Reviews with content warning for Medical content - The Dictionary of Lost Words

Reviews tagging 'Medical content'

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

19 reviews

katekatiekait's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

2.0

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laurenleigh's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

One of my favorite reads in a long time! This felt so relevant to me right now. The creation of the Oxford English Dictionary is fascinating to me on its own, but I loved exploring that through the lens of class and gender politics. Language is yet another bastion of the patriarchy, and it’s so important to constantly consider how it affects our thinking, in terms of power dynamics. I could have done with less of the depressing aspects of Esme’s life, but I get that being a woman at the turn of the century was hard. My favorite part was when Edith writes a letter to Esme about woman’s suffrage. It was extremely timely, and I feel like I need to buy this book in print just so I can reference that section again and again. Great narrator too!

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mo_loves_books's review against another edition

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challenging emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-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? It's complicated

4.75

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molly16's review against another edition

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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.

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sagebrush_'s review against another edition

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informative slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

I’m glad I read this book. It made me reflect on the massive undertaking of creating the first Oxford dictionary. I loved the descriptions of the work environment.

I liked the beginning of the book and thought it might become a new favorite. Esme’s analysis of the root meaning of words was enjoyable to me.

Then the middle of the book started and I found myself drifting. I had to reread the same page multiple times because my mind was wandering. I don’t mind slow paced books. In fact, I love them, but I need to be attached to the characters.

I never felt attached to Esme. I was far more interested in some of the supporting characters. This book was supposed to tug on the heartstrings, but I felt apathetic to most (not all) of what happened.

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leahrosiee's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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mel_s_bookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional informative inspiring relaxing slow-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? N/A

5.0

This is probably the most wonderfully unique story that I have ever read.

It is the story of a dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary to be precise. In its first publication, the Oxford English Dictionary was discovered to be missing a word; Bondmaid. This is the story of how that word came to be missing. It is the story of Esme Nicoll, the young girl who spends her childhood hiding beneath the sorting table of the Scriptorium, where a team of lexicographers are working on gathering and defining words for the dictionary. Over time, Esme beings to learn that certain words are deemed more important than others, a notion to which she finds she disagrees. So, she begins to gather words herself, words deemed ‘unimportant’, mostly from working class women, whom would otherwise not be heard. Words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Esme’s story had me captivated from the beginning. This was in part due to how beautifully it was written – it was a very slow-paced book, but it was so rich in detail, of characters, setting, history and feeling, that I did not once feel bored. I listened to this mostly on audiobook, in small sized pieces over a few weeks, and honestly, I didn’t want it to end. It began to feel like a place of comfort I could turn to every night, so much so I almost want to just listen to it all over again.

The other reason this story had me so captivated is more personal. I am a huge lover of words – reading them, discussing them, puzzling with them, and writing them. I share this love with my late Grandfather, who was an avid reader, always choosing a book over the television. He also wrote poetry, loved the daily crossword puzzle, and his own dictionary was never far away.

His dictionary is now in my possession, and so of course I had to check – it is indeed an Oxford English Dictionary and just to make sure, I looked, and yes, the word bondmaid is now definitely in there!

If you too are a lover of words, then make sure to give this a read (or listen – the narration was beautiful and captivating)

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ntvenessa's review against another edition

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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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aseel_reads's review against another edition

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hopeful reflective 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? Yes

4.0

really enjoyed learning about how the Oxford English dictionary was created!! I liked how the book interwined with the British suffragette movement and world war one. I also liked the intersection of class and gender. I do wish there was more race and gender, besides the bit in the epilogue. I liked Esme, I thought she was a well established character and I liked her arc.

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