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serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The Bookbinder of Jericho is a delightful novel, a companion to The Dictionary of Lost Words. The protagonist is Peggy, a young woman who has been working as an Oxford University Press bookbinder since she was 12 years old. Peggy is a fabulous character. Her love of books and reading, her thirst for learning, is so relatable and when she makes a concerted effort to achieve her dream and gain admission to Somerville College, Oxford I was rooting so hard for her to overcome the formidable odds and succeed.
Apart from Peggy and her educational ambitions there were so many other things to love about this novel.
Williams uses many different details to highlight the class system - the divide between “town” and “gown” in Oxford, the belief that family wealth signified worth and ability- which was one of the obstacles Peggy had to overcome.
The relationship between Peggy and her twin sister Maude was depicted beautifully and with a lot of nuance. Maude had autism and echolalia. Peggy felt very protective of Maude and responsible for her, especially after the death of their mother. Yet it became clear that Maude, despite needing some help, was more capable than Peggy realised, and that her overprotectiveness was holding them both back. I thought the way the author developed Maude’s echolalia, increasingly showing she used it to deliberately communicate, rather than simple mindless repetition, was very effective.
This story is set during World War I. Not only did it highlight the horrors of war, but also showed the changes it caused at home, particularly in terms of opening up opportunities across gender and class lines. Belgian and other war refugees arrived in Oxford, something I didn’t know before reading this book, and I found those storylines particularly interesting. Sadly the refugees weren’t always welcomed any more warmly than in the present day.
The love story between Peggy and Bastiaan was beautiful but I loved that Peggy didn’t sacrifice her ambitions for love.
There was a wonderful cast of richly drawn, memorable supporting characters. Tilda’s transformation from glamorous carefree actress to traumatised nurse was particularly effective.
I had a soft spot for Gwen with her larger than life, flamboyant personality, despite her upper class cluelessness and tact. And I loved the way Mrs Stoddard quietly encouraged Peggy.
The scenes of the women at work in the book bindery really came to life on the page. It was clear the author had conducted a lot of research but this knowledge was well incorporated into the story, rather than feeling like a non-fiction information dump.
So a satisfying story told well, one with great characters, a plot that was richly layered and well-researched with special appeal to book lovers. What more could I ask for? Well, as a bonus, Peggy and Maude lived on a canal boat, which happens to be a niche interest of mine.
Graphic: Ableism, Classism, Death, War, and Xenophobia
ninjamuse'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? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: War, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Misogyny, Death, and Sexism
Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Child death, and Xenophobia
macaronoui'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? N/A
4.25
Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Child death, War, Medical trauma, and Classism
thumbeleia's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Murder, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Addiction, Genocide, Alcoholism, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Classism, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Deportation, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Vomit, War, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Sexual content
pamela22'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? No
5.0
Despite the novel beginning and ending with the start and end I of WW1, it’s a tale of hope and one that I found to be more uplifting than despondent.
Another well-researched effort and it enhanced my understanding of this time period in England. I really like how Williams give voice to those who have been on the margins of history.
Graphic: Child death, Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual harassment, Grief, and War
mel_s_bookshelf'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
4.5
Graphic: Death, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death of parent, Classism, and Child death