the large cast was entertaining enough. During the season, Jon Hamm plays an Elon Musk kind of character who tries to take over the network and much shenanigans ensues. I still think Season 1 was the best of that series.
And now I’ll leave you with a couple reviews of books I finished lately.
Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein / Knopf Canada / 208 pages / 2023
(3.5 to 4 stars) I think Shirley Jackson (and Lydia Millet) might have liked this strange little novel … which includes an off-kilter narrator who goes to her brother’s rural estate in a northern country to help him with things after his wife leaves with their children. The narrator is a solitary “inept” person who took care of her siblings growing up, left journalism and is a typist for a firm, and tries to maintain control over herself and adhere to obedience at all times.
When her brother suddenly leaves for a trip, she is left at the place alone with his small old dog and begins to take long walks into the woods and mountains, eventually having to go into town in the valley for supplies, which is a bit hard since she doesn’t know the country’s language. Then weird things begin to happen (on properties in town) and she feels the animosity and suspicion from the townspeople, which she tries to make right by volunteering at the farm co-op and leaving some woven stick dolls, but things don’t exactly go as planned and you wonder how it will end.
The plot seems simple enough to understand, but the off-kilter solitary narrator goes off on tangents that may or may not be too understandable. She’s mentally out there … and reflects a bit about how the townspeople might belong there but not her. Some stuff she talks about flew over my head. Still the writing is pretty smart and with its long, long sentences is quite lyrical and alluring. It’s a nice wonder that this little unsettling novel won the Giller Prize and made the Booker Prize shortlist. Whoa. Though I was hoping the ending would have had something a bit more happen. The townsfolk seem to hold her to account for several bad things that happen, but the ending perhaps wasn’t as big as I was looking for, though plenty of murky oddness abounds.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Canada for allowing me an advance copy to read and review.
Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim / 207 pages / 1898
(3 stars) I’m learning about this author and her books a bit late in life. I listened to the audio read by British actress Lucy Scott of this semi-autobiographical 1898 classic tale, which reads like a memoir. In fact some people call it a memoir, others say it’s a novel, but I guess the publisher calls it a novel.
I liked hearing about how a garden in the Prussian countryside made this woman — the protagonist Elizabeth — feel very happy and free from things that constrained her in her life. Her husband was an aristocrat, and life for women in her day was pretty confined, but it was made better when she moves to an old house in the countryside with a large garden. There she takes pleasure and refuge in outdoor life, planting, and nature, and with her writing and three babies — the oldest being 5 and the youngest 3, whom she refers to as “the April baby” and “the June baby.” Of course she has a governess for them and neither cooks nor sews but spends her time with books in the garden, and many see her as eccentric.
Her husband — who thinks very little of women’s capabilities — she refers to as “The Man of Wrath.” And on Elizabeth describes in a diary-like style the seasons and the flowers in the yard, the servants, gardeners, and visitors who come by. It’s a pleasant enough tale as Elizabeth is in good spirits and making light fun of society and things of the day. Her memoir-like tale seems quite modern — as if she were talking about the refuge of gardening during the recent pandemic instead of what it offered her back in 1898. I’m not sure I knew women were talking about all she describes in the book — their rights, roles, and happiness — back then, so it has relevancy.
I will have to read Von Armin’s most popular novel The Enchanted April sometime. Judging from her bio, she lived quite a well-traveled life, living in England, Switzerland, Prussia, France, and the U.S. and being born in Australia. So she was out and about and knew various languages and writers of her day, including EM Forster and HG Wells … and she fled WWI and WWII lands, spinning 21 tales and dying in South Carolina in 1941. Whoa I didn’t know much about her before I came upon this book, which was her debut and apparently a hit back in her day.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read these books, or seen these shows, and if so, what did you think?
Nice picture; it does look like a prairie so I can understand the wind situation. I started All the Light We Cannot See last weekend but quickly decided to complete Game of Thrones before tackling anything else. Sarah Bernstein win was a surprise to me, not because I didn’t expect it but because of how divided the world is right now on what’s going on in the Middle East so I thought they’d ignored this book for a “safer” alternative. Goes to prove that one never knows for sure how those awards will turn out. I liked Study for Obedience a bit less than you did, but none of the material went over my head. The story (and the protagonist) are certainly out there. I hope The Bee Sting wins the Booker, but it has graphic content that may not be suitable for a general audience. I think I gave up completely on This Other Eden, though I may still change my mind. I took me a week to reach 46%, so I don’t know if can go back without sacrificing my end-of-the-year reading bottom line.
