Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

3 reviews

thumbeleia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Child death, Confinement, Infertility, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual content, Abandonment, and Alcohol

innerweststreetlibrarian's review against another edition

informative reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.0

I found this disappointingly slow going. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the book, it just didn’t grab me enough to get through it quickly. Esme is quite passive for a protagonist. Things happen around her and to her. It’s a bit depressing. 
The words are the real star of the story. I enjoyed the premise that there’s a gender bias in these original dictionaries and the process of collecting the women’s words and defining them was really interesting. The story could have benefited from more of that. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Infertility and Misogyny

ntvenessa's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

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

2.5

I detested the first half, and then found it adequate by the end. I think the historical account and critique of dictionary making was done sufficiently, although without revelation beyond what is already broadly agreed in linguistics (although I am biased as I am linguistically trained, and perhaps these are not moot points to someone who is not). Ultimately I think its integration with a fictionalised story was its downfall. It simply wasn't convincing, and the tone was jarring. Especially when the author is writing from the first person voice of a child in 19th century England through the lens of a 21st century feminist moralist (but who am I to judge what a 19th century English child would sound like). To some extent you have to suspend your disbelief when reading historical fiction, but there is a fine line and too often events seemed to me too far fetched, too convenient, too formulaic. Bar one turn of events, the plot was rather too convenient. The writing was inelegant. It was not immersive. It is a sign of a clumsy novel when you can anticipate the plot devices as they come. It's like watching a rehearsal as opposed to opening night. I often felt that the crux of what needed to be said could have been compressed -- this is a novel written without economy of language and this I think is to its detriment. While it dilutes what I imagine to be points the author makes (and valid ones at that), I suppose it does also make the writing more accessible. All things said the latter half of the novel hit a chord, not for its storytelling but for its subject matter, which may also mean something to you, if you have ever

grieved

. Maybe this book just wasn't for me, but maybe it's for you?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Abortion, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Child death, Chronic illness, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Car accident, and Colonisation