The topic of this book - how the first Oxford Dictionary was computed - is very interesting and intrigued me a lot. The part of the book telling us about it was therefore a good read and well written. I like this combination of reality and fiction. The rest of the book was for me rather tedious and packed with too many problems and sorrow: depression, the Sufragette movement, WW I, the loss of loved ones…. Esme‘s life is a hard one and I must admit I like my reading less depressive.
