The Dictionary of Lost Words is an insightful tale blending historical figures and timelines with a fictional story. Spanning a century the story covers the life of Esme, a motherless daughter who spends her childhood in her Father’s place of business, learning the ways of the world from a unique perspective. Considering the simple framework it’s truly astounding how many important topics are covered during the course of the novel –the effects of Wold War 2, the documentation of the English language, women’s suffrage, changing social norms, love, abortion and a number of life experiences a mid-1900s woman might experience growing up.
I’ll endeavour to keep this review as “spoiler free” as I can because I believe it to be a story best discovered raw. In broad strokes though, the story begins with Esme as a small child sitting beneath her Father’s desk while a team of lexicographers compile the first Oxford English Dictionary. A curious child, she starts recovering slips of paper with words either forgotten or not deemed suitable for the dictionary and using them to learn about the world. Her Father’s encouragement of her curiosity and desire to learn contradicts the social standards of the time and it’s interesting to see how these childhood experiences help shape the woman she grows up to be. Esme’s curiosity is a crucial feature of her personality – not just for her character development but as a means of letting us (the readers) share her experiences as something new.
After some time collecting slips in the scriptorium Esme discovers a love of words – but also realises that some words are deemed more important than others. What makes this word suitable for the dictionary but not that? Her curiosity leads her to discover new and unused words, regardless of whether they be vulgar, archaic or just too “common” to be part of the official records. She stores these in a hidden chest she lovingly calls her “Dictionary of Lost Words”. In writing this novel Pip Williams didn’t shy away from using vulgarities as required by the story. I don’t normally refer to other people’s opinions in my reviews but I was surprised at the number of readers who thought the story would be better with the “filth” of such words – but I strongly disagree. Esme’s discovery of vulgar words and her desire to categorise them correctly (like the men at the Dictionary do) leads her to uncover an entire subtext of the English language – something not officially spoken about or recognised, but an essential part of daily life.
Much of this language relates to the language of the “common” women of the time. It’s via this discovery that we are introduced to the underlying issue relating to women growing up in a world controlled by men. One thing I really liked about this book was that Pip Williams doesn’t, at any point, make this point by vilifying men or romanticising women. It feels very impartial and gives equal weight to all sides, allowing the reader to get a fair picture of the time without unnecessary drama or a hidden agenda. This is done very subtly and in the context of how it affects Esme’s life – at no point did I feel it was getting bogged down in unnecessary detail or straying from the story for a “soap box lecture”.
This even-handed and subtle approach was most apparent in how the author deals with the rise of the women’s suffrage movement before the Great War. From Esme’s perspective we get to see all sides of that movement and the impact each had on society at the time (both good and bad). Whether it be the rebellious anarchists, those who worked in the background or even those who liked things the way they were – Esme is exposed to it all without it turning her story into one about woman’s suffrage. The same can be said for the Great War. We learn about the parts pertinent to Esme’s life but it never overrides her story and becomes a book about the events. Above all else this is the store about Esme’s discovery of the world and all the heartaches and joys it can bring.
One last thing I want to mention is the emotional impact this novel had on me. They say that a good story has the ability to draw you in and feel like you’re part of the experience – and The Dictionary of Lost Words is no exception – in fact it achieved this more than any other book has for me in a long time. I felt hope, happiness, sadness, and fear – in fact, there was one particular chapter where the emotions of what Esme was dealing with felt so accurate I was actually in tears while reading on a smoke break at work! I won’t say which bit but I’m a Dad of four so, for those of you who have read it, that probably gives it away. The Dictionary of Lost Words is a fictional story set around real world events and people of the time which is incredibly insightful, perfectly written, and moving. I think it’s a truly exceptional novel and give it 10 out of 10 rating units.