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The Quincunx Cycle #1
Pastoral
There were plans for an official welcome. It was to take place the following Sunday. But those who came to the rectory on Father Pennant's second day were the ones who could not resist seeing him sooner. Here was the man to whom they would confess the darkest things. It was important to feel him out. Mrs Young, for instance, after she had seen him eat a piece of her macaroni pie, quietly asked what he thought of adultery.
André Alexis brings a modern sensibility and a new liveliness to an age-old genre, the pastoral.
For his very first parish, Father Christopher Pennant is sent to the sleepy town of Barrow. With more sheep than people, it's very bucolic—too much Barrow Brew on Barrow Day is the rowdiest it gets. But things aren't so idyllic for Liz Denny, whose fiancé doesn't want to decide between Liz and his more worldly mistress Jane, and for Father Pennant himself, who greets some miracles of nature—mayors walking on water, talking sheep—with a profound crisis of faith.
André Alexis brings a modern sensibility and a new liveliness to an age-old genre, the pastoral.
For his very first parish, Father Christopher Pennant is sent to the sleepy town of Barrow. With more sheep than people, it's very bucolic—too much Barrow Brew on Barrow Day is the rowdiest it gets. But things aren't so idyllic for Liz Denny, whose fiancé doesn't want to decide between Liz and his more worldly mistress Jane, and for Father Pennant himself, who greets some miracles of nature—mayors walking on water, talking sheep—with a profound crisis of faith.
162 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2014
39 people are currently reading
2994 people want to read
About the author
André Alexis
20 books618 followersAndré Alexis was born in Trinidad and grew up in Canada. His most recent novel, Fifteen Dogs, won the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. His debut novel, Childhood, won the Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Trillium Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize. His other books include Pastoral (nominated for the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize), Asylum, Beauty and Sadness, Ingrid & the Wolf, Despair and Other Stories of Ottawa and Lambton, Kent and Other Vistas: A Play.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
May 1, 2019
This is a book I meant to read last year during my Alaska/Canada spree, but just never got to it. Then I was looking at novels with music as a theme and this came back up, so I decided to listen to the audiobook as read by the author.
The structure of the novel follows the structure of Beethoven's 6th Symphony (the Pastoral) and takes places in the small town of Barrow, Ontario. Pastoral also refers to the main character, Father Pennant, who is new to the town. Other characters stem off from encounters he has as he wanders the natural world.
And somehow the author manages to examine love, fidelity, miracles, belief, friendship, place, home, and more. I enjoyed it although I would have liked it to be longer. I understand it to be the first book of a loosely joined novel cycle of sorts, and I am likely to read those.
The structure of the novel follows the structure of Beethoven's 6th Symphony (the Pastoral) and takes places in the small town of Barrow, Ontario. Pastoral also refers to the main character, Father Pennant, who is new to the town. Other characters stem off from encounters he has as he wanders the natural world.
And somehow the author manages to examine love, fidelity, miracles, belief, friendship, place, home, and more. I enjoyed it although I would have liked it to be longer. I understand it to be the first book of a loosely joined novel cycle of sorts, and I am likely to read those.
February 14, 2022
First Book of Alexis' Quincunx
A novel written with awe-inspiring grace and confidence.
Before Trinidadian-born Canadian author André Alexis drew fame for his Giller-Prize Winning novel Fifteen Dogs , he began his ambitious Quincunx project with Pastoral. A quick visit to Wikipedia prior to my reading of the 160-page Pastoral gave me some insight into the Quincunx, and helped to contextualize the novel as part of a whole and an independent work. Alexis’ goal with the five novels is to “examine faith, place, love, power and hatred” (Wikipedia, Pastoral). Certainly a lofty goal, but one that Alexis seems more than capable of handling.
Pastoral is a modern reimagining of the pastoral genre. Our shepherd here is Father Christopher Pennant who moves from the hubbub of Ottawa to the fictional rural town of Barrow. Christopher soon meets Lowther, a local caretaker, who seeks to challenge the young priest’s faith. Father Pennant also acts as intermediary in a Barrow love triangle that is at first humorous, but soon delves into a deeper examination about the nature of love. In particular, I loved the suggestion that people are tied to place in our memories. All the character interactions here lock into place beside one another, nothing ever feeling forced.
