Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams

15 reviews

joshuamartinsen's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-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? No

5.0

This book is PERFECT. It does exactly what it says in the blurb, but so much more. The author is SO intentional about which words are used and when- carefully choosing which details of the protagonists life to gloss over and which to explore in painstaking detail based on their significance to her at each point in her life. The use of time skips was so thoughtful, and i found they always fast-tracked me to exactly where I wanted to be. Can’t recommend this book enough, and the attention to detail and care that the author put into it is obvious in every word, paragraph, page, and chapter. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Fire/Fire injury, and War

Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Classism, Cursing, and Death

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Blood, Child abuse, and Police brutality

katekatiekait's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Misogyny, Violence, Grief, Sexism, and War

Minor: Abortion, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Medical content

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

balfies's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring sad fast-paced

• 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

Beautiful account of women and their relationships, as well as an interesting fictionalised account of the first Oxford dictionary's composition. I wept openly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Sexism, Grief, Death of parent, Abortion, and Death

Moderate: Sexual content and War

Minor: Blood

oliviashleigh's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death

Minor: Cursing, Excrement, Blood, and Sexual content