Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Bookbinder by Pip Williams

17 reviews

jackiesbookthings's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Having read and loved the Dictionary of Lost Words, I was eager if a bit wary to start this book which takes place in the same world and has some crossover characters but is not a direct sequel to that book. Wary, because that book had me sobbing and completely gutted for a week. Very good, very sad in parts but very, very good. I’ll save that review for another day. 

On to the Bookbinder, 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical content, and War

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Xenophobia and Death of parent

lexcellent's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

laheath's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Another beautiful and unique historical fiction novel from this author! Considered a companion to The Dictionary of Lost Words, it can be read alone but makes occasional references to characters and events from the first book. Whereas that one focused on the compilation and printing of the first Oxford English Dictionary, this book looks at the women binding books at the Oxford University Press from the beginning of WWI to a couple of years after the end of it. Strong female characters in a setting of WWI England, women's suffrage, and the Spanish Flu make for an interesting and emotional read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Classism

Moderate: Death, Grief, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Medical content, and Alcohol

dreadspawn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical content, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Death of parent

aseel_reads's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

100% coding Maud as autistic, so many echolalia!! This was very sweet and very sad, but like the other book by this author, very much focusing on the intersection between gender and class, ignoring race completely 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism

Moderate: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Sexism, Sexual content, Xenophobia, Medical content, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Bullying and Fire/Fire injury

jopopipo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical trauma, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Suicide

oceanwriter's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

After such a lovely experience reading The Dictionary of Lost Words, I had high anticipation for this book. I sort of regret that now as I think I set it too high in the sense I was expecting to recreate my first experience with this author two years ago. I still enjoyed the essence of the book, it just hit differently this time. And that’s okay. 

 

The story focuses on twin sisters Peggy and Maude, their careers as bookbinders, as well as WWI and the Spanish Flu epidemic. Each other the sisters have different personalities and are charming in their own right. 

 

Though not a sequel to The Dictionary of Lost Words, there are mentions of Esme and her book scattered throughout. Both books are and can be read as a standalone. 

 

I wish I knew what exactly, but something was lacking for me. It might just be me being in a different place, though I have seen some reviews that share my reaction. It didn’t feel the characters were as fleshed out as they were in the first book and I wonder if that is in part because we have two protagonists as well as very present supporting characters. I still loved the writing and highlighted several lovely quotes, it was just overall a different experience than I’d expected. I will likely revisit this one at a later time. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Medical content, and Death of parent

dystopia's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Body horror, Sexism, Xenophobia, and Classism

Minor: Sexual content and Terminal illness

katievallin's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

My biggest issue is that Peggy annoyed me. But she also reminded me of myself, which gives me a lot to consider.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Medical content, Grief, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Death of parent

Minor: Body shaming and Xenophobia

beingsimba's review

emotional hopeful sad

5.0

Not a type of book I would normally read but I'm so glad I did. Full of love without being saccharin, sad but not without hope. The appreciation for books and the written word are apparent (which was what sold it to me in the first place) and the cast of characters (primary and secondary) felt so strong. I'm not sure this will be one I ever revisit, but I so thoroughly enjoyed listening to it in the moment.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, and War

Moderate: Child death, Sexual content, Medical content, Death of parent, and Classism