It is my understanding that the pastoral seeks to take the complexity of urban life and move a character towards more simple rural existence. Of course, this interpretation also discounts seeming simplicity of life for simplicity of character and a dearth of complications. I thought that Alexis handled this deftly with characters that struggle with complex philosophical questions set against an idyllic background. Indeed, the imagery here is powerful and well-written. You’ll see the rolling hills and small streams where Father Pennant walks, and perhaps you’ll come close to recognizing the hair salon in which an act of public nudity takes place.
The economy of words in this short novel means that no character, scene, or topic overstays their welcome. Instead, each part of Alexis’ novel is given the space to breathe between readings. Indeed, despite its brevity, I found myself delaying the ending if only because each reading stirred up a new thought, and each reading left me richer than before. What’s more, my reading of Fifteen Dogs last year helped inform my reading of Pastoral. Though the books are wildly different, they both deal in the same themes and seemed to stage a discussion with one another in my mind.
With the Quincunx, it is as if Alexis is building a room where fiction is able to engage with itself in the mind of the reader. Alexis is helping to guide the reader through thoughts and philosophy using storytelling. Though each of the novels can be enjoyed on their own, when taken together, they elevate one another.
Pastoral is a terrific novel and one that I’d recommend to any reader. If you enjoyed Fifteen Dogs, then this is worth your time. I also have a sneaking suspicion that those people who enjoy Stoner might also be partial to Pastoral. For those even more ambitious, there’s three of five books in the Quincunx that have been released.
A novel written with awe-inspiring grace and confidence.
Before Trinidadian-born Canadian author André Alexis drew fame for his Giller-Prize Winning novel Fifteen Dogs , he began his ambitious Quincunx project with Pastoral. A quick visit to Wikipedia prior to my reading of the 160-page Pastoral gave me some insight into the Quincunx, and helped to contextualize the novel as part of a whole and an independent work. Alexis’ goal with the five novels is to “examine faith, place, love, power and hatred” (Wikipedia, Pastoral). Certainly a lofty goal, but one that Alexis seems more than capable of handling.
Pastoral is a modern reimagining of the pastoral genre. Our shepherd here is Father Christopher Pennant who moves from the hubbub of Ottawa to the fictional rural town of Barrow. Christopher soon meets Lowther, a local caretaker, who seeks to challenge the young priest’s faith. Father Pennant also acts as intermediary in a Barrow love triangle that is at first humorous, but soon delves into a deeper examination about the nature of love. In particular, I loved the suggestion that people are tied to place in our memories. All the character interactions here lock into place beside one another, nothing ever feeling forced.
It is my understanding that the pastoral seeks to take the complexity of urban life and move a character towards more simple rural existence. Of course, this interpretation also discounts seeming simplicity of life for simplicity of character and a dearth of complications. I thought that Alexis handled this deftly with characters that struggle with complex philosophical questions set against an idyllic background. Indeed, the imagery here is powerful and well-written. You’ll see the rolling hills and small streams where Father Pennant walks, and perhaps you’ll come close to recognizing the hair salon in which an act of public nudity takes place.
The economy of words in this short novel means that no character, scene, or topic overstays their welcome. Instead, each part of Alexis’ novel is given the space to breathe between readings. Indeed, despite its brevity, I found myself delaying the ending if only because each reading stirred up a new thought, and each reading left me richer than before. What’s more, my reading of Fifteen Dogs last year helped inform my reading of Pastoral. Though the books are wildly different, they both deal in the same themes and seemed to stage a discussion with one another in my mind.
With the Quincunx, it is as if Alexis is building a room where fiction is able to engage with itself in the mind of the reader. Alexis is helping to guide the reader through thoughts and philosophy using storytelling. Though each of the novels can be enjoyed on their own, when taken together, they elevate one another.
Pastoral is a terrific novel and one that I’d recommend to any reader. If you enjoyed Fifteen Dogs, then this is worth your time. I also have a sneaking suspicion that those people who enjoy Stoner might also be partial to Pastoral. For those even more ambitious, there’s three of five books in the Quincunx that have been released.
November 8, 2021
Pastoral has a quiet grace that you don't often encounter in modern literature. The story is a simple meditation on the rural town of Barrow, Ontario, and its inhabitants, over one year of time.
Alexis structured this novel around Beethoven's Symphony no. 6 (Pastorale), which one music critic described as "...like looking at a landscape that changes slowly with the lengthening of the shadows and the deepening of the light, in which time is virtually suspended."
