aikanami's review against another edition
3.5
in spite of this, i am glad i saw it through to the end. i very much enjoyed learning about the dictionary and how in the exclusion of women throughout history, its early creation process was no exception. the characters are very real— esme's personality and ideals made her character easy to agree and sympathize with. i also grew especially fond of her and lizzie's relationship.
somewhat tedious but, for what it imparts, worth it.
Graphic: War and Death
Moderate: Misogyny
purplepenning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Sexism, War, and Classism
Moderate: Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Blood, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol, Child abuse, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Cursing, and Forced institutionalization
katievallin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Grief, Cursing, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Pregnancy, War, Classism, Death, Death of parent, and Violence
Minor: Abortion, Alcohol, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Blood, Car accident, Infertility, Medical content, Body shaming, and Sexual content
theinkwyrm's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Mental illness, Misogyny, War, and Pregnancy
Minor: Classism, Grief, and Death
gondorgirl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Moderate: Alcohol, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Death, Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, War, Classism, Medical content, Misogyny, and Pregnancy
gabbygarcia's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexism
Minor: War, Injury/Injury detail, and Vomit
aubw's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: War, Death of parent, Sexism, and Misogyny
Moderate: Death
carlytenille's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
acebooknerd_07's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Sexism, War, Death, and Mental illness
jodar's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
I enjoyed the gentle, loving daughter–father relationship, the friendships the MC Esme has with her aunts and her ‘bondmaid’, and the ways in which Esme gradually learns more about the world and herself as she grows from childhood to adulthood. I’d never say no to nerdish lexicography, either!
Confronting are overarching themes of absence – the absence of significant people, the denial of just recognition and rights – and profound loss – of loved ones and even mental capacity to cope. Confronting, yes, but with a feeling of truth in the lives lived at that time.
The attitudes of many of the characters, however, feel a bit anachronistic, more those of the liberal intelligentsia of the late 20th or early 21st century than those of the middle class of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. The ending too feels forced, trying to draw a connection between the lexicographical efforts of 100 years or more ago in the U.K. and the efforts of the writer’s modern-day Australia to restore a healthy relationship with Aboriginal peoples.
By the end I think we are supposed to feel comforted by the progress humanity can achieve between the sexes, social classes and ethnic groups through the endeavours of individuals of honest goodwill. But what I came away from the novel with was loss, sadness and the ultimate emptiness of human striving alone.
Graphic: War, Medical trauma, and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, Death, and Misogyny