1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• The Dictionary of Lost Words focuses on characters in a range of social classes and levels of education. Which character did you identify with most, and why?
• How did the book benefit from covering a wide expanse of time?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Did this novel change the way you think of dictionaries today? How have dictionaries changed since Esme’s time?
• Did you sympathize with the suffrage movement? Why?
• Were any of the “inappropriate” words jarring to you? Is there such thing as a “bad” word and a “good” word?
• The novel features a few tragic character deaths. Which one impacted you most, and why?
• Esme grows up in the unassuming garden shed called the Scriptorium, where she feels nurtured and safe. Discuss a setting in your own life that you consider a safe place.

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The petition for women’s rights is one of the driving forces in the novel. How are these struggles still present today?
• Esme worries that important elements of language are being lost through the curation from the dictionary’s editors.