The quote for the symphony could easily apply to the story. I can see what Alexis was working towards. The story is character-driven with very little "plot", other than the relationships and occurrences within the town. The novel begins when a new priest comes to the church in town, as he meets the townspeople, so does the reader. There's some quirky characters, there is a young love triangle, there is true friendship and devotion, and there is some unexplained phenomena that test faith and belief. Amongst these characters, there are also detailed descriptions of nature and the history of the land, including a great side-story about Regina, Saskatchewan.
In this idyllic setting, it is a challenge to gauge time period. It could easily be Thomas Hardy nineteenth-century England (Far From the Madding Crowd came to mind multiple times - likely because of the sheep farming aspect in both books, and all the characters around town), but there a few well-placed words and situations that question if this is taking place "now".
This was my first book by Alexis, and I plan to follow this up with his better-known and prize-winning novel Fifteen Dogs, which happens to be the next in the loosely-defined "Quincunx" series.
Alexis structured this novel around Beethoven's Symphony no. 6 (Pastorale), which one music critic described as "...like looking at a landscape that changes slowly with the lengthening of the shadows and the deepening of the light, in which time is virtually suspended."
The quote for the symphony could easily apply to the story. I can see what Alexis was working towards. The story is character-driven with very little "plot", other than the relationships and occurrences within the town. The novel begins when a new priest comes to the church in town, as he meets the townspeople, so does the reader. There's some quirky characters, there is a young love triangle, there is true friendship and devotion, and there is some unexplained phenomena that test faith and belief. Amongst these characters, there are also detailed descriptions of nature and the history of the land, including a great side-story about Regina, Saskatchewan.
In this idyllic setting, it is a challenge to gauge time period. It could easily be Thomas Hardy nineteenth-century England (Far From the Madding Crowd came to mind multiple times - likely because of the sheep farming aspect in both books, and all the characters around town), but there a few well-placed words and situations that question if this is taking place "now".
This was my first book by Alexis, and I plan to follow this up with his better-known and prize-winning novel Fifteen Dogs, which happens to be the next in the loosely-defined "Quincunx" series.
November 8, 2021
I knew I had read Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis previously but thought it was last year, but turns out it was this year! This book went a lot better for me, although I gave the other book 3 stars and this one 4 stars. I enjoyed Pastoral million miles more but not quite enough for a 5 stars. I found myself more invested and enjoyed the format more with this audiobook and didn't feel like I've should have read it as an ebook instead. Worked out just fine as an audiobook
October 11, 2014
pas•to•ral
adjective
1. (especially of land or a farm) used for or related to the keeping or grazing of sheep or cattle.
2. (in the Christian Church) concerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance.
noun
1. a work of literature portraying an idealized version of country life.
With the full definition in hand, what might one expect from André Alexis's Pastoral? Sheep, a pastor, and a portrayal of idealized country life? Check, check, and check, we get all three. But Pastoral is also the common name for Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, and this book echoes the structure of the musical composition, having five movements that follow Beethoven's intent:
1. Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country.
2. Scene at the brook.
3. Happy gathering of country folk.
4. Thunderstorm; storm.
5. Shepherd's song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm.
And as I read on this blog, Alexis gave himself even more rules while writing this book:
Pastoral is musical in structure. In every chapter, there are 5 elements that absolutely must be mentioned: bread, candle, sheep, prayer book, water. But the order in which they appear varies in this way:
chapter one: a, b, c, d, e
chapter two: b, c, d, e, a
chapter three: c, d, e, a, b
chapter four: d, e, a, b, c
chapter five: e, a, b, c, d
where a = bread, b = candles, c = sheep, d = prayer book, e = water
I want to include all of this information because, even though Pastoral is a mere 160 pages, there is meaning and purpose behind every word of it. Written in the Southern Ontario Gothic style (complete with mysteries, miracles, and small town interconnectiveness), the story is set in the fictional hamlet of Barrow (which itself is defined as: a large mound of earth or stones over the remains of the dead) and use is made of that:
The earth, which has only two words, intoned the first of them ('life') noisily, with birdsong, the gurgle and slap of rushing water, the suck and squelch of the ground itself. Not that its other word ('death') was banished. As they walked in a field, Father Pennant spotted a small clearing over which bleached animal bones (ribs, skulls, backbones and limbs) were strewn. Among and through the bones, young grass grew. It was like an open ossuary.
