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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Everything I've ever wanted in a novel
Absolutely stunning. The voice that Pip gives to women in history is unparalleled. Their stories and struggles and strength. I love that Peggy persisted and didnt fold to pressures to get married.
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
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
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
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:
Yes
Five stars. I’d give it more if I could, but alas, five is where the system stops, so that is all I can give it.
I laughed, I cried, I felt all the emotions. The Bookbinder of Jericho is a roller coaster in the best ways possible, and I wanted to go back and experience it all again.
This book was essentially a love letter to reading and books. I related to heavily to Peggy, to her desires and her ambitions and her choices. She wants to read, to learn, to better herself and her life. She wants to be a sister to Maude, a friend to many other women. She wants to help, and she does. She wants so much from life, more than she thinks she can have, and so she shrinks herself to what she thinks she deserves.
I loved the relationships between women and the way they were addressed and represented. Williams does an amazing job at showing what life was like for the women in England without making her work seem cliched and a standard historical fiction novel.
Bookbinder showed what the publishing industry was like in the early 1900s, what it was like for the bindery girls working while the men were away at war. It mentioned women moving into the munitions factories (Aggie), showed them volunteering at war hospitals (Gwen in England, Tilda in France), caring for the sick during an influenza outbreak (Maude and Lotte), taking in refugees from shattered countries, showed them hoping for a world in the future where they could study, and graduate with a degree, and change the world with their votes. The women were shown to be leading full lives, with hopes and dreams and plans and loves and quirks all of their own.
And Maude especially. I think a lot of people might not understand Maude, but I did and I loved her, and I resonated with elements of her character, too. I don’t want to say more, I want you to discover her for yourselves.
But it’s not only her female characters who were fabulously portrayed. Despite them not being on the page as much, I absolutely fell in love with Gareth Owen, with Jack Rowntree, and with Bastiaan. Don’t get me started on Bastiaan.
Bookbinder showed people who were hurting, people who were trying to live beyond the hurt, knowing that things would never be the same again. I loved Bastiaan’s way of letting go of the hurts of the past, and I sympathised with Lotte’s inability to do so.
And don’t get me started on the many small links to The Dictionary of Lost Words (my favourite book of 2020) - I loved every small reminder of the book that came before, and I’m looking forward to whatever Pip Williams comes out with next!
The Bookbinder of Jericho is well on it’s way to being my favourite book of 2023!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital advanced copy of this book! My apologies for not reading it before the publication date, but thank you nonetheless! I will be buying myself a copy of this book at the very first chance I get!
I laughed, I cried, I felt all the emotions. The Bookbinder of Jericho is a roller coaster in the best ways possible, and I wanted to go back and experience it all again.
This book was essentially a love letter to reading and books. I related to heavily to Peggy, to her desires and her ambitions and her choices. She wants to read, to learn, to better herself and her life. She wants to be a sister to Maude, a friend to many other women. She wants to help, and she does. She wants so much from life, more than she thinks she can have, and so she shrinks herself to what she thinks she deserves.
I loved the relationships between women and the way they were addressed and represented. Williams does an amazing job at showing what life was like for the women in England without making her work seem cliched and a standard historical fiction novel.
Bookbinder showed what the publishing industry was like in the early 1900s, what it was like for the bindery girls working while the men were away at war. It mentioned women moving into the munitions factories (Aggie), showed them volunteering at war hospitals (Gwen in England, Tilda in France), caring for the sick during an influenza outbreak (Maude and Lotte), taking in refugees from shattered countries, showed them hoping for a world in the future where they could study, and graduate with a degree, and change the world with their votes. The women were shown to be leading full lives, with hopes and dreams and plans and loves and quirks all of their own.
And Maude especially. I think a lot of people might not understand Maude, but I did and I loved her, and I resonated with elements of her character, too. I don’t want to say more, I want you to discover her for yourselves.
But it’s not only her female characters who were fabulously portrayed. Despite them not being on the page as much, I absolutely fell in love with Gareth Owen, with Jack Rowntree, and with Bastiaan. Don’t get me started on Bastiaan.
Bookbinder showed people who were hurting, people who were trying to live beyond the hurt, knowing that things would never be the same again. I loved Bastiaan’s way of letting go of the hurts of the past, and I sympathised with Lotte’s inability to do so.
And don’t get me started on the many small links to The Dictionary of Lost Words (my favourite book of 2020) - I loved every small reminder of the book that came before, and I’m looking forward to whatever Pip Williams comes out with next!
The Bookbinder of Jericho is well on it’s way to being my favourite book of 2023!
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for a digital advanced copy of this book! My apologies for not reading it before the publication date, but thank you nonetheless! I will be buying myself a copy of this book at the very first chance I get!
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
3.5 in the midst of WW1, women's roles started to change. Women's rights were being fought for while men were fighting. In from England, the aristocracy was strained. It also spoke to mental health and immigration.
I adore historical fiction, it was my first favorite genre. I liked the concept of this story, but at times it felt tedious. It was a 13.5 hour long audiobook and I didn't feel like the story needed that much time considering how little actually happened.
The Bookbinder is set in Oxford, England 1914, WWI. Twin sisters Peggy and Maude work at the Oxford University Press cutting, folding, sewing, etc. Peggy has always dreamed of more, a higher education. Unfortunately, when her mother died she felt obligated to stay and take care of Maude, who is 'challenged'. Soon war refugees from Belgium start arriving and Peggy volunteers to read to wounded soldiers. She soon falls in love with one. But nothing happens. The plot was a bit lack luster to me.
The story is told from Peggy's POV but I had a hard time connecting with her. I didn't dislike her, I felt more indifference towards her. I personally was hoping for more growth and change. The story told a good message and the details about book binding and life at that time was interesting. However, overall the story was ok.
The Bookbinder is set in Oxford, England 1914, WWI. Twin sisters Peggy and Maude work at the Oxford University Press cutting, folding, sewing, etc. Peggy has always dreamed of more, a higher education. Unfortunately, when her mother died she felt obligated to stay and take care of Maude, who is 'challenged'. Soon war refugees from Belgium start arriving and Peggy volunteers to read to wounded soldiers. She soon falls in love with one. But nothing happens. The plot was a bit lack luster to me.
The story is told from Peggy's POV but I had a hard time connecting with her. I didn't dislike her, I felt more indifference towards her. I personally was hoping for more growth and change. The story told a good message and the details about book binding and life at that time was interesting. However, overall the story was ok.