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A review by thisnursereads
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
4.0
If you’re into historical fiction and feminism, this book is for you. It is a slow read, not much of a page turner but loved the story and characters. It’s a next to the fire or cuddled up in bed with a hot chocolate on a cold winter day kind of read.
It explores the creation of the oxford dictionary through the eyes of, at first, a young girl, and then, throughout a lifespan as the she ages and grows as the dictionary develops. I learned a lot about the history of the dictionary which I found interesting as I would never have researched this topic on my own.
The author does an excellent job of creating a story of this woman evolving under a patriarchal business but also world. She explores the characters discovery of how women fit in and/or are continually forced/left out of the importance of history and society. It gave me frequent flashbacks to my linguistic courses in college when we would speak about the power of words. Definite food for thought and that is what kept me coming back to the pages despite the slow feel to the story.
It explores the creation of the oxford dictionary through the eyes of, at first, a young girl, and then, throughout a lifespan as the she ages and grows as the dictionary develops. I learned a lot about the history of the dictionary which I found interesting as I would never have researched this topic on my own.
The author does an excellent job of creating a story of this woman evolving under a patriarchal business but also world. She explores the characters discovery of how women fit in and/or are continually forced/left out of the importance of history and society. It gave me frequent flashbacks to my linguistic courses in college when we would speak about the power of words. Definite food for thought and that is what kept me coming back to the pages despite the slow feel to the story.