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1 of 2 copies available
“Williams spins an immersive and compelling tale, sweeping us back to the Oxford she painted so expertly in The Dictionary of Lost Words.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
It is 1914, and as the war draws the young men of Britain away to fight, women must keep the nation running. Two of those women are Peggy and Maude, twin sisters who live on a narrow boat in Oxford and work in the bindery at the university press.
Ambitious, intelligent Peggy has been told for most of her life that her job is to bind the books, not read them—but as she folds and gathers pages, her mind wanders to the opposite side of Walton Street, where the female students of Oxford’s Somerville College have a whole library at their fingertips. Maude, meanwhile, wants nothing more than what she has: to spend her days folding the pages of books in the company of the other bindery girls. She is extraordinary but vulnerable, and Peggy feels compelled to watch over her.
Then refugees arrive from the war-torn cities of Belgium, sending ripples through the Oxford community and the sisters’ lives. Peggy begins to see the possibility of another future where she can educate herself and use her intellect, not just her hands. But as war and illness reshape her world, her love for a Belgian soldier—and the responsibility that comes with it—threaten to hold her back.
The Bookbinder is a story about knowledge—who creates it, who can access it, and what truths get lost in the process. Much as she did in the international bestseller The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams thoughtfully explores another rarely seen slice of history through women’s eyes.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 25, 2023 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593787199
- File size: 392463 KB
- Duration: 13:37:37
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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June 26, 2023
Williams returns (after The Dictionary of Lost Words) with a moving coming-of-age historical set in England during WWI. Peggy Jones, 21, works in the bindery at Oxford University Press, where she reads tantalizing snatches of Shakespeare and Homer while folding, gathering, and sewing together the pages. When war refugees arrive in Oxford from Belgium, Peggy befriends Lotte, a former librarian from Louvain, who joins her at the bindery. While reading and writing letters for wounded soldiers being cared for on the campus, Peggy gets to know a handsome Belgian named Bastiaan, and they fall in love. Meanwhile, an entitled student and a sympathetic college librarian encourage Peggy to prepare for and take the rigorous Somerville College admission exam, and her supervisor helps her see that her twin sister, Maude, who has a developmental disability, will thrive if afforded more independence, which in turn frees Peggy to pursue a more fulfilling life for herself. Authentic period details and intriguing glimpses into the bookbinding process add to Williams’s portrayal of resilient women. This would make a riveting costume drama for the large or small screen. Agent: Linda Kaplan, DeFiore & Co. -
Annabelle Tudor so completely inhabits the English characters at the center of this engrossing tale of gender, class, and war that it's a bit of a shock to hear her deliver the author's note in her native Australian accent. Peggy and Maude are bookbinders at Oxford University Press. Peggy's intellectual curiosity is discernible in her voice; she chafes at the reminder that her job is to bind the books, not read them. Maude, who is neurodivergent, has a knack for parroting the core words of every conversation. Tudor rounds her vowels for upper-class female students, assumes a world-weary deadpan tone of amusement for the twins' war-nurse friend, and adopts a light accent for the emotionally and physically damaged Belgian WWI refugees. It's a fabulous performance highlighting a wonderful story. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine -
Starred review from June 10, 2024
Annabelle Tudor's expressive performance transports the listener to WWI-era England, in Oxford and its suburb of Jericho. Twins Peggy and Maude work at Oxford University Press, folding book pages before sending them to the binders. Since their mother's death, Peggy has cared for Maude, whose neurodivergence makes it impossible for her to live alone. A voracious reader, Peggy dreams of studying at the university. However, the Great War changes everything, as the "gowns" (from elite Oxford University) and "towns" (from working-class Jericho) work side by side to care for wounded soldiers and to welcome Belgian refugees. The possibilities of education and romance do battle with Peggy's responsibilities, forcing her to decide if she can have it all. The story is told in first-person, through Peggy's eyes. Tudor skillfully narrates, helping listeners to visualize Peggy's world. She captures the young woman's myriad of emotions, heightened by the effects of the war; secondary characters, regardless of age, gender, personality, or place of origin, also come alive through her portrayal. VERDICT For her stellar performance of an emotional novel, Tudor is a narrator to listen for. William's second novel (following The Dictionary of Lost Words) is a must for most historical fiction collections.--Amanda L. S. Murphy
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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