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hannahrl's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.75
I liked this a lot but felt it had. A slow start that was harder to get into. Once the main character really become her own person I was way more interested. I really enjoyed how the book looked at time and Oxford and the dictionary almost as if they were characters themselves. Sometimes it felt like there were too many things happening at once, but not always in a bad way. It did make me cry more than once and before I even realized I cared about the story as much as I did. I also appreciated the various relationships and how the played off of each other. I had some mixed feelings about the end and don’t think I would’ve chosen those endings for those characters if I were the one writing, but I can see how they made some sense, too. Overall I thought it was a really good book that I’d recommend to someone whose interested in something a little slower paced. The concept is a really cool idea and I appreciated the author’s note on how she got to it.
Really appreciated the book club discussion around this book.
Really appreciated the book club discussion around this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility and Abortion
swaanderer's review against another edition
emotional
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? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War
Minor: Infertility
halfelfschollar's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
I am not unfamiliar with shedding a tear or 2 over a story, but it is rare for me to openly weep at the ending of a book. This is one of those times.
Reading Esme's story, from her youth to her adulthood, allowed an undeniable attachment to her character. Her insatiable curiosity and desire for knowledge are admirable traits that I see reflected in many of the people around me.
When the war started is when I found myself beginning to really feel the emotions become too much. Angus and Bertie, in particular, had me weeping more than once.
Author Pip Williams' questions mentioned in her author's not at the end are things I have often wondered myself. Being a lover of all things storytelling it's hard not to ponder the significance of the words we use and why we use them instead of others. I think it's a concept she explored and navigated beautifully within this book. The words of women being the focus I cannot imagine a better setting than that of England during the development of the first dictionary and the woman's suffrage movement. I also commend the inclusion of the critique that the movement did not encompass all women and that there are more ways to protest and support a movement than we often see in other depictions of women's suffrage.
Reading Esme's story, from her youth to her adulthood, allowed an undeniable attachment to her character. Her insatiable curiosity and desire for knowledge are admirable traits that I see reflected in many of the people around me.
When the war started is when I found myself beginning to really feel the emotions become too much. Angus and Bertie, in particular, had me weeping more than once.
Author Pip Williams' questions mentioned in her author's not at the end are things I have often wondered myself. Being a lover of all things storytelling it's hard not to ponder the significance of the words we use and why we use them instead of others. I think it's a concept she explored and navigated beautifully within this book. The words of women being the focus I cannot imagine a better setting than that of England during the development of the first dictionary and the woman's suffrage movement. I also commend the inclusion of the critique that the movement did not encompass all women and that there are more ways to protest and support a movement than we often see in other depictions of women's suffrage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, and Classism
molly16's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book was just incredible. It follows Esme's growth just as much as it follows the creation of the dictionary. It was heartbreakingly beautiful, shining light on the highest highs, the lowest lows, and everything in between. At times, Esme had so many words to describe what she was feeling and what was going on, she spoke in eloquent, winding sentences with alliteration that was second nature to her. At other times, there were no words. Not a single pigeon hole contained an adequate word. The dictionary failed to explain the depth of her emotion. And at times, it seemed the entirety of language failed her.
As someone who's felt some of the deep grief detailed in the book, it's as much an exploration of grief as it is an exploration of who decides what words are worth defining. Completely five out of five stars.
As someone who's felt some of the deep grief detailed in the book, it's as much an exploration of grief as it is an exploration of who decides what words are worth defining. Completely five out of five stars.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Death of parent, and War
Moderate: Body horror, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Hate crime, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
Additional note: there is extensive discussion ofinnerweststreetlibrarian'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.
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.
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?
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
alyssadavis's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
I realised that the words most often used to define us were words that described our function in relation to others. Even the most benign words- maiden, wife, mother - told the world whether we were virgins or not. What was the male equivalent of maiden? I could not think of it. What was the male equivalent of Mrs., of whore, of common scold?... Which words would define me? Which would be used to judge or contain?
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Misogyny, Death of parent, and War
Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage, Sexual content, Slavery, Violence, Abortion, and Pregnancy