The Bookbinder By Pip Williams

In The Bookbinder’s Daughter, the latest novel from the bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words, readers are transported to 1914 Oxford, where the onset of World War I reshapes lives and destinies. As young British men are called to the front, women are left to hold the fort at home. Among them are twin sisters Peggy and Maude, who live on a narrowboat and work in the university press bindery.

Peggy, an ambitious and intelligent young woman, finds herself chafed by the constraints of her job, which dictates that she bind books but not read them. Yet, her mind frequently drifts across Walton Street to the women’s college, where academic and intellectual pursuits flourish. Peggy's curiosity and thirst for knowledge drive her to question her role and seek a greater purpose.

As the war rages on, Peggy's world expands beyond the confines of the bindery and narrowboat, leading her on a journey of self-discovery, love, and intellectual fulfillment. Amidst the turbulence of the times, she navigates the challenges of societal expectations and personal ambitions. The Bookbinder’s Daughter is a compelling and immersive tale of courage and transformation, vividly capturing a pivotal era through the lens of a young woman determined to forge her own path.