The Bookbinder of Jericho is a historical fiction novel by Pip Williams, published in 2023. It serves as a companion book to her previous best-selling novel, The Dictionary of Lost Words.
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Blurb
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 of Jericho Book Review
The Bookbinder of Jericho is another brilliant historical read by Pip Williams. I wouldn’t say it’s neccessarily a sequel to her earlier best-seller, The Dictionary of Lost Words, as it is perfectly possible to read each book as a standalone novel. However if you read The Dictionary of Lost Words first, you’ll recognise characters such as Gareth and Tilda, and there are some nice references to Esme’s book of Women’s Words throughout.
Pip Williams’ writing is beautifully detailed, and she does a great job of blending historical events with the fictional elements of the story. The story touches on big themes like war, PTSD, loss, sacrifice and women’s rights, all set against the backdrop of WWI, the women’s suffrage movement, and the Spanish flu. While there’s plenty of sadness, there’s also a lot of warmth and hope.
The depiction of bookbinding is fascinating, and the inclusion of Belgian refugees brings a unique angle to the story.
Peggy and Maude are both captivating characters. Peggy is ambitious and curious, dreaming of more than just binding books, while Maude is content with the simple joys of her work and the camaraderie of her colleagues.
Peggy’s frustrations perfectly highlight the constraints placed on women at the time and her journey really captures the struggle many women faced, trying to break free from societal expectations.
Overall, The Bookbinder of Jericho is a moving and engaging novel and I can’t wait to read whatever Pip Williams writes next.
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