Esme is raised by her father who is a lexicographer working on creating the first Oxford English Dictionary. The story follows her life as she grows up, spending her childhood in the ‘Scriptorium’ where her father and his colleagues work and she rescues words ‘lost’ in the room; to her adult life working alongside her father, although not quite an equal due to her sex. As she grows, she realises that the dictionary is, essentially, sexist and she becomes involved with the women’s sufferage.

A beautifully written book, I enjoyed Esme’s journey of discovery, speaking with the poor and working class, especially the women, collecting words from them which will never be included in the dictionary. I never even considered how sexist books of knowledge would be, written by and for men and excluded the knowledge and experiences of women.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review..

The Dictionary Of Lost Words by Pip Williams, Pub Date 15/4/2021
This book accompanies Esme from a child into adulthood, from the late 19th entering into the 20th century.
Esme is a young child living in England during significant social change. In 1857 Dr James Murray, a resident of Oxford and a great believer in the English language and words, was asked to produce a New English Dictionary. Esme's father, a lexicographer, is one of the academic scholars working with Dr Murray. Esme's mother has passed, so she spends her childhood playing beneath the sorting table at the Scriptorium; as a rejected word on a slip of paper falls to the floor, Esme would pocket it. As she grew, Esme recognises that many words are missing from the dictionary. They had been rejected because they didn't fit with the upper class's experiences, white, Victorian men's language and were considered inappropriate, irrelevant, or localisms. Many of these words are said by working women, and many are crude or even shocking. Esme decides to create her own secret dictionary of 'lost' words in response to this inequality.
A well-written, well researched emotional story that combines real characters with fictional ones. I will be happy to recommend it.
I want to thank NetGalley, Random House, UK Vintage and author Pip Williams for a pre-publication copy to review.

The longer it is since finishing 'The Dictionary of Lost Words' the more powerful a book I find it. The style is slow in pace focusing more on daily details; it follows the life of Esme, a small child to begin with, hiding under the table, to a young women searching for meaning in life and trying to find her place in the world. The almost biographical style of the story perfectly captures the society pressures of Edwardian life and the daily grind of living, while also shining a light on the everyday experience of historical events, such as the suffragette movement and the Great War.

I especially loved how Williams has delved into the hidden histories of the women from this era, sought them out and shared thier voices and stories with the world. This narrative, alongside that of the creation of the first dictionary, made for a fascinating and engaging narrative that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, feminist writings and intricate, detailed and emotional writing. I have found myself looking up words and thier meanings in the dictionary far more than I used to and also have a whole new respect for the work that went into it's creation. At times, desperately sad, but a heartfelt and beautiful book.

Always been a fan of historical fiction. Loved reading this book. A true journey into World War II fiction indeed. If you are up for a heartbreak, go for it.

Part fact and part fiction this enthralling story brings the characters to life and gives the words in the dictionaries a new audience.
Esme’s young life was spent under the table whilst her father helped to collate the first Oxford English Dictionary. As Esme grows up she realises that certain words relating to females are not included in the dictionary. Set against the horrors of the First World War and the Suffragette movement this novel entertains and educates and is highly recommended.

Five stars for a book that blew my breath away: beautifully written, an impressive story - one that is still very topical, alas. The Dictionary of Lost Words deserves to be on my books-that-matter shelf.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

A well-researched novel though it lacked any strong connection with the characters for me. It was great to see that the author had worked so closely with the current OED team and archivists to create a strong factual base for a fictional story.

What an extraordinary novel! Pip Williams's The Dictionary of Lost Words follows Esme, from a little curious girl hiding under her father's desk at the Scriptorium where men are working on the dictionary's first entries in the late 19th century, to a young girl discovering the world and more words, and then into her adulthood. We see Esme's life and her work on the dictionary for years and hence witness the arrival of the 20th century, the fight for women's right to vote, World War I and the post-war years, too. Esme's story is complex. There are many words, but also much of love, pain, loss, friendship. I grew fond of Esme and other characters - Esme's father, Ditte, Gareth and, of course, Lizzie.

