Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

15 reviews

onegirlandtheworld's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book! Quite possibly my favourite book of the year and definitely my favourite book club book so far. I loved getting to know Esme and her story and how it intertwined with the words and their meanings. I also liked how it was anchored in reality but those things didn't overshadow the main story arc.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, and War

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.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, and War

Moderate: Body horror, Sexism, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism

Minor: Abortion, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicidal thoughts

Additional note: there is extensive discussion of

a child being given up to another family at birth

that recurs through the book. On the grief CW: I cannot overstate how important it is that you take note of this tag. It recurs throughout the book and compounds on itself. On the mental illness CW: mentions of depression, very brief mention of suicidal plan, mentions of war related PTSD. On the body horror CW: once again war related injuries, mentions of both healed and fresh burn injuries (healed are mentioned more).

innerweststreetlibrarian'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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Pregnancy, and War

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death of parent, Abortion, Injury/Injury detail, Terminal illness, Violence, Mental illness, and Sexism

Minor: Misogyny and Infertility

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

carolynhm's review against another edition

emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, and Sexism

Minor: Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Suicidal thoughts