2024 Booker Longlist: Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood

Book 11 for our panel is Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood. This the Australian author’s seventh novel and first nomination to the booker longlist. Her book’s nomination breaks the dry spell for Australian authors who have been noticeably missing/ignored on the Booker longlist for 8 years.

Cover Blurb: A woman abandons her city life and marriage to return to the place of her childhood, holing up in a small religious community hidden away on the stark plains of the Monaro.She does not believe in God, doesn’t know what prayer is, and finds herself living this strange, reclusive life almost by accident. As she gradually adjusts to the rhythms of monastic life, she finds herself turning again and again to thoughts of her mother, whose early death she can’t forget.Disquiet interrupts this secluded life with three visitations. First comes a terrible mouse plague, each day signalling a new battle against the rising infestation.Second is the return of the skeletal remains of a sister who left the community decades before to minister to deprived women in Thailand – then disappeared, presumed murdered.Finally, a troubling visitor to the monastery pulls the narrator further back into her past.With each of these disturbing arrivals, the woman faces some deep questions. Can a person be truly good? What is forgiveness? Is loss of hope a moral failure? And can the business of grief ever really be finished? A meditative and deeply moving novel from one of Australia’s most acclaimed and best loved writers.

You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Keep reading to find out how our panellists rated this book.

Tracy’s Thoughts: I grew up in a 100+ year old farmhouse, so I can relate to the mouse trouble. Not to that extent, thankfully, but enough that I can still remember the smell. Unfortunately, that skews my experience with the book. The writing was gorgeous, and the story would have been much better. If it hadn’t been for all the ways to kill mice. Maybe building a better mousetrap is part of the theme?

Writing quality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Character development: 4/4
Plot development: 3/4
Overall enjoyment: 1/2
Did it deserve a spot on the longlist? Yes, it’s a great book. It may squeak onto the shortlist.
Total: 17/20

Nicole’s Thoughts: About 3 sentences into this book I shook my head and said “Not again, Booker, not again.” I was so wrong. I have inexplicable love for this book. The writing, the atmosphere, the flawed main character, the supporting cast, Helen Parry, even the mice. It all just worked. Plus, it was short and super engaging.

A true “Booker” book. The author you have never heard of who just gets you as a reader.

Writing quality: 4/5
Originality: 5/5
Character development: 4/4
Plot development: 4/4
Overall enjoyment: 2/2
Did it deserve a spot on the longlist? Yes, please. More like this.
Total: 19/20

Anita’s Thoughts: Here’s the unusual case where our rating system isn’t quite working for me. I actually LOVED this book. So if total enjoyment was weighted more heavily, it would have scored better. We don’t really have a score for great use of symbolism and metaphor. Underneath the surface, this novel is a meditation on death and our fears and anxiety surrounding it. It’s a deep, meaningful read that’s also very accessible. Really hope this makes the shortlist.

Writing quality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Character development: 2/4
Plot development: 2/4
Overall enjoyment: 2/2
Did it deserve a spot on the longlist? Absolutely
Total: 16/20

Lisa’s thoughts: Like the other reviewers, I was surprised by how much I liked a book that doesn’t really go anywhere. We never really find out why the narrator decided to go live at the convent. The only place the narrator goes is into town, to run errands. And yet— there is something the increase and eventual decrease of the mice population, the arrival and eventual departure of the unwelcome visitor, and the arrival of the human remains and wait for burial — that gives this novel an elegant arc. My only criticism might be that the minor characters could have been better developed and differentiated. But this did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book.

Writing quality: 5/5
Originality: 5/5
Character development: 3/4
Plot development: 4/4
Overall enjoyment: 2/2
Did it deserve a spot on the longlist? Oh yes
Total: 18/20

Jen’s Thoughts: Like Anita, I feel like our rating scale doesn’t quite capture how much I enjoyed this book. The novel is short and not heavy on plot (apparently the judges’ favorite types of novels) but it packs a punch. It is a beautifully written and wonderfully introspective book about grief, guilt, despair, and death. I very much enjoyed it and it’s probably one of my favorite on the list.

Writing quality: 5/5
Originality: 4/5
Character development: 3/4
Plot development: 2/4
Overall enjoyment: 2/2
Did it deserve a spot on the longlist? Yes
Total: 16/20

Have you read this one? Let us know what you thought.

Our panel’s final rankings

1. James: 19.2
2. The Safekeep 18.5
3. Stone Yard Devotional 17.2
4. My Friends: 16
5. Held 15.8
6. TIE: Wild Houses & Creation Lake 14.75
7. —-
8. Wandering Stars: 13.5
9. Headshot: 12.1
10. Orbital 11.25
11. This Strange Eventful History: 6.5