This is Barrow as first seen by Father Pennant: a young priest taking on his first parish, who is initially disappointed by the rural setting; mistakenly thinking that small towns mean small problems, small impact. Soon enough, though, the priest is settled into the community, and even more important than the connections that he makes to the people of his parish are the connections that he makes to the natural surroundings, prompting a crisis of faith in which he can't decide on the relative primacy of God and Nature and Love.
It occurred to him that Barrow itself was neither good nor evil but was, instead, animated by whatever it was that animated the land, the thing that animated each and every one of them and, so, revealed itself in its hiddenness. In fact, one felt, or he felt as he walked -- blasphemous though the thought was -- that God was only an aspect of the hidden, an idea brought into being by man in order to point to a deeper thing that had no name and reigned beyond silence.
Pastoral is peopled with fascinating characters, and because of the book's length, the plot is necessarily tight and stripped down, covering just eight months (and for a book set in Canada, it's refreshing that it's the winter that's omitted). Dialogue is natural and, consistently, the writing is interesting and earthy.
After Tomasine's burial, the ground in the graveyard was more dense than it had been, with another body -- like cold, curdled earth -- to digest. The currents of air that visited Barrow had one less person to circle or caress. And the wind as it blew through town made a sound ever so slightly altered. The ants had one less hazard, the birds one less predator, the worms one more meal.
Needless to say, I enjoyed Pastoral very much.
May 26, 2022
In a back-of-book "Note on the Text," Alexis writes that "Pastoral is, in part an homage to Beethoven's Sixth Symphony, the Pastoral Symphony. The novel's chapters follow the logic of the symphony whose fives movements are entitled:
1. Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country
2. Scene at the brook
3. Happy gathering of country folk
4. Thunderstorm; Storm
5. Shepherds' song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm"
I'm listening to the symphony as I type and, from the first notes, the book sprang to life for me in a new way. I recommend listening before you read this lyrical contemplation of a pastor's journey to and life in Barrow, a small town in Ontario, Canada. Is there a God? Or is "God … only an aspect of the hidden, an idea brought into being by man in order to point to a deeper thing that had no name and reigned beyond silence."
This is the kind of stuff I ponder forever. And the writing here is divine.
1. Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country
2. Scene at the brook
3. Happy gathering of country folk
4. Thunderstorm; Storm
5. Shepherds' song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm"
I'm listening to the symphony as I type and, from the first notes, the book sprang to life for me in a new way. I recommend listening before you read this lyrical contemplation of a pastor's journey to and life in Barrow, a small town in Ontario, Canada. Is there a God? Or is "God … only an aspect of the hidden, an idea brought into being by man in order to point to a deeper thing that had no name and reigned beyond silence."
This is the kind of stuff I ponder forever. And the writing here is divine.
September 18, 2025
What an absolutely delightful modern take on the pastoral. It has that special glow I get from Jane Austen or Barbara Pym, with just the right amount of satiric bite to control the sweetness. The story revolves around newly ordained Father Pennant, just arrived to pastor to a flock of rural Canadians living in the town of Barrow, population 1,100. "Whether through some divine compulsion for equilibrium or through poor census taking, its population had been 1,100 for twenty years." There's a fairly large cast of major and minor characters for such a short book, but all are given just the right amount of attention as they take us through their crises of love, faith, fidelity, friendship, belonging. I'm guessing the story takes place in the 90's or 2000's since its morality is modern but there is mercifully no sign of cyberspace.
All the characters are oddly charming in their own way, beginning with Father Pennant, who we see here after (possibly) witnessing a miracle out in a field:
The writing is lovely, with a simple, elegiac style that works perfectly for people and nature.
All is not bucolic though - the sharp elbows of small town life are here too: "Shades of meaning were conveyed in the secret language of spite: a too kind look, a hypocritical touch on the arm, a pointed chattiness that was as prickly as the leaf of a thistle."
Bravo Coach House Books for giving this novel the packaging it deserves - a gorgeous cover and thick, textured paper. I can't remember a book that literally felt this good :)
All the characters are oddly charming in their own way, beginning with Father Pennant, who we see here after (possibly) witnessing a miracle out in a field:
As he always did when he was bewildered or thought about God's grandeur and mystery, he kneeled down to pray. He kneeled in the weeds, among the insects and rodents, and prayed for enlightenment. What were his duties, now that he had been given a vision?.... There was great comfort in prayer. It was not so much that he felt the presence of God when he prayed, though he did at times feel His presence and that always brought him peace. It was the kneeling - head bowed, fingers interwoven and held on his chest - immediately brought to his mind all the times he had surrendered to the mystery that was the world and to the mystery that was God. Comfort came from the continuity of submission. Kneeling, praying, he was himself at his most open and at his most genuinely human: ignorant, hopeful, humble in the face of the unknown."
