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librijess's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
While I found this book a little slow to begin with, Esme’s adult life had me looking forward to running errands so I could listen to this audiobook. While the ending had me in tears, I especially appreciated the mentions of Adelaide and the Kaurna people and language, as I live here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism
Moderate: Abortion and Fire/Fire injury
kbergsten's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, and Grief
teamoxfordcomma's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Wow. Wowowowow. I am so glad I decided to pick this one up.
Calling all word/language lovers – this spellbinding historical fiction debut has gorgeous writing, dynamic characters, and a memorable storyline. Based on the true events of creating the Oxford English Dictionary, this is an empowering novel that will forever make you ponder our words and how they came to be.
I was moved by this story in profound ways. It made me smile, cry, hope, dream, and mourn. Really, I can't say enough good things about the writing, the characters, or the richly researched details. Esme's passion for words is something many of us can relate to, but given her historical context, it's even more remarkable. I was entranced while reading, and I now want to flip to the beginning and read again, this time with a highlighter and pen in hand to mark my favorite quotations. Moments of deep academic thought were paired so nicely with snippets of tenderness. Gareth and Da were my two favorite supporting characters, though I do love Ditte and Lizzie as well... Carefully and masterfully developed scenes, characters, and timelines make this book one hell of a read.
How we define language defines us, and this novel is a glittering example of how important that task really is. I cannot reccomend it enough. (Selected as my May '21 staff pick.)
Calling all word/language lovers – this spellbinding historical fiction debut has gorgeous writing, dynamic characters, and a memorable storyline. Based on the true events of creating the Oxford English Dictionary, this is an empowering novel that will forever make you ponder our words and how they came to be.
I was moved by this story in profound ways. It made me smile, cry, hope, dream, and mourn. Really, I can't say enough good things about the writing, the characters, or the richly researched details. Esme's passion for words is something many of us can relate to, but given her historical context, it's even more remarkable. I was entranced while reading, and I now want to flip to the beginning and read again, this time with a highlighter and pen in hand to mark my favorite quotations. Moments of deep academic thought were paired so nicely with snippets of tenderness. Gareth and Da were my two favorite supporting characters, though I do love Ditte and Lizzie as well... Carefully and masterfully developed scenes, characters, and timelines make this book one hell of a read.
How we define language defines us, and this novel is a glittering example of how important that task really is. I cannot reccomend it enough. (Selected as my May '21 staff pick.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Pregnancy
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape
TWs were handled with care and tact – listed here moreso as courtesy than concern of their negligence.
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