Reviews tagging 'Child death'

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

6 reviews

zombiezami's review against another edition

emotional funny informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.75

Truly beautiful and informative. Knocking off .25 stars because there were some threads of the narrative that felt a bit tacked on, from which I would have appreciated greater continuity. For example, I kept forgetting about

the protagonist's daughter because we would only be reminded of her every few chapters.

By contrast, in The Book Eaters, a book that felt very similar to this one thematically, you never forgot

that the protagonist had a daughter who was taken away from her.

It was a big, emotional plot point.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Grief, War, Death, Gore, Police brutality, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Medical content, and Confinement

Minor: Slavery, Abortion, Child death, Infertility, Mental illness, Colonisation, and Rape

thumbeleia's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Car accident, Classism, Terminal illness, War, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Xenophobia

Moderate: Confinement, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, and Child death

Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual content

lenchen25's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Pregnancy, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Abortion, War, Violence, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage

mattiedancer's review against another edition

hopeful sad 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? Yes

5.0

Writing: 5⭐️/5 

Genuinely some of the most beautiful writing I’ve read in a bit. Part of the reason the writing felt so gorgeous was definitely the focus on words and their definitions, and yet a lot of the writing was thoroughly developed in a way that did much to show without telling. While being slow-paced, I never felt bored or confused. 

Characters: 5⭐️/5

While I didn’t love every character, they all felt real. People who annoyed our MC, Esme, weren’t forced to annoy us in contrived ways. Instead, their characters grated against hers in a natural way. Characters who our MC loved were given consistent personalities and were thrown into situations in which they were required to react. 

Plot: 5⭐️/5 

It’s a simple story: a young girl grows up watching her father help build the dictionary and chooses that life for herself. And yet, the depth in which Williams is able to apply other themes and subplots into such a simple story is masterfully done. The inclusion of the rise of feminism, the faults of new movements, the coming-of-age aspects from a woman’s perspective, and the harsh realities of life and death were adeptly handled.  

Post-Reading Rating:  5⭐️/5

Oh, how sad and wonderful. 

Who Should Read This? 

• Fans of historical fiction
• Word-lovers and feminists
• Those looking for a slow coming-of-age story that evolves into a story about life in general

CW: Pregnancy, adoption, death, war, violence, trauma, abuse, misogyny, classism 

Final Rating: 5⭐️/5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Bullying, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Violence, Sexism, Death of parent, Child death, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Blood, Misogyny, Classism, and Abortion

Moderate: Car accident, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Self harm

emmafishhh's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective relaxing slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I thought that this book was pretty good! At times, it was a bit slower that I would usually read, but I really enjoyed the overall themes and messages throughout. The ideas of the suffrage movement and including those words in the dictionary felt very empowering, however it sometimes felt unenthusiastic and too slow. Definitely a great read if you’re into historical and contemporary novels. It could have been better or the storyline could have been more developed, but was overall a pretty good read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Child death, War, and Slavery

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?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Confinement, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexism, and War

Moderate: Abortion, Sexual harassment, and Miscarriage

Minor: Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Colonisation, Child death, Chronic illness, and Car accident