The writing is lovely, with a simple, elegiac style that works perfectly for people and nature.
All is not bucolic though - the sharp elbows of small town life are here too: "Shades of meaning were conveyed in the secret language of spite: a too kind look, a hypocritical touch on the arm, a pointed chattiness that was as prickly as the leaf of a thistle."
Bravo Coach House Books for giving this novel the packaging it deserves - a gorgeous cover and thick, textured paper. I can't remember a book that literally felt this good :)
November 13, 2022
Of course, it’s wonderful to contemplate Nature, but without the miraculous the earth is only a coffin.
I do think I need to revise my list of things I don't like in fiction/writing. I always go on about how much I dislike omniscient POV, and I really truly do, but something about the way it's employed in literary fiction and classics just always works for me. I would be tempted to say it's because there's no abrupt head-hopping (the thing I hate most) but that's not always true! This was such a well-crafted piece of fiction. Went into it completely blind, as is my wont, and even though it ticked almost none of my usual boxes, I really enjoyed it. We're following a pastor who has just moved to a small town, the relationships he builds with some of his parishioners (including the caretaker at the parish and a young woman in an unwilling love triangle) and the strange events that take place around him. Or are they miracles? I loved the descriptions of the land, the beauty of the landscape, the pastoral. Very interesting writing, the way we'd flow from character to character. It has a magical realism sorta vibe without ever really going there? I love when books get weird, and this does, in a really particular way. It's very thoughtful and slow, but I felt engaged the entire time. I don't particularly like reading about religious characters, but this was sublime. And I loved Lowther so much; I want to travel back to uni days and write an essay about him.
Listened to the audiobook as read by the author; enjoyed it a lot. I'll definitely be reading more from Alexis. Even though I wanted a little more from the ending of this, wanted it to go a bit longer, I just adored the craft and the writing and the style. Super interesting.
Comfort came from the continuity of submission. Kneeling, praying, he was himself at his most open and at his most genuinely human: ignorant, hopeful, humble in the face of the unknown.
April 3, 2022
At the beginning of the story, Father Christopher Pennant arrives in April in the small town (pop. 1,100) of Barrow, Lambton County, Ontario to serve in his first parish. Soon he meets Lowther Williams, a somewhat inexplicable man who cooks & cleans for the Father in exchange for room & board in the rectory. Among the parishioners are Elizabeth Denny, who is caught in a bit of a love triangle with her fiancé Robbie Myers and her rival Jane Richardson. Over five months, Father Pennant explores Barrow and comes to know the community of people there, while he, Lowther, and Elizabeth separately and together consider the relationships between love & self, the natural & the divine, and life & death, all through a lens of faith & doubt. The Barrow locale -- its land, its history, its flora & fauna -- is as much a character in this book as any of the humans.
This novel is the first of Andre Alexis' Quincunx Cycle. It is, as its title conveys, a pastoral. Even that descriptor supports many meanings, as Father Pennant is in part the shepherd to his parishioners, the country life of Barrow includes a herd of sheep, and several individual sheep trigger various events throughout the novel. The author's "A Note on the Text" at the end of the book adds greater depth to its form & structure.
This novel is the first of Andre Alexis' Quincunx Cycle. It is, as its title conveys, a pastoral. Even that descriptor supports many meanings, as Father Pennant is in part the shepherd to his parishioners, the country life of Barrow includes a herd of sheep, and several individual sheep trigger various events throughout the novel. The author's "A Note on the Text" at the end of the book adds greater depth to its form & structure.
August 20, 2022
Faith and love in doubt
there has to be more to life
sheep, for example.
there has to be more to life
sheep, for example.
January 31, 2019
I went and researched the meaning of Pastoral after reading this book. ......'pastoral' people devoted to the care of livestock raising, or relating to spiritual care or guidance especially of a congregation in a place of worship.
Canadian author Andre Alexis writes a very short and engaging book bringing a new priest to the church in Barrow, and his 'pastoral care' of his 'flock'. Imagination abounds in this enjoyable read. I also enjoyed it because the imagination of it all was short and sweet, I did not sour, maybe on reflection closer to 4 stars.
