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vithelovers's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Misogyny, Domestic abuse, and Racism
textpublishing's review against another edition
5.0
‘So precise, so complete, with such insight into detail and such force of statement, it ranks with the masterpieces of realism in any language.’
Bulletin
Bulletin
exurbanis's review against another edition
5.0
First published in 1902, Bush Studies is a collection of short stories set in the Australian outback of her day. While the stories certainly convey the harsh conditions, I felt that Baynton made scathing commentary on the harsh, crude and vulgar behaviour particularly of the men, and particularly toward women.
I found Scrammy ‘And and The Chosen Vessel to be especially compelling, and if I taught high-school literature would want to include them in my curriculum, regardless of where I was teaching.
Having met only the “jolly swagman’ of Waltzing Matilda, I had my eyes opened wide.
Read this if: (obviously) you want to find out about life in the outback at the end of the 19th century; or you are interested in the history of women’s role in Australian or global society. 4½ stars
I found Scrammy ‘And and The Chosen Vessel to be especially compelling, and if I taught high-school literature would want to include them in my curriculum, regardless of where I was teaching.
Having met only the “jolly swagman’ of Waltzing Matilda, I had my eyes opened wide.
Read this if: (obviously) you want to find out about life in the outback at the end of the 19th century; or you are interested in the history of women’s role in Australian or global society. 4½ stars
mandi_m's review against another edition
The stories in this collection are quite uneven. All deal with the hardships of living in the Australian bush during the 1800's but some stories are wonderful and others difficult to read.
The collection is worth picking up just for the first and last stories. They are atmospheric, beautifully evoked stories that have you gripped from the very beginning.
Perhaps you should skip a few of the ones in the middle though - by trying to capture the dialogue and sound of the characters, much of the dialogue is lost - as it is so hard to work out what is being said. Stick to the stories that are told in narrative form instead!
The collection is worth picking up just for the first and last stories. They are atmospheric, beautifully evoked stories that have you gripped from the very beginning.
Perhaps you should skip a few of the ones in the middle though - by trying to capture the dialogue and sound of the characters, much of the dialogue is lost - as it is so hard to work out what is being said. Stick to the stories that are told in narrative form instead!
tricky's review against another edition
4.0
Baynton is an Australian author who wrote short stores, poems and articles and Bush Studies is a collection that was first released in 1902.
The stories are as the title denotes set in the Australian bush, whereas other early works would romanticise this environment, Baynton does not. For the women this is brutal, unforgiving environment and men who are primarily drunks and abusers.
As you read the sense of dread that you get is really gripping and you find yourself really invested in the fate of the character. From the woman who is severely injured and is left unattended by her partner. The woman with a baby, left alone on a farm who is menaced by a swag man. The Bush Church certainly is dark in its humour and is the only story that is narrated from the same point of view. That is something that I found interesting in that Baynton will change point of view, not once, not twice but up to three times in some of the stories. It is done really well and you know when the switch has occurred.
Even though I am Australian, I did struggle with some of the lingo and found reading it aloud, I could figure out what was being said.
I enjoyed the book as gave a different perspective to those early pioneering days of Australia. It is not a complete view but it is part of the missing puzzle.
The stories are as the title denotes set in the Australian bush, whereas other early works would romanticise this environment, Baynton does not. For the women this is brutal, unforgiving environment and men who are primarily drunks and abusers.
As you read the sense of dread that you get is really gripping and you find yourself really invested in the fate of the character. From the woman who is severely injured and is left unattended by her partner. The woman with a baby, left alone on a farm who is menaced by a swag man. The Bush Church certainly is dark in its humour and is the only story that is narrated from the same point of view. That is something that I found interesting in that Baynton will change point of view, not once, not twice but up to three times in some of the stories. It is done really well and you know when the switch has occurred.
Even though I am Australian, I did struggle with some of the lingo and found reading it aloud, I could figure out what was being said.
I enjoyed the book as gave a different perspective to those early pioneering days of Australia. It is not a complete view but it is part of the missing puzzle.
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