It’s hard to fathom that in other eras women had the same concerns we have in modern times regarding our roles at home and in society, but constraints always make people think ahead of their times. If we still don’t have it all figured out I guess it’s not a stretch to think those women from yesteryear felt the same way as we do. Still, it’s nice to feel the validation on the page.
Hi Carmen: Good points about all these. Yeah I often erroneously think generations of women from yesteryear weren’t talking about such things and that people were different back then but then find out they weren’t so much. So it’s an incorrect bias I have reading old books. But it is cool to find otherwise from the page. And I didn’t realize The Bee Sting has graphic content. I guess I don’t know too much about it other than it’s a family story. I’m still a bit wowed by the Bernstein win. Now I’m wondering about the Booker. Hmm.
I hope you find some really good reads to fit before the end of year. I don’t think I’ll get to my 8 or 9 on my list. Cheers.
What you said about Study for Obedience makes me realize how little I know about the Giller Prize and its history. Something else for me to investigate…just what I needed. 🙂
I planned to read it already because of the Booker Prize list, but I won’t make it by the 26th, so it will be a while.
We spent the weekend with family in a B&B up in Dallas, and when I noticed that they were connected to Netflix, I squeezed in the first episode of All the Light early on Sunday morning before anyone else was up and about. I’ve read the book, so knew what to expect, but was most struck by the quality of the production. It’s very visual and really well done, easy to tell that this is a high value production from Netflix. We don’t subscribe to Netflix at home, but now I’m tempted to do so for a month just to finish the series at some point.
Hi Sam, we just picked up Netflix — maybe just for two months so we see a few things on it including the final season of The Crown. Otherwise we dont normally get it. But are liking All the Light We Cannot See … the book of course is more in depth about the two characters, but the series as you say is quite good visually.
You made me laugh about the Giller Prize comment. All I know is that it’s the biggest literary prize for Canadian writers. Not sure if you have to be a citizen or what but I think that’s the qualification. I will be surprised if Study for Obedience wins the Booker in addition to the Giller. That would shock me — but who knows.
Good book list. I’m not following any of those prizes, in fact never heard of the Giller prize. I have read The Enchanted April. Not the others.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Hi Mae, likely most people not in Canada haven’t heard of the Giller, which is a literary prize here. I hadn’t before I moved here in 2010. I’d like to get to The Enchanted April sometime. I didn’t know about this author before. Cheers.
Hi Susan, All The Light We Cannot See is a book I have been curious about, an acclaimed bestseller. I’ve stayed away though because my TBR list is long but I should give it a chance. I’m sensing though that it’s a sad book and that’s what is making me hesitant. I have to be in the mood.
Diana Nyad so remarkable and what a great cast. How she was able to complete her swim from Cuba to Florida and to do it at 60! is amazing and inspirational.
Hi Kathy, I agree. Nyad’s swim was crazy and a feat hard to imagine. I’m so glad she fulfilled her goal – it was inspirational watching her story.
The Doerr novel is a WWII story that sweeps one up pretty early with two characters from different sides. I think the chapters alternate between them. You’d manage the story ok I think — but see what you think. Have a great week.
I liked All the Light We Cannot See but still thought it was a bit overrated. My favorite WWII book is While Still We Live by Helen MacInnes or some of Elswyth Thane’s Williamsburg novels set during that time frame. However, I still want to see the Netflix series and am hoping I can get my sister to watch with me over Thanksgiving (she has an account). Several people have told me I would like Happy Valley but I kept forgetting its name, so appreciate the reminder. I really liked Line of Duty and The Unforgotten; have not watched many crime shows although I certainly read a lot of crime fiction!
I have certainly heard of the Giller prize – and it has been in the news the last few days – but I have to admit I have read very few of the nominated or winning books. When I was in Toronto in June, I was surprised that the large Indigo store did not have a dedicated Canadian author section. Probably other stores did. I did manage to find a historical novel by a Canadian author to bring home.