This novel is well-researched and informative and as the author says in the afterword, the facts and timelines are accurate and most of the characters are based on real people. To me, it makes it even more excellent and special a read. I love words and languages, but I had no idea how much work went into creating the first Oxford English Dictionary. The Dictionary of Lost Words is a great and important book. It explores how words meant different things to men and women, to people from different backgrounds, and how women - and words - were omitted from history for years.

The ending pretty much left me lost for words and I almost cried. The Dictionary of Lost Words turned out to be so much more than I expected when I first heard about it and knew I needed to read it. Thank you ever so much to Random House UK, Vintage and NetGalley for this ARC.

This novel tells the story of the compilation of words for the Oxford English Dictionary from the perspective of Esme, the daughter of one of the compilers. Esme spends her time under the table of the lexicographers (men), when she is young, and finds discarded words relating to women, which she starts to hoard in a trunk under a bed.
The novel follows the life of Esme as she grows up, the words that she collects, and the women in her life. We are introduced to the maid in her and her father's home, her aunts, an actress that introduces her to the suffragette movement, an old woman who sells bits and pieces at a market stall , all from a different section of society, and all have their own words which Esme adds to her collection.
It becomes clear that women have very little in the way of a voice, and I found it interesting that Esme spends her time under the table and keeps her words under the bed, representative of how women were expected to behave at that time.
The words Esme collects led me to contemplate how women are viewed in society, both at that time and even now, which was thought provoking.
I enjoyed this novel and the idea was fascinating, but there was something missing for me. I wasn't as affected by the story as much as I was expecting...it felt too gentle, somehow, which is the only word I can use to explain my feelings towards it.
Definitely worth reading, though.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a prepublished copy in return for an honest review.

I adore this book. It’s such a moving story that Esme has been given and the facts and history of the OED entwined with lovable characters and feminist/suffragist ideas makes for a great book. I got really invested in Esmés life, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of Oxford that the book managed to conjure up! It was both enlightening as well as entertaining, and that’s what makes a good book.

Beautifully written but rather slow. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for it. But it definitely has an audience! It just wasn't for me.

An enjoyable and interesting reflection on the significance of language, particularly words relating to women. The author cleverly weaves historical fact relating to the O.E.D with fiction to create a satisfying story. My only criticism is that at times, by virtue of its subject it did feel a bit like a textbook

Thank you to netgalley and random house for an advance copy of this book.

What a wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this quite a slow and gentle book. Based in part on the true story of how the Oxford English Dictionary came into being. The story is about a fictional character growing up with the Scriptorium, a place where the words are researched and definitions agreed upon.. It covers some important historical events too. The author has done a great deal of work in researching the words omitted (mainly female oriented) from the first folios.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this book.

A woman’s voice that shines above the male dominated world of the times. Esme shines like the brightest star. A lovely tale set amongst the very real world of the compilation of the English Dictionary and provides us with a chance to collate, feel and define words just as Esme did. This passion for words consumes Esme from the very beginning and lasts all the way through her life.
I feel this is a book of two parts, the latter part gallops towards its conclusion, and what a tear jerker of a conclusion it is, whilst the earlier part of the book travels at a much slower pace, maybe to give the due reverence to all those beautiful words.
This is a well written and well researched book which brings the English language to life in a most charming manner.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random House UK/ Chatto & Windus for approving me for an ARC of this book. I read this as a buddy read with my good friends Meg Readz and Clare. As lover of anything related to WW1/ WW2 or the women’s suffragette movement this book was right up our street!

The story follows Esme, a six year old, raised by her father who works in the Oxford scriptorium. Whilst the workers are busy compiling the English dictionary Esme is busy hiding beneath the desk taking unwanted words, such as bondmaid, and keeping them hidden. Over time we follow Esme’s journey as she becomes a young woman and faces life’s challenges. Through the entire book Esme continues to collect the unwanted words from an array of sources.

I loved learning about the work in the scriptorium and hadn’t quite realised how much work went into a dictionary and when the war hit you could see why it took so long. It was interesting to see which words ended up in Esme’s possession and I loved Mabel’s candid additions. Mabel was a little rough around the edges but she had a naughty candid side to her that often made me smile. Her friendship with Esme was unusual but gave a completely different side to the dictionary that I don’t think Esme would of found elsewhere.

