Oh, Sister: The powerful new novel from the author of Another Life

Product Information

A gripping horror story, this book does a brilliant job of exploring the ways in which the love for a greater god is manipulated within organised religion, and the deep psychological impact of fear, submission, and groupthink on those subsumed by their indoctrination and those individuals who seek to move beyond it.

Oh, Sister by Jodie Chapman | Waterstones

I loved it, and Jodie Chapman did it again, exactly like when she wrote Another Life and destroyed me. Tre donne unite da una religione che è un'ancora attorno al collo, tre donne divise da una vita che non è davvero loro da vivere e dirigere. Zelda is a rebel who seeks to live life on her own terms, but she’s not entirely successful in leaving her past behind. This book is a timely reminder that we need to remain connected, to our sisters and to our humanity, if we're going to survive.Here the religion is capitalising on people's innate fear of death with its promises of a utopian future (entirely fictional just like the Bible itself and the artwork on The Watch Tower magazine covers). It is how the experience of being part of a religious community can be both a comfort but also cause a lot of pain. Throughout the story we learn how these women have been controlled and abused by the men in the religion. Zelda, Isobel and Jen all had such unique stories - their voices were clear and distinct even down to their visual style. Chapman depicts a fictional cult where Christianity is at the root of the beliefs, but the followers/disciples are brainwashed into thinking that all that is preached by their ministers is the gospel truth.

Jodie Chapman - Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency Jodie Chapman - Madeleine Milburn Literary Agency

The latter ensures devoted Disciples with the reward of an eternal afterlife and reuniting with loved ones.

The hypocrisy of religion, Christianity in this case, when it comes to women had me furious with the women who accept it and the men who are more than happy to dole out "punishments". All in all, I appreciate the novel’s attempts to highlight how much brainwashing occurs in cultish groups and how such religious leaders enforce misogynist practices and discrimination in the name of God. Instead of working through this grief with a counsellor she clings to the idea of Armageddon and the utopian afterlife. Zelda Bloom is a creature of sin and abjection according to the brotherhood she was born into, a people whose cruelty continues to haunt her after all these years of successfully having run away from it – until. This book is about religion and cult mentalities, the big and little things we do to try and take control, love, and unfulfilled expectations.

Oh, Sister: The powerful new novel from the author of A… Oh, Sister: The powerful new novel from the author of A…

Isobel’s journey is perhaps the most difficult to overcome, but also the most satisfactory as we see her grow as a person and get an ending she deserves. Jen has suffered so much loss and yet through no fault of her own has been ostracised and shunned; struggling to break free, she clings to her faith, desperate to be forgiven and welcomed back.

She longs for the end of days and is prepared to hide her sexual orientation and true self to get there. There are so many layers to it, it’s so complex, and you can see how difficult it must be to put the religion above your family and friends, but also how difficult it is to put yourself above the religion.