Overview

""Devotees of rich historical fiction and contemporary social discourse alike will be enthralled.” —Booklist, starred review From bestselling author Louise Fein comes a new historical novel set in a world of banned books and censorship, in which an encrypted manuscript unleashes a chain of consequences across 400 years, perfect for fans of Weyward and The Briar Club. 1552, PARIS: The print­ing press is quickly spreading new ideas across Europe, threatening the power of church and state and unleashing a wave of book burning and heretic hunting. When frightened ex-nun Lysbette Angiers arrives at Charlotte Guillard’s famous printing shop with her manuscript, neither woman knows just how far the powerful elite will go to prevent the spread of Lysbette’s audacious ideas. 1952, NEW YORK: Milly Bennett is a lonely housewife struggling to find her way in her new neighborhood amidst the paranoid clamors of McCarthy’s America. She finds her life taking an unexpected turn when a relic from her past presents her with a 400-year-old manuscript to decipher, pulling her into a vortex of danger that threatens to shatter her world. From the risky backstreets of sixteenth-century Paris to the unpredictable suburbs of mid-twentieth century New York, the stakes couldn’t be higher when, 400 years apart, Milly, Lysbette, and Charlotte each face a reality where the spread of ideas are feared and every effort is made to suppress them. Dramatic and affecting, and inspired by the real-life encrypted Voynich manuscript, Book of Forbidden Words is both an engrossing story about a timeless struggle that echoes through the ages and a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dare to let their words be heard.

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9780063411432

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Reviews

""A taut, gripping story of three extraordinary women linked across centuries by an encrypted manuscript. Fein is brilliant at creating an atmosphere of creeping menace. It's hard to judge who to trust as the net closes in. I love her courageous characters, her immersive writing, and the vivid descriptions of printing and coding techniques. The Book of Forbidden Words is a stunning achievement."" -- Gill Paul, bestselling author of A Beautiful Rival ""In this gripping story of love and betrayal, loosely based on real-life figures and events, even the author's note at the end is a riveting must-read."" -- Library Journal (starred review), on The London Bookshop Affair

""A taut, gripping story of three extraordinary women linked across centuries by an encrypted manuscript. Fein is brilliant at creating an atmosphere of creeping menace. It's hard to judge who to trust as the net closes in. I love her courageous characters, her immersive writing, and the vivid descriptions of printing and coding techniques. The Book of Forbidden Words is a stunning achievement."" -- Gill Paul, bestselling author of A Beautiful Rival ""In this gripping story of love and betrayal, loosely based on real-life figures and events, even the author's note at the end is a riveting must-read."" -- Library Journal (starred review), on The London Bookshop Affair ""A powerful and beautifully crafted story about the importance of the written word. I loved it!"" -- Nicola Gill, author of Swimming for Beginners

Author Information

Louise Fein is the author of Daughter of the Reich, which has been published in thirteen territories, the international bestseller The Hidden Child, and The London Bookshop Affair. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University. She lives in Surrey, UK, with her family.

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