Canadian author Andre Alexis writes a very short and engaging book bringing a new priest to the church in Barrow, and his 'pastoral care' of his 'flock'. Imagination abounds in this enjoyable read. I also enjoyed it because the imagination of it all was short and sweet, I did not sour, maybe on reflection closer to 4 stars.
March 18, 2018
Andre Alexis has quickly become my favourite Canadian author. There's just something about him I cannot put my finger on. He writes books almost as if they were made for me.
This book is not really going to be for everyone. It's actually quite boring, nothing happens, and it's just about day to day life in a small Canadian farming community. A Priest moves to town, and you get to follow the lives of 5-6 characters in this town. It's more about characters than plot, which is just my thing.
I really liked this and I have no idea why. It just felt very comfortable and calm to me, and is a nice break from the fantasy chaos mayhem that I usually read about.
Andre Alexis is an automatic autobuy author for me now, and I own everything he's published and cannot wait to read the remainder of his works.
This book is not really going to be for everyone. It's actually quite boring, nothing happens, and it's just about day to day life in a small Canadian farming community. A Priest moves to town, and you get to follow the lives of 5-6 characters in this town. It's more about characters than plot, which is just my thing.
I really liked this and I have no idea why. It just felt very comfortable and calm to me, and is a nice break from the fantasy chaos mayhem that I usually read about.
Andre Alexis is an automatic autobuy author for me now, and I own everything he's published and cannot wait to read the remainder of his works.
December 4, 2019
Vivid, mystic and lyrical stories from a small town in Ontario. Each section based on a movement of Beethoven's pastoral.
Very similar feel to Days by Moonlight by the author; though less nuanced and less dramatic.
I listened to the audio-book narrated by Andre Alexi himself. The audio-book is strongly recommended.
Very similar feel to Days by Moonlight by the author; though less nuanced and less dramatic.
I listened to the audio-book narrated by Andre Alexi himself. The audio-book is strongly recommended.
March 20, 2022
Again a wonderful read from Alexis. Coincidentally, I just came across a few quotes from Northrup Frye before I started reading, on the difference between a pastoral /Arcadia and utopia. Since this topic is of interest to me, I was delighted to have that enhance my reading of Alexis' work. His ease of style, combined with layers of reference (not intruding upon the novel in any way), make for a great read for me. I have only one of the five books in his Quincunx to still read: Days by Moonlight. I'm hopeful that this one is every bit as enjoyable as the other four have been. BTW, I did not read these books in the order in which they were published and I don't think it hurts one bit to read them this way. Each novel is written as a standalone, though all set in Southern Ontario and Toronto, and each follows a different main theme (faith, place, power, love, and hatred) and format (allegory, romance, etc.), so it is intriguing how Alexis' style/voice comes through in all of them.
March 4, 2020
Andre Alexis is a national treasure and everyone should read all of his books.
This is a short and soft read about a priest who gets a congregation in a sleepy backwater town and the crisis of faith that follows. There is an intertwined and parallel storyline about a young woman with a cheating fiance who similarly experiences a crisis of faith, albeit about the concept of love.
I loved the entire book although I fairly loathed the ending. I'm not taking off any stars though, because sometimes stories don't end the way you want them to. Not the author's fault.
No regrets on the purchase.
This is a short and soft read about a priest who gets a congregation in a sleepy backwater town and the crisis of faith that follows. There is an intertwined and parallel storyline about a young woman with a cheating fiance who similarly experiences a crisis of faith, albeit about the concept of love.
I loved the entire book although I fairly loathed the ending. I'm not taking off any stars though, because sometimes stories don't end the way you want them to. Not the author's fault.
No regrets on the purchase.
September 16, 2021
This book was unlike anything else I've ever read. I really enjoyed the familiar descriptions of the Southern Ontario landscape, and Alexis really excelled at capturing what it feels like to meander your way through a hot Ontario summer. I also found the conversation on the relationship between religion and nature to be valuable. Excited to read more of Alexis' work!
November 25, 2023
I judged this book by its cover at the library and I'm so glad that I did. This was such a perfect read for me specifically because it was: set in Ontario, dealt with God as nature/God as God themes, and followed the relationships in a small town as the main fodder for story (my favourite kind of story). I only wish it had been a bit longer.