I think Annette Bening is very talented, although I wouldn’t have guessed a movie on that topic would be riveting, so good to know it was worth the time. I keep meaning to get my own Netflix account but during the winter when I’m not reading I tend to be at basketball or hockey games.
I remember the movie of Enchanted April and reading the book about the same time – long ago! I have always meant to read more of her books.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m glad to have found yours!
Hi Constance, thanks for your thoughts. Where are you located? It was cool to find your blog; I will keep visiting. I thought the first two episodes of All the Light We Cannot See were good but then episode 3 started coming unglued a bit and so we’ll see about episode 4. It might get crazy. I’m glad to know about these other WWII novels you mention and will check them out. The MacInnes book looks authentic & good from 1944, wow. I will check the library for it. Many piles to read right now. Happy fall to you.
I watched both Nyad and All the Light We Cannot See this week, too!
Study for Obedience sounds interesting. Cool that you read it just before the prize was announced!
Hi Joy, we’re watching the same things! We just got Netflix for a couple months. We’re ready to watch the Crown next, final season! If Study for Obedience wins the Booker, then things will get very crazy for her. We’ll see. Enjoy your week.
Al the Light We Cannot See is a book I have started 3 times and never gotten past about page 20. I am embarrassed by this. I may watch the series to get the story out of my system once and for all.
I also want to watch Nyad. Have you read Swimming to Antartica by Linda Cox? Super good about a woman who does lots of long ocean swims, the politics behind setting up each one (think swimming the Bering Sea and getting Russian permission).
Have a great week!
Hi Helen, you’ll like the Nyad movie. And I remember Cox and her swimming book but then didn’t get to it. I will add to the list & get it from the library. Gosh I can’t believe the cold she must have endured. Ouch. brutal.
Also I don’t think the Doerr WWII novel is for everyone, so don’t worry about it. I recall it takes a while to get going too. Cheers.
I had a lot of wind at time in Southern California, where we used to lived. Here in Northern California we don’t get much. Sorry to hear you had some damage to your trees from it! It is disheartening to lose trees. We lost a huge sugar pine from bark beetle before we knew it was infested. We’ve lost big branches from all the snow we had last winter. Hopefully we won’t have as much snow this year.
All The Light We Cannot See sounds like a moving story. My grandmother lived through both WWI and WWII in Belgium and then London and her stories were something. I think the US had a far different experience with the battle not fought here.
Study for Obedience doesn’t sound like something I’d enjoy, but who knows. I doubt I’d pick it up even with the author winning a prestigious prize.
Hi Rachel, yeah I don’t think Study for Obedience is for everyone — and probably not even for me. I think I gave it 3.5 stars on Goodreads. But it’s a bit different.
Have you lived in Northern Cal long? I like all the trees you’re planting. Do you a lot of bark beetles where you are? They’re brutal. Near here, they have the mountain pine beetle in Banff and Jasper parks – awful things killing the trees. I hope they can stop them.
Interesting to hear that your grandmother lived thru the wars in Europe. She must have had many stories. Thx for stopping by. Have a great week.
I read and enjoyed “All the Light We Cannot See.” I’ll have to look for that series. Hopefully, the adaptation will do it justice.
Hi Dorothy, yeah the first two episodes of it were pretty good … but i think episode 3 got a bit wobbly. We’ll see about the 4th & final episode. The book of course is better … and I think Mark Ruffalo seems a bit miscast as the blind girl’s father. His wannabe accent is pretty bad. See what you think. Cheers!
The Enchanted April is a wonderful book! I’ve read it at least twice and every year, in April of course, I consider a reread. Maybe it will happen in 2024. I’ve tried Elizabeth and Her German Garden but didn’t make it very far. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve not read All the Light We Cannot See… surely everyone else has by this point. Study for Obedience sounds interesting, especially since I’ve enjoyed books by both Shirley Jackson and Lydia Millet. We haven’t watched any movies of television shows lately! With football and now college basketball beginning, and plenty of sports-oriented visitors… sigh. Beautiful photo!
Thanks JoAnn, I stopped at the top of the hill to take the photo. And yeah I was thinking you had read The Enchanted April … and that’s where I remember hearing of the author. I’m sure it’s better than the Garden story, which seems a bit scattered. Still I liked hearing some of its commentary. I will look to read or listen to The Enchanted April in 2024.