Lizzie was another great friend for Esme. As the story went on my admiration for her grew and grew, particularly when they spent some time together in Shropshire. Lizzie was someone who knew her place in the world and had fully accepted her role in society but she wasn’t bitter about it. Instead she took on a motherly role towards Esme and helped guide her at times when she didn’t know what to do. The way Lizzie defined the word bondmaid was the most beautiful description in the dictionary.

Esme was a brilliant protagonist. She had a hard childhood and her agony didn’t end there but she never let it beat her. She had a way of looking at the world from a different perspective and learnt early on that she didn’t have to be the loudest voice in the room to be heard. She was determined in her actions and kind with her words but wasn’t always sure which path to take. In a time when the suffragette movement was growing she could of taken any direction but I’m glad she chose the route she did.

There were a few stand out male characters in this read, Harry and Gareth. These two men became an integral part of Esme’s story; the one who raised her and gave her the freedom and independence she deserved, the other brought her dream to a reality in the most touching way possible. Lastly we have Ditte and Meg who broke my heart! Whilst they weren’t always at the for front of the story the both had incredible roles. Meg’s chapters in particular made me well up and her final speech at the end was incredibly moving.

Going into this book I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the story but what I got was a beautiful tale of loss, discovery and the power of a quiet voice! It’s a book that doesn’t shout with drama or hidden secrets but stirs emotion and gives life to the unheard voices of that time. With her magical weaving of fact and fiction Pip Williams has created a masterpiece that will resonate with so many of its readers.

As someone who works with dictionaries in Oxford, I may be somewhat biased, but I loved this book from start to finish. It was a glorious combination of words, growing up, friendship, love, feminism and so much more. I was fully immersed in Esme’s life and came to love her as much as Lizzie did! I sped through the book, but now wish I’d savoured it more. It truly is a beautiful delight of a book and communicates the importance of words and their meanings perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book, brilliantly simple, knowledgeable and a true historical gem. Recommended.

Language is my daily work - as an editor and translator I have a keen interest in it’s use in different contexts. So naturally a book about words is exactly what I would want to read. The Dictionary of Lost Words is not only the story of it’s main protagonist Esme, but also of the Oxford English Dictionary.

This monumental work was collected and published between 1884 and 1928 by a number of editors and volunteers. (Side note: This was much faster than the Deutsches Wörterbuch, also known as Grimm’s dictionary - started by the Brothers Grimm - yes, THE Brothers Grimm - in 1838 and the final publication of the first edition in 1961).

Pip Williams put a lot of research work into her novel, it shows at every corner and makes for a fascinating background for Esme’s story. Choosing a female main character is a good choice and gives room to a number of topics that are loosely connected with the OED. Esme spends her early childhood under the sorting table of the Scriptorium and falls in love with words and language. It is the word “bondsmaid” that starts it all. We follow Esme’s life path from her childhood, her education and her interest in themes like women’s right, suffrage and words which are not fit for the OED in the eyes of the editors.

The pacing was a bit of a problem for me. The first half of the novel seems to be endless, there is so much detail that the story seems to come to a complete halt at times. Only in the second half it gains momentum again, but then rushes to an end rather unceremonial, not to say sloppy. I wish the author would have followed through to the end with her mode of storytelling.

All in all this novel still is an interesting read not only for linguists or people with a high interest in language and words, but everyone who enjoys a good historical novel that spans almost a century.

Motherless Esme spends her formative years under the sorting table in a corrugated garden shed known as the Scriptorium where her insatiable curiosity fuels her lifelong obsession with the meaning of words. Forensic detail and historical references are intrinsic to The Dictionary of Lost Words but this book by Pip Williams is so much more. It’s also a slow burning love story, an insight into both the suffrage and suffragette movement and a woman’s place in society. Reading the acknowledgements reveals the author’s inspiration to write this book and somewhat counter intuitively I think this should be read before the book. The book’s purpose is to define the words included in the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language and show how the words have defined us - or more pointedly - how they defined men. The author uses the historical context of the editor, Dr James Murray, and his male team while interweaving women, both real and fictional. These women arguably played key roles from sourcing quotes to define the words, to those who facilitated the men’s everyday life as mothers and maids. The story depicts a fascinating insight into life and times of the Victorian era and World War I. The characters are well drawn, in particular Esme and Lizzie the maid. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.