April 10, 2014
*I received an advanced reading copy of this novel as part of the Goodreads First Reads program.*
André Alexis's Pastoral was a quick read, but managed to leave a lasting impression. The story itself is simple in that nothing fantastical or overly dramatic occurs, but that is exactly what makes the novel stand out. Everything occurs in the small town of Barrow over the course of just a few months between a relatively small cast of characters, but the thoughts of the characters and the trials they face are all very engrossing. Anyone who has lived anywhere even remotely rural or with a small-town vibe can easily connect with the story. Each one of the characters is just striving to live their own life and any drama is usually the kind that fuels light gossip between people living in close proximity, without much to fill their days other than work and socializing with the other denizens of the town.
Despite the novel's short length, I still managed to become very invested in the lives of the individual characters and I found myself anxious to discover where each of their paths would lead them by the conclusion of the novel. It's easy to imagine having met any one of these townspeople with their own complex thoughts, desires, and emotions. The pacing is excellent and Alexis's writing is also deserving of praise. His style of writing comes off as both humorous and deliberate, irreverent and matter-of-fact. After reading, one is left with a distinct feeling that is difficult to express clearly, but is nonetheless both light-hearted and affecting at the same time. I could easily recommend this novel to anyone (and do!).
André Alexis's Pastoral was a quick read, but managed to leave a lasting impression. The story itself is simple in that nothing fantastical or overly dramatic occurs, but that is exactly what makes the novel stand out. Everything occurs in the small town of Barrow over the course of just a few months between a relatively small cast of characters, but the thoughts of the characters and the trials they face are all very engrossing. Anyone who has lived anywhere even remotely rural or with a small-town vibe can easily connect with the story. Each one of the characters is just striving to live their own life and any drama is usually the kind that fuels light gossip between people living in close proximity, without much to fill their days other than work and socializing with the other denizens of the town.
Despite the novel's short length, I still managed to become very invested in the lives of the individual characters and I found myself anxious to discover where each of their paths would lead them by the conclusion of the novel. It's easy to imagine having met any one of these townspeople with their own complex thoughts, desires, and emotions. The pacing is excellent and Alexis's writing is also deserving of praise. His style of writing comes off as both humorous and deliberate, irreverent and matter-of-fact. After reading, one is left with a distinct feeling that is difficult to express clearly, but is nonetheless both light-hearted and affecting at the same time. I could easily recommend this novel to anyone (and do!).
January 3, 2019
Captivating and elegant prose moves this narrative along. I found this novel to be very slow and ultimately kind of boring; the events that Pennant experiences seemed to be building to a greater message about enjoying life but it never manifests. The scene with the talking sheep is the one really memorable moment in this novel that otherwise serves to deliver a lackluster romance plot.
April 3, 2018
Pastoral is the kind of book you're surprised to discover because it's never talked about. As much as I enjoyed Fifteen Dogs it's clear that Pastoral is the better book. It is quiet and restrained, peaceful and painful and simply a pleasure to read.
August 5, 2019
This is the fourth book I read in the Quincunx series (though the first published) and another amazing read. I can't wait to read all five of these books again when the eventual revised omnibus is released. Alexis is working some serious literary magic here.
January 27, 2022
A thought provoking story that was beautifully written. The characters were fascinating and the description of small town Ontario drew me in from page one of the novel.
March 31, 2022
CW: unexpected murder/suicide scene halfway through
January 20, 2019
Audible version: I bought this book, because, in spite of my own lack of religion, I like reading stories about monks, pastors, priors, and priests. Pillars of the Earth was a favorite, Father Brown mysteries, The Hawk and the Dove trilogy - I loved them all. So I figured this was going to be perfect for me. But I don't like Father Pennant. He seems far too naive where I want wise. And he's gullible and judgy and superstitious. Maybe that's part of the story, and because I'm quitting just over halfway through, I'll never know that he grows into his role. But the book just bores me and I don't care about Liz and her cheating fiancé or about Louther (sp?) or any of the other provincial folks in this book. I had high hopes, because most of these books take place long ago, but this one was in the 21st century, but it just didn't fly with me.
January 4, 2018
I started to read Fifteen Dogs by Andre Alexis because a friend, who has similar reading tastes as I do, recommended it. Then, one of my book club members suggested that we read a series written by Alexis, starting with Pastoral. It’s not a usual series, whereby each book is linked. He calls it a quincunx and this is how he defines the series in an interview in The Globe and Mail by Mark Medley in September 2016 and updated in March 2017: “The Hidden Keys [his most recent book, published in September 2016] is actually the fourth book in the quincunx. Alexis explains it like this: Imagine the project like the number five on a dice – a dot in each corner, and one in the middle. The third book is the one in the middle, but it must include elements of the other four, so it must be written last. Once the fifth novel is finished, he wants to collect them in an omnibus edition.”
I set aside Fifteen Dogs, which I was enjoying because it is very different and extremely well written, and read Pastoral. The book is set in a made-up bucolic town of 1,100 people in Ontario, Canada called Barrow. The main characters are Father Christopher Pennant who is the new priest of St. Mary’s church; Robbie Myers who is in love with two women - Elizabeth Denny, to whom he is engaged and Jane Richardson, with whom he is having an affair; Lowther Williams who insinuates himself into Father Pennant’s life as his cook, caretaker and becomes a close friend.
I didn’t like Pastoral as much as I liked the 40 pages I had read of Fifteen Dogs. I guess that is why Alexis won the Giller Prize of $100,000 for the latter book. I do like the fact that his books are short as I am a slow reader and the goal I set for myself this year (2018) on GoodReads is to read 36 books since I met my goal of reading 24 books last year.
Not much happens in Pastoral. Some miracles like moths flying a circle, the mayor of Barrow walking on water. Nothing unusual! One path of the story was Lowther testing Father Pennant to see if he was good enough to give him last rites when he dies. The other path was Elizabeth testing Robbie’s love for her. Did she know him better than Jane, sufficiently enough for her to overlook his affair with Jane and go forward with their marriage plans.
Now that I have written my opinion of this book I’m changing my rating back to 2 stars. It doesn’t warrant 3 stars. I will finish Fifteen Dogs and write a review of it. Stay tuned.
I set aside Fifteen Dogs, which I was enjoying because it is very different and extremely well written, and read Pastoral. The book is set in a made-up bucolic town of 1,100 people in Ontario, Canada called Barrow. The main characters are Father Christopher Pennant who is the new priest of St. Mary’s church; Robbie Myers who is in love with two women - Elizabeth Denny, to whom he is engaged and Jane Richardson, with whom he is having an affair; Lowther Williams who insinuates himself into Father Pennant’s life as his cook, caretaker and becomes a close friend.
I didn’t like Pastoral as much as I liked the 40 pages I had read of Fifteen Dogs. I guess that is why Alexis won the Giller Prize of $100,000 for the latter book. I do like the fact that his books are short as I am a slow reader and the goal I set for myself this year (2018) on GoodReads is to read 36 books since I met my goal of reading 24 books last year.
Not much happens in Pastoral. Some miracles like moths flying a circle, the mayor of Barrow walking on water. Nothing unusual! One path of the story was Lowther testing Father Pennant to see if he was good enough to give him last rites when he dies. The other path was Elizabeth testing Robbie’s love for her. Did she know him better than Jane, sufficiently enough for her to overlook his affair with Jane and go forward with their marriage plans.
Now that I have written my opinion of this book I’m changing my rating back to 2 stars. It doesn’t warrant 3 stars. I will finish Fifteen Dogs and write a review of it. Stay tuned.
June 29, 2021
A really interesting little meander. Weird to have read it at 3am but hey so it goes.
Its got me in a weird place now. Not sure ill get to sleep. It deals with some big themes in a sort of indirect way that i dont think ill be able to really step back from or verbaize
Its got me in a weird place now. Not sure ill get to sleep. It deals with some big themes in a sort of indirect way that i dont think ill be able to really step back from or verbaize
June 12, 2024
romantic, austere, pagan
March 30, 2025
Simple and beautiful. Lush, bucolic, with a crisis of faith and one of love.
April 1, 2025
Interesting, poetic, 3.5 stars
November 23, 2024
Only Andre Alexis can make rural Ontario exciting.
I have completed the pentagram in this order:
1. Days by moonlight (my fav)
2. Ring (third fav)
3. Hidden keys (fifth fav)
4. Fifteen dogs (fourth fav)
5. Pastoral (my second fav)
You can read them in any order, but I found starting with days by moonlight to be a good intro!
I have completed the pentagram in this order:
1. Days by moonlight (my fav)
2. Ring (third fav)
3. Hidden keys (fifth fav)
4. Fifteen dogs (fourth fav)
5. Pastoral (my second fav)
You can read them in any order, but I found starting with days by moonlight to be a good intro!
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