Study for Obedience is pretty short and a bit dark and odd. If it wins the Booker, I will be shocked. All the Light is better in book form than the series. It’s all right but I’m sure it’s a bit overhyped … so not to worry on missing it. Enjoy your weekend.
I’ve heard others say that they were surprised by the choice of this book as well. I don’t enjoy this type of literature so I can’t say too much about it. I am enjoying The Morning Show season 3 and have read All The Light We Cannot See. I’m not sure about watching the series though.
Hi Jodie, glad you are liking the Morning Show. I think it’s okay to skip the series on All the Light … the book was better. I’ll be really surprised if the Bernstein novel wins the Booker. Enjoy your weekend.
I think the windiest place I’ve lived was in Nebraska, but we do get some strong gusts here along the coast. I think the biggest gusts have been around 60-70 mphs, which is a little unnerving with all of the huge trees surrounding our house!
I plan to watch All the Light We Cannot See, and will probably read the book (a second reading) sometime next year. It’s such a good story and I hope Netflix didn’t ruin it with a different ending.
Glad to hear that you enjoyed Nyad. That’s another one on my list. Great cast!
Not sure if you sold me on Study for Obedience. Sounds a bit strange.
Hi Lesley, I’m not sure you’d like Study for Obedience so it’s okay to steer clear. The Nyad movie was good. But All the Light We Cannot See by the 3rd & 4th episode didn’t seem as good – than what I remember being the book. Though I think the ending pretty much seemed the same. I’d stick with a reread. Ha.
Nebraska seems like a windy place. It would be scary to get high winds where you live now with the trees. Gosh I wouldn’t sleep. Have you had much rain lately? Our temps continue to be much warmer than usual here. Hope all is well. Cheers.
Oddly I had requested Study for Obedience at my library, but then I couldn’t remember why I’d wanted to read a book with a dead bird on the cover and cancelled the request. Okay, now I have just re-requested it. Thanks for your review. I like quirky.
I’m glad you are enjoying All the Light. I worried about this one; I don’t always like movie renditions of books.
If you haven’t seen it, I urge you to seek out the little movie, Enchanted April. It’s a personal favorite. The book is lovely, too.
Thanks Deb, for letting me know there’s a movie to Enchanted April. I plan to read it in 2024 and will look for the movie too!
The last two episodes of All the Light became pretty wobbly so sticking with the book is all right and maybe best. hmm.
Study for Obedience is up for the Booker. It’s definitely quirky and a bit dark or ominous. Not exactly happy. The character is quite insular. But the book is short. Have a great weekend.
So I have to ask, does the small dog die in the Study for Obedience? I am such a softie for dogs. I can read scenes of murders or those involving autopsy but dogs dying or animals hurt bother me immensely.
Hi Tina, I can relate to your concerns. I have those same issues in books with animals. The dog does not die (but a lady claims he impregnated her dog and takes it up with the owner). There are some animals, cows I think, who are put down because they get mad-cow disease. It is mentioned but not gone into.
I got thru the animal parts – but the story or character is quite odd — so not sure it’s for everyone. Cheers. Hope you are well.
The wind has picked up in my part of the world quite a bit. My neighbor’s patio curtains blew over the fence and into our yard earlier today. They must have come loose from their hooks. I have been trying to catch up on some of the books I have been reading for awhile now, hoping to finish them before the end of the year. I need to start Station Eleven soon if I want to get it in before the end of the month. I hope you have a great November.
Hi LF, the Santa Ana winds of Southern Cal always sort of scare me … with the threat of fire. Hopefully they won’t too out of hand. Wishing you a peaceful & nice Thanksgiving time. Station Eleven is a good read … much creativity in that story I think. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers.
Study for Obedience seems to divide the waters, with readers either hating or loving it. I haven’t seen many reviews in the middle, like yours. Based on what I’ve heard (including your review), I’m not overly tempted to pick it up.
The Enchanted April is wonderful! You need to read it in the spring, though.
Thanks Stargazer. I will hold off on The Enchanted April and read or listen to it in spring. Great idea.
In the end, I’m a bit surprised how many waves Study for Obedience made. Gosh if it had won the Booker I would have thrown it against the wall. No way! But I think it was worth at least the longlist and I’m glad I checked it out … with all its weirdness. I was a bit amazed it won Canada’s Giller prize!
Enjoy your week.