Here’s what the rest of the QBD Books crew thought…
I read this magical novel from cover to cover in one night! Such a unique and empowering storyline with gorgeous, true characters, this book needs to be read and celebrated by many! Would highly recommend this book as a stand-alone novel to readers of all genres. – Chelsea, QBD Kawana
The perfect book for lovers of words and female empowerment. Set in England in the early 20th Century amid sweeping challenges in the political and cultural landscape, the central character, Esme, collects the words that are rejected from the first Oxford English Dictionary. A satisfying Christmas read! – Fiona, QBD Mt Ommaney
An enthralling, coming-of-age read for lovers of words and language. Esme’s page-turning story begins with her time as a young girl collecting misplaced words from the Oxford English Dictionary sorting table. It spans some fifty years, between Oxford and Adelaide, and will make you laugh, cry and hunt down your dusty copy of the OED. A fantastic reading experience. – Tiffany, QBD Strathpine
Anyone who loves reading knows there’s a certain type of magic to be found in words. This book is a celebration of that! It follows Esme, as she rescues all the words rejected by the first Oxford Dictionary. For just like history, the dictionary was written by the victors, and these rejected words all relate to women. An amazing book about the power of words, and voices being heard! – Alyssa, QBD Mt Druitt
The men who compiled the Oxford English Dictionary in a garden shed were pioneers. This is not their story though. The girl who sat under the bench while the men worked, this story is hers. It begins when a word floats down from above, sparked from her decision to keep it. This novel is for those who understand that the words we use are just as powerful as those we don’t. – Vanessa, Parramatta QBD
