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The Word Collector: A Novel
The past has a habit of invading the present. For Petra, a linguist and self-proclaimed wordsmith, her own history and future have a way of blending and mixing, blinding her from the moment at hand. The past, though, is not a safe place for Petra. It is filled with terrors, with memories she buries beneath obsolete and archaic words. Until the diary surfaces. A lost diary, discovered in a chest at the bottom of the lake. The book plunges Petra into the life of Nerissa Swifte, another woman that lived beyond the bounds of her own time. A woman whose struggles and sorrows echo Petra’s own. The more Petra reads about this woman of the past, the more she finds her own history revealed. But when all the painful memories are laid bare, where will Petra stand? Oblivious and tucked securely within the safety of her world of words? Or will she use the truth of her history to propel her into an unknown future? Magic and memories, pain and secrets all await her at the lake’s edge. And words, glorious words—the greatest enchantments of all.
336 pages, Paperback
Published August 3, 2016
About the author
Alexandria V. Nolan
10 books27 followersALEXANDRIA NOLAN was born and grew up in and around the Michigan's second motor city, Flint. She attended the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English. After graduation from university in 2008, Alexandria moved to Texas to teach History, English and Writing in the public school system. In the spring of 2013, she left teaching to write full time.
She is the author of "Shears of Fate" a novella, "Wide, Wild, Everywhere" a book of short stories, "Starlight Symphonies of Oak & Glass" A novel of early Michigan, and "The Library of Panopticon" a time-slip fantasy. She maintains a lifestyle blog, Greetings from Nolandia, and is a frequent contributor to various online and print publications. Alexandria is currently working on a historical fantasy, and also the sequel to "Starlight Symphonies".
She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband, Terrence. When she is not writing she is traveling or reading, or reading about traveling.
She is the author of "Shears of Fate" a novella, "Wide, Wild, Everywhere" a book of short stories, "Starlight Symphonies of Oak & Glass" A novel of early Michigan, and "The Library of Panopticon" a time-slip fantasy. She maintains a lifestyle blog, Greetings from Nolandia, and is a frequent contributor to various online and print publications. Alexandria is currently working on a historical fantasy, and also the sequel to "Starlight Symphonies".
She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband, Terrence. When she is not writing she is traveling or reading, or reading about traveling.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 16, 2017
I always enjoy reading Alexandria Nolan’s novels; her latest, The Word Collector, did not disappoint. Nolan is first and foremost a storyteller. In The Word Collector, you are treated to two stories. One is set in the present and recounts the life of Petra, a linguist, the word collector of the title. It is an emotional and painful story of a young woman who has endured a terrifying past and tries to move on at the same time she is forced to confront the reality of her past. The other story is one that takes place hundreds of years before but in the same local of Upper Michigan. This is the story of Narissa Swifte and it unfolds as Petra translates an ancient diary which she has been given by a childhood friend. The two stories are intertwined in a very clever way.
Nolan is a believer in magic. Narissa’s story takes place in a time when magic was much more present than today. The people are descendants of men who swim like fish and some still have webbed fingers to prove it. Others are children of fairies. The offspring of these matches often have special powers. Witches are common. The land itself is part of a universe where the links between man, earth and spirit are much more interconnected than today. Nolan ensures that the modern world of Petra also has its share of magic; she often exaggerates so that we with less imagination may see the possibilities. Her descriptions of place are beautiful and so realistic it is easy to imagine yourself in her world: “A wondrous isle. Crystal blue waters filled the most tender and delicious fish, and game to hunt on the mainland. Fresh pine forests, and maple trees easily tapped for the sweetest sugar”.
Nolan is a writer’s writer and improves her skills with each novel. She views words as the greatest of enchanters. In The Word Collector she begins each chapter with an arcane (or even made up?) word and its definition. As Petra translates Narissa’s diary, she has to define such words and give them meaning in modern language. Words simply…revealed themselves to her. She would come across an archaic word, an undocumented rare term, and she did not have to wonder its meaning. Instead its synonyms and definitions would pop into her head as though she had known the word all along. As if there were no words that were strangers to her. We feel this power of language as Nolan throws words at us that we probably have never seen before but clearly understand given the context. In fact, these wonderful words are far more descriptive than the more common but mundane examples we might choose: rodomontade, adumbration, slurg, propcurant, gelteez. They even sound good rolling off the tongue. It’s a feast of language from a creative wordsmith.
The theme of past and future are woven throughout the book, not only in the obvious comparison between Petra’s life and the past life of Narissa as she brings her back to life through her translations, but also in Petra’s short life itself. Petra is in many ways a captive of her own past. Her story is one of her struggle to confront the terrifying facts of her early life so she can free herself and move on to her future. She reminds me a bit of Nick Carraway, in The Great Gatsby, who says, “the future is always receding in front of us, and that we're forever beaten back towards the past.” Petra’s journey is a painful one but fortunately we are in the hands of a master story teller who takes us along on her journey, introducing us to a world of interesting and complicated characters. Immerse yourself in this magical story. You will not be disappointed.
Nolan is a believer in magic. Narissa’s story takes place in a time when magic was much more present than today. The people are descendants of men who swim like fish and some still have webbed fingers to prove it. Others are children of fairies. The offspring of these matches often have special powers. Witches are common. The land itself is part of a universe where the links between man, earth and spirit are much more interconnected than today. Nolan ensures that the modern world of Petra also has its share of magic; she often exaggerates so that we with less imagination may see the possibilities. Her descriptions of place are beautiful and so realistic it is easy to imagine yourself in her world: “A wondrous isle. Crystal blue waters filled the most tender and delicious fish, and game to hunt on the mainland. Fresh pine forests, and maple trees easily tapped for the sweetest sugar”.
Nolan is a writer’s writer and improves her skills with each novel. She views words as the greatest of enchanters. In The Word Collector she begins each chapter with an arcane (or even made up?) word and its definition. As Petra translates Narissa’s diary, she has to define such words and give them meaning in modern language. Words simply…revealed themselves to her. She would come across an archaic word, an undocumented rare term, and she did not have to wonder its meaning. Instead its synonyms and definitions would pop into her head as though she had known the word all along. As if there were no words that were strangers to her. We feel this power of language as Nolan throws words at us that we probably have never seen before but clearly understand given the context. In fact, these wonderful words are far more descriptive than the more common but mundane examples we might choose: rodomontade, adumbration, slurg, propcurant, gelteez. They even sound good rolling off the tongue. It’s a feast of language from a creative wordsmith.
The theme of past and future are woven throughout the book, not only in the obvious comparison between Petra’s life and the past life of Narissa as she brings her back to life through her translations, but also in Petra’s short life itself. Petra is in many ways a captive of her own past. Her story is one of her struggle to confront the terrifying facts of her early life so she can free herself and move on to her future. She reminds me a bit of Nick Carraway, in The Great Gatsby, who says, “the future is always receding in front of us, and that we're forever beaten back towards the past.” Petra’s journey is a painful one but fortunately we are in the hands of a master story teller who takes us along on her journey, introducing us to a world of interesting and complicated characters. Immerse yourself in this magical story. You will not be disappointed.
September 17, 2019
Fantastic read. The author really knew how to steal your heart and grab your attention with the characters. Very strong story that left me wanting more. I do enjoy having to look up a few words I don’t know, very descriptive with the usage of synonyms! Absolutely loved it!
August 13, 2016
I, of course, thought it was well written and deeply personal. With insights into depression, nostalgia and overcoming past traumas to create a brighter, more